The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a rule extending cockpit voice recorder (CVR) retention from two hours to 25 hours.

The new requirement will apply to all newly manufactured aircraft operating under Parts 91, 121, 125, and 135 beginning in 2027.

The federal agency said the change is necessary to give investigators access to more data for identifying the causes of incidents and preventing future accidents — a measure long advocated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

In addition, the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act mandates that the remaining in-service fleet comply through retrofit by 2030.

This regulation effectively aligns U.S. standards with existing international norms already in place across Europe.