‘Why no eyes in the sky?’ Air India crash rekindles demand for cockpit cameras

A chilling exchange between two pilots—one denying responsibility after being asked why the plane's fuel was cut — was the last recorded moment before Air India’s Boeing 787-8 crashed on June 12, killing over 270 people. The conversation, captured by the cockpit voice recorder and revealed in the interim investigation report, has sparked a global debate: Why don’t commercial planes have cockpit video recorders?

In a world where school buses, cabs, and even refrigerators come equipped with cameras, the absence of video in airplane cockpits — especially when paired with sophisticated audio and data logging tools — has left many baffled. The debate, decades old, has now gained unprecedented urgency.

Voices growing louder

"Have we arrived at a time when we need live cockpit video recorders so no one can be blamed unfairly?" asked Maulik Modi, a doctor reacting to the Air India report. He isn’t alone. From aviation experts to tech-savvy lawyers, a wave of voices across India and abroad is questioning why this critical technology has been kept out of the cockpit for so long.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States has been advocating for cockpit video systems since 1989. Yet, despite repeated calls, strong lobbying from powerful pilots’ unions—particularly in the US—has blocked every push toward implementation.

Safety vs privacy—or something more?

The primary resistance to cockpit cameras comes not from technological or cost limitations but from pilots themselves. Unions argue cameras violate their privacy, could stifle cockpit dynamics—particularly between junior and senior crew—and open the door for airline surveillance.

“There is an observer effect,” said a veteran pilot. “We are trained to take calculated decisions in emergencies—some of which may bend the rules to save lives. With cameras, we fear scrutiny and second-guessing.”

There’s also concern about leaked footage. While black box audio has occasionally surfaced in public, visuals from a crash site could be far more traumatic for the victims’ families.

Irony in resistance

Ironically, cockpit video recorders could have protected pilots in the current case. The interim report mentioned the fuel supply to both engines was somehow cut shortly after take-off—leading to loss of thrust and the crash. But without visual evidence, it remains unclear whether the act was mechanical, electronic, or human.

“The dead cannot defend themselves,” said Marco Chan, an aviation expert, noting that a single snippet of cockpit dialogue does not conclusively prove human error.

In this context, video could serve not only as a powerful tool for crash investigations but also to protect pilots from premature judgments or conspiracy theories.

The global disparity

While the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has so far refused to mandate cockpit cameras, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has no such restrictions. China, meanwhile, is working on integrating video surveillance into its new fleet of domestic aircraft like the COMAC C919.

Even helicopter manufacturers are ahead in this space, using cockpit cameras for training and safety analysis.

Adding to the paradox, pilot-shot videos of cockpit take-offs, landings, and flight routines are routinely shared on aviation YouTube channels like Just Planes and Flightradar24—proof that privacy can coexist with cockpit cameras if managed responsibly.

A tool long overdue

Since the early 2000s, the NTSB has included cockpit video systems on its “Most Wanted” safety improvements list. A 2015 Time magazine report noted that such footage would provide irreplaceable insight into actions and non-verbal communication — something black boxes alone cannot capture.

EgyptAir Flight 990, which crashed into the Atlantic in 1999, remains a tragic example of this gap. Conflicting investigations—one blaming a pilot’s actions, the other denying it—have left the truth in limbo. A camera might have ended that ambiguity.

The turning point?

The Air India tragedy may finally be the tipping point. A 15-page preliminary report released on July 12 intensified calls from legal experts, aviation professionals, and victims’ families alike. Even lawmakers are weighing in.

“Yellow school buses have cameras. It’s time to put them in cockpits for emergencies,” said David Greenfield, adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. “Who will legislate it first?”

As grief turns to scrutiny and scrutiny to policy, the long-delayed case for cockpit video recorders could gain momentum. As history shows, even cockpit voice recorders—now a staple of every black box—were once fiercely resisted.

The sky may not have eyes yet. But after Ahmedabad, they may not be far off.