black boxes in airplanes

So, if the black boxes always make it through the crashes of the airplanes, why not have people sized black boxes. Harnesses could be installed to keep a person in the center of the box, maybe even porta-pottys inside the things.
Do ya think it would work?

Such a thing already exists. It’s called a main battle tank. Unfortunately, they’re a little too heavy to put on airplanes in enough numbers to make it worthwhile.

This is really just a variation of the question: “If the black box always survives the plane crash, why not nuild the whole plane out of the same material?”. If I am not mistaken, this is one of the forbidden questions on this board along with the three words ending in -gry question. Welcome to the Straight Dope but be warned that there are some questions that are so common yet so stunning in their display of ignorance that should not be asked lest the Teeming Millions feed you to the lions.

If aircraft “black boxes” are indestructible, why can’t the whole plane be made from the same material?

Fisrt off,it would be too heavy for it to fly(think about it).

And also your in the box,and its falling from so far up,just think of the impact falling down from the sky,it would be like jumping off a building,you’d still end up dead

“forbidden questions” ooooh, aaaah
its just a hypothetical, to try and expand the brain cavity.
what are the forbidden questions? is there a secret place to view them?

The standard reply I’ve always heard for this questions is “Because the overpasses on the Interstate aren’t wide or high enough.”

As for forbidden questions, here are some that the Master won’t touch.
http://www.straightdope.com/faq/lamequestions.html

Go to http://www.howstuffworks.com/black-box.htm . This link gives some more in-depth information on how black boxes actually work and how they are constructed.

Part of the indestructability of black boxes also comes from their relatively small size. Take a big glass bottle and throw it against the sidewalk-- It shatters. Now take one of those little pieces of glass and throw it against the sidewalk-- It bounces. Take a big chunk of airplane and throw it against the ground, it breaks up into little pieces. Take the black box, and it’s already a little piece.

thanks for the link BobT. its all starting to make sense now!
Chronos-the comparison is understandable.

now if the moderator will remove the question, I’ll move back to lurking and working on another ponderable question.