Black Boxes for GA Aircraft...Good or Bad?

Got this article in an AOPA email about black boxes being installed in
the Cirrus SR20 and SR22. Do you think that all flight schools should
have these type of black boxes installed in their aircrafts?


'BLACK BOXES' SOON AVAILABLE FOR CIRRUS AIRPLANES
A Massachusetts manufacturer, which was developing an engine trend
monitoring device for an air taxi operator now using Cirrus Design
aircraft, has expanded the product to a $5,000 flight data recorder or
"black box" for the Cirrus SR20 and SR22 models. The device, made by
Alakai Technologies of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, can help owners by
providing easily downloadable engine performance data, but will also
aid insurance company investigations of fault in aircraft accidents. It
could save up to $1,000 a year in owner insurance, a company official
estimated. The 3.5-pound device should receive a supplemental type
certificate from the FAA as early as December. The air taxi operator
will become the launch customer for the always-on Digital Flight Data
System. It can record information such as engine performance, rate of
climb or descent, true and indicated airspeed, heading, altitude,
engine trends, miles per gallon, and GPS navigation waypoints. There
have been initial discussions between Alakai and Cirrus Design about
the device. It will be manufactured for Alakai by another Massachusetts
company, Accent Technologies, located in North Andover.