The Black Box

The tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Reverend Hubert Warren remained a mystery, but nearly two decades later, his son, David Warren, set out to change that. Inspired by his childhood fascination with radios and recording devices, he invented the flight data recorder, now known as the black box—a device that would revolutionise air safety. However, his groundbreaking idea was initially met with resistance, as pilots feared it would invade their privacy. Despite the pushback, Warren persisted, and his invention eventually became a mandatory feature on all commercial flights worldwide. But why was it originally rejected? How did a simple childhood gift spark one of the most important aviation breakthroughs? And why is the “black box” actually bright orange? Join us as we uncover the incredible story behind this life-saving invention.