What parameters does a Flight Data Recorder capture and what are the requirements?

Flight Data Recorders (FDRs) capture aircraft state for accident investigation and safety monitoring. Required parameters (per FAR 121.344/EUOPS): Time, altitude, airspeed, heading, vertical acceleration, pitch and roll attitude, control positions, thrust, flap/slat position, and autopilot modes - minimum 88 parameters for new aircraft. Requirements: 25-hour recording duration, Crash survivability (3400g impact, 1100C fire), Underwater locator beacon (30-day battery), Annual inspection and readout. Modern FDRs use solid-state memory. Quick Access Recorders (QARs) provide routine data download for flight operations quality assurance (FOQA). New requirements include cockpit image recorders. Data frame layout per ARINC 717/767.