An aircraft-side aircraft data retrieval system and method, comprising: a data storage device (14) located in a first location, for example a bay (8), in a aircraft (2) adapted to, during a flight, store data acquired during the flight; and wireless apparatus (18) comprising an antenna (28), at least the antenna (28) being located in a second location, for example an undercarriage bay, in the aircraft (2) that is different to the first location, the wireless apparatus (18) adapted to wirelessly transmit, after landing, the stored data to a ground-side data retrieval system (6); the second location (10) being a location that can have a closed or open configuration and which will be in the closed configuration for at least a majority of the flight and in the open configuration, for a purpose other than retrieving the stored data, after the aircraft (2) has landed.