FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 1999 SB-99-12

NTSB TO HOST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TRANSPORTATION RECORDERS IN MAY

Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board and the International Transportation Safety Association will host an international symposium on transportation recorders to be held on May 3-5, in Arlington, Virginia.

The Safety Board is co-hosting the symposium to bring together, for the first time, international professionals from all modes of transportation to share information and experiences gained from the use of recorded information to investigate transportation accidents and to improve transportation safety and efficiency.

"Transportation recorders have played major roles in the Board's accident investigations," said NTSB Chairman Jim Hall. "These recorders provide us with critical information that can often lead to determining the probable causes of accidents. The symposium will provide an opportunity to identify methods for expanding the use of recorders in all transportation modes for safety as well as for commercial and economic advantages."

The symposium will review the current state of recorder technology, including cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders used in commercial aviation, voyage recorders installed on cruise ships, on-board computers/recorders installed in trucks, event recorders installed on trains, and the recording devices used throughout the pipeline industry.

There will be representatives from all modes of transportation, including government and industry, participating in panel discussions. The discussions include:

· Proactive Use of Recorded Data - expanded use of recorded data not only to investigate accidents, but also to prevent accidents and improve operational efficiency.

· Access to Data: Privacy, Proprietary, and Union Issues - expanding the use of recorded data for safety and economic purposes while taking into consideration the sensitivity of the data, and the associated legal implications.

· Future Recording Requirements and Capabilities - projected technological advances and the impact the advances will have on the future needs and availability of recorded data.

The three-day symposium, held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, will begin on May 3rd at 9:30 am.

Additional information is available on the NTSB Web site at http://www.ntsb.gov/events/symposia.htm

Media Contact: Keith Holloway, 202-314-6100

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