flight recorder

noun

: a crashworthy instrument for recording flight data (such as airspeed and altitude)

Examples of flight recorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Readings from the plane's flight recorders showed the engines were shut down by hand, and the autopilot was turned off as well, according to The Times. — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026 If telemetry or flight recorder data indicate anomalous electromagnetic activity, the findings may remain classified. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025 An enhanced information pipeline will also allow scientists on Earth to regularly receive critical mission data from the flight recorder rather than having to wait for Orion to land to recover them. — Adam Bluestein, Scientific American, 5 Apr. 2026 In the complaint, the family members also questioned the sharp pivot the pilot made before attempting to land, as well as the plane’s engine maintenance, and why Flight 2216’s flight recorder stopped working four minutes before the crash. — Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for flight recorder

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flight recorder was in 1939

Rhymes for flight recorder

See All Rhymes for flight recorder

Browse Nearby Words

flight plan
flight recorder
flight shooting
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Cite this Entry

“Flight recorder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flight%20recorder. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flight recorder

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flight recorder

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