The International Cessna^® 170 Association

The recent NTSB suggestion to require/make-available cockpit recordings of all pilot conversations is sufficiently disturbing to most pilots to cause them to protest. But only yesterday, while piloting a Hawker from Colorado to Texas, I overheard an airliner on ABQ-center freq. request from the controller a "news-update" on the "tsunami"... and the controller responded favorably that he'd obtain/report the news. Only a few minutes later, another airliner requested the "scores" on a ball-game and the controller again offered to obtain/report the info.
GIVE ME A BREAK! If you're one of the pilots who oppose having your cockpit conversations recorded and publicly reported... then you do all of us no favors when you fail to keep your transmissions pertinent to your flight.
My 2-cents.

George, a little perspective. Often times these requests are from our passengers. If the frequency is slow and the controller has the time for it, there is no harm in requesting this stuff. If you had a squall line along the Texas dry line, I promise you those requests wont be made. As far as recorder of conversations, let the NTSB knock themselves out. What will happen is an interesting phenomina that occurs. Welcome to the high altitude world of flying. Doug

Hello, Doug!
Yes, I know all that. I'm not exactly new to the game. I'm just pointing out that we'd better watch it. We sometimes are our own worst enemies. (And I don't know which is worse... are you telling me now that it's OK to interrrupt pilots with passenger ball-game update requests? Horth-thit.)

In the glorious days of old, when airline captains were bold, and CVRs were just invented,
At the end of the trip, we ereased the strip, and went away contented.

Anyway, that's how it worked on the "Dizzy Six" when I flew 'em.

Immediately before take-off (during the line-up check) I have a habit of pressing the "erase' button, and again upon leaving the runway (first item on my "after landing" check.) *

Of course, the "erase" function only works when on the "squat" switch so it's impossible to erase anything in-flight.

I believe the reason CVR's were invented was to provide lawyers the ability to sue the pilot's or their next-of-kin. Absolutely no accident-cause that I know of was solved by virtue of a CVR, but it sure has helped ATC and airframe mfr's shift the blame.

* Of course, being a creature of habit has it's own downside. I once pulled into position to wait...as instructed by TWR at SAT... and a moment later was angrily ordered back off the runway for a Boeing on short-approach in the clouds. I aggressively shoved the power up and exited at the first available and the Boeing (SWA) landed. After twr/gnd chewed on me a minute I reminded them that with the low ceiling I couldn't see the SWA and that TWR had cleared me into "position and hold". L O N G S I L E N C E .
My copilot pointed to the little red-light on the CVR control-head that indicated it was in the process of "erasing".
DaMM!, I thought. I had apparently pushed the button as we lined up and/or again as we exited.

I'm sure the TWR was happy to erase their copy as soon as the req'd ten days had elapsed. At least nothing came of it and no one was hurt.