The plodding search for EgyptAir 804, which went down in the eastern Mediterranean en route to Cairo on May 19, has again ignited the discussion about real-time transmission of critical flight parameters via satellite. In an age when the world is stitched together with numerous satellite systems, doesn't relying on ancient flight and voice data recorders seem utterly backward?
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/avionics/time-for-satellite-tracking-for-oceanic-airliners