News about a practical 25 HR CVR asks why not voluntary installation NOW for SAFETY

JDA Aviation Technology Solutions

 

Airbus and avionics developer Acron announced that their joint efforts have resulted in a 25 hour CVR that complies with both US and EASA certification standards. The statutory (2024 FAA Reauthorization Act ) requirements Includes

• Applicability: All newly manufactured transport category aircraft (airplanes and rotorcraft) operating under 14 CFR Parts 91, 121, 125, and 135- as of May 2024
• All in-service aircraft must be retrofitted by 2030
• 10-minute power backup,
• improved underwater locator beacon performance,

and

• enhanced crash survivability

The FAA’s proposed 25 Hour CVR Rule (here) has not been made final yet. The statute applies to new aircraft; so its applicable for the OEMs to comply. The draft did not offer a mandate for retrofits.

The FAA NPRM repeated the history of instances in which the old CVR rules resulted in inadequate information needed to determine probable cause. Further, statutory language, the NTSB’s particularly strong recommendations[1] PLUS would appear to provide adequate basis for IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION. Add to those legal/regulatory declarations, as described below, the 25 hour CVR is

• commercially available,
• easily integrated,
• enables fit-form-function replacements for legacy 2-hour CVRs, no matter what the manufacturer may be,
• simplified installation

and

• minimizing aircraft downtime.

 

 

However, according to FAA estimates approximately 13,500 aircraft in the U.S. fleet have been retrofitted to comply with the 25-hour CVR mandate. This figure represents less than half of the total U.S. commercial fleet (estimated at 29,561 aircraft[2]) that require CVRs.

Imposition of almost any new or broader recording (oral or visual) equipment has usually drawn criticism from ALPA and IFALPA. They support both future and retroactive installation rules.

The anomaly is that all these airlines have adopted SMS, established safety cultures and have taken numerous actions on their own initiative.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Why not here?
                                    • Availability of the new recorder from the manufacturers?
                                    • Perhaps MX schedules do not have time to install this easy to install safety equipment?

SAFETY FIRST MEANS SAFETY FIRST

Acron Aviation and Airbus Join Forces to Offer an Upgrade Solution for 25-Hour CVR

PETERSBURG, Fla. and TOULOUSE, France, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ —

ACRON AVIATION[i], a global leader in aerospace safety systems, and AIRBUS, have announced a collaboration to deliver an upgrade solution for Airbus’ operators worldwide.

Certified, Compliant, and Configurable

Acron Aviation’s 25-hour Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), marketed as SRVIVR25, is AIRBUS’ CHOSEN SOLUTION FOR 25-HOUR CVR with recording capability. SRVIVR25, the only 25-hour CVR approved and qualified by Airbus thus far, is fully compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization act and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA’s) CVR regulations.

Through this Acron Aviation-Airbus collaboration, airlines can ensure regulatory compliance with minimal operational disruption. The SRVIVR25, designed for easy integration, enables fit-form-function replacements for legacy 2-hour CVRs, no matter the manufacturer, simplifying installation and minimizing aircraft downtime.

Integration, Supply and
Standardization

The installation and the supply of the SRVIVR25 is offered and managed through an Airbus service bulletin. This ensures a robust integration with existing audio panels, cockpit area microphones, and datalink recording systems.

Operators will benefit from cost and operational advantages, including standardized part numbers across new production and upgrade installations, enabling common spares, simplified maintenance, and compatibility with existing ground support equipment (GSE) for fast, secure data access.

Future Ready

Built on over 60 years of Acron Aviation’s safety innovation, the SRVIVR25 is engineered for high capacity and aligned with upcoming ED-112B audio standards. Its advanced diagnostics and proven manufacturability ensure high-quality, consistent performance across all mission profiles.

Alan Crawford, Chief Executive Officer, Acron Aviation said: “This collaboration with Airbus ensures operators have access to our pioneering SRVIVR25 CVR, a product that sets industry standards and is fully certified to meet the evolving regulatory landscape.” Crawford continued, “SRVIVR25 includes versions with integrated Recorder Independent Power Supply (RIPS), significantly reducing wiring, space, and weight requirements while streamlining upgrades across diverse fleets, so airlines are not only meeting compliance standards, but they are also future proofing their fleets.”

[1] A-18-30: Require 25-hour CVRs on all newly manufactured aircraft.

; A-18-31: Retrofit existing aircraft with 25-hour CVRs by January 1, 2024.

 

[2] Approximately 430 new aircraft have been added to the U.S. air carrier fleet since May 2024.

 

[i] Acron Aviation is an avionics manufacturer and flight training provider based in the United States, with locations in the United Kingdom and Thailand. It formally launched in 2025 following the 2023 sale by technology company L3Harris of its Commercial Aviation Solutions division to private equity firm .