Final answer:
A turbine-powered commuter aircraft with 10-19 passenger seats is required to have a cockpit voice recorder to capture the last two hours of cockpit audio for investigations.
Step-by-step explanation:
An aircraft operating in a commuter operation is required to have a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) under certain circumstances. According to the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), a cockpit voice recorder is mandatory for commuter aircraft that are turbine-powered and have a seating configuration of 10 or more but less than 20 passengers, excluding each crewmember seat. The CVR must record the last two hours of cockpit audio which includes pilot communication, engine noise, stall warnings, and other aural warning sounds. The purpose of having a CVR is to capture cockpit conversations and sounds that can offer valuable information during the investigation of an incident or accident.