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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has paid tribute to black-box flight recorder inventor, Dr David Warren AO following his recent passing.

Aviation investigators around the world use black-box flight recorders as a principal means of establishing the sequence of events immediately after an aviation accident.

ATSB Chief Commissioner, Mr Martin Dolan, said through the invention of flight recorders Dr Warren greatly improved transport safety in Australia and throughout the world.

"In seeking answers about why accidents happen, the information derived from these recorders is often crucial. They let us identify what needs to be done to prevent recurrence and to enhance overall standards of aviation safety," Mr Dolan said.

"There is little doubt that many lives have been saved over the years as a result of the introduction of 'black boxes'. For this, the international aviation community and broader travelling public owe a debt of gratitude to Dr Warren's vision, perseverance and tenacity in pursuing their development."

All aircraft on the Australian register with a maximum take-off weight greater than 5,700 kg are required to carry both a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and a flight data recorder (FDR).