Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014

Unnecessary Tragedy

The technology exists to keep us from ever losing a commercial airliner over open seas ever again. So why aren’t we using it?

Published Dec. 28 2014 7:45PM EST

articles/2014/12/28/red-tape-and-black-boxes-why-we-keep-losing-airliners-in-2014/141228-irving-airasia-tease_wbbkvw — Kim Kyung Hoon/Reuters

Darkness fell in Asia Monday night with a potential sighting of the wreckage of the AirAsia airliner with 162 people aboard that disappeared Saturday night somewhere between Surabaya, Indonesia, and Singapore.

But Indonesia’s vice president, Jusuf Kalla, swiftly

Clive Irving

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Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014

The technology exists to keep us from ever losing a commercial airliner over open seas ever again. So why aren’t we using it?

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Clive Irving