SOS/Aerobytes FOQA

SOS, in partnership with Aerobytes Ltd. (www.aerobytes.co.uk), offers Flight Operations

Quality Assurance (FOQA) program design, implementation, and management.

Basics/Background

FOQA is a program to improve flight safety by

the routine collection and analysis of digital data from routine flight operations. This program
provides objective information concerning flight operations in their entirety, from engine start to
engine shutdown. The data then allows an operator better decision making capabilities
regarding both safety and efficiency. By utilizing a FOQA program, organizations can use the
data already recorded on their aircraft to qualify operational norms, identify deviations, and
determine flight situations that have the potential for incidents or accidents. A FOQA program is
comprised of advanced data-acquisition technology, analysis software, and trained personnel.
The four concepts of flight data analysis, trend reporting, corrective action generation, and
operations monitoring distill FOQA down to its basics. Although the primary goal of FOQA is
operational safety, organizations have found that information derived from FOQA also has
resulted in reduced maintenance costs. These savings have resulted from timely execution of
maintenance events, the reduction of “no fault found” component removal and replacement,
and a reduction in aircraft out-of-service times. FOQA programs have additionally allowed
operators to verify and enhance training effectiveness, and increase performance of
operational, engineering, and air traffic control procedures.

FOQA essentially began in 1962 when British

Airways established a program to validate airworthiness criteria using flight data recorder
(FDR) information. Several foreign airlines have also had FOQA-type programs incorporated
into their operations for more than 20 years. (While they operate under a variety of names,
such as Flight Data Monitoring or Flight Operations Data Analysis, these are the operational
equivalent of FOQA.) These programs have flourished because a partnership between
regulatory agencies, labor unions, and air carrier management has been forged with a shared
focus on improving operational safety. Today, more than 43 airlines around the world have
active FOQA programs. In 1991, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contracted with the
Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) to examine the technology, benefits, and issues associated
with FOQA programs used outside the United States. As a result of this study, the FSF
recommended to the FAA that a program to examine the potential benefit that U.S. airline
operators could derive from FOQA programs should be initiated by the FAA. Among the
recommendations that came out of the DOT-sponsored 1995 "Zero Accidents" Aviation Safety
Conference, was that the FAA should encourage and assist U.S. airlines with the voluntary
establishment and implementation of FOQA programs. Most important was the
recommendation that the FAA sponsor FOQA demonstration studies, in cooperation with the
airline industry, to assist the development of guidelines for introducing and managing the FAA-
sponsored program, and to address airline and flight crew concerns regarding the appropriate
use and protection of recorded flight data gathered by FOQA programs.

Components/Operation

The first step of a FOQA program is to capture

the aircraft’s raw digital flight data. On modern digital aircraft, the outputs from various sensors
and avionics systems are connected to a Digital Flight Data Acquisition Unit (DFDAU). The
DFDAU formats the mandatory data frame sets and sends them to the aircraft’s Digital Flight
Data Recorder (DFDR) and, if equipped, to an expanded Quick Access Recorder (QAR). The
data or parameters collected and recorded are generally the same as those recorded on a
typical aircraft DFDR such as “landing gear position” or “altitude”, but in some cases may
include hundreds of other parameters. Mathematical algorithms may also be used to calculate
immeasurable parameters such as side loads on the aircraft’s vertical fin. The FAA requires
transport aircraft to be equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR). However, a FDR is only
required to record between 16 and 29 parameters, depending on the aircraft model, and 88
parameters for aircraft manufactured after 1997. In addition, FDRs are also normally able to
record only 25 hours flight data. FDRs were not initially designed for their data to be easily
accessible and regularly downloaded. They were designed to survive the extreme conditions of
an aircraft accident and to preserve the recorded data for an investigation. For those reasons,
and many others, an older model FDR alone would not be adequate for data collection
purposes. The more capable and modern Quick Access Recorder (QAR) does not have those
limitations and can record from 200 to over 500 parameters. On average, QARs can also
capture between 100 and 200 hours of flight data. Data can be recorded on a variety of
mediums ranging from removable optical disks, tape cartridges or PCMCIA flash memory
cards. Although a QAR would be ideal for data collection purposes, not all aircraft are
equipped with them.

Transferring the digital flight data for download is the second step

in a FOQA program. The raw digital data can be transferred to two locations; 1) the operator’s
Central Data Station (CDS) or Ground Data Replay and Analysis System (GDRAS), depending
on the FOQA hardware. This is typically done by physically removing the disk or card from the
aircraft’s QAR or DFDAU during periodic servicing and placing it into a Remote Data Station
(RDS). Data is usually retrieved on schedules ranging from 3 to 20 days. The RDS downloads,
encrypts and transmits the raw data over a highly secured network, to the CDS. The data
stored on the mediums (Optical disk/PCMCIA card) are then reformatted, erasing all flight data
and accompany identification tags, and placed back on the aircraft for further recording. Some
operators have found that a wireless data link alternative is more cost efficient and has the
added benefit of eliminating any physical handling and transporting of the flight data, as well as
improve data timeliness.

Once the raw digital flight data is captured and transferred, it is then

uploaded for processing and analysis at the operator’s Ground Data Replay and Analysis
System (GDRAS). The first step is to de-identify the flight data by removing specific flight
information, i.e. flight number/date, and placing it into a secure database that only the highest
security level user will have access to. Data retention can range from 30 days to one year
depending on the Safety Department needs and the agreement between the organization and
pilots union. The next step is analysis of the data, which usually takes three forms:
1. Continuous comparison of flight profile as well as engine and systems operation with a set
of defined parameters in order to detect exceedances (events),
2. Compilation of data to obtain an accurate overall picture of the operation and the condition
of engines and systems,
3. Diagnostics, research and incident investigation.
 Using set parameters, the system will automatically detect

abnormal events, or “Operational Exceedances”, which indicate flight operations outside the
normal flight envelope. These set parameters can either be taken from a previous operator’s
experience in FOQA analysis or from specified parameters provided by an aircraft
manufacture. Of course, an operator may change these parameters to fit their specific type of
flight operation. Three different levels of severity, ranging from minor deviations to major
deviations, will be used to classify these exceedance events. For example, a major deviation
might trigger if an aircraft, on approach, is at 500 feet AGL, flaps only set mid range, and Vref
+60 knots. Once an event is identified as an “exceedance,” the FOQA Event Review Team will
determine its validity and further investigate if necessary. The review team will generally
consist of line pilots who bring several years of flying experience to the review process and
give a non-biased fair review of an operational exceedance. After an extensive review has
occurred, the FOQA team will recommend corrective actions, which may include flight crew
training, operating procedure changes and/or equipment modifications. Trend analysis
information can also be derived from the flight data. A FOQA program can monitor fuel
efficiency, identifying out-of-trim airframe configurations, enhance engine condition monitoring,
noise abatement compliance, rough runway surfaces, and aircraft structural fatigue. A one
degree out-of trim airframe can cause that aircraft to burn an extra 45 pounds per hour,
resulting in an extra $10,000 dollars a year in fuel cost alone. Previous FOQA programs have
also documented cases of unusual autopilot disconnects, GPWS warnings, excessive rotation
rates on takeoff, unstabilized approaches, and hard landings. A visual software program may
also be included with the GDRAS system to provide the FOQA Event Review Team with real-
time, interactive, graphical depictions of flight data.

Outputs

FOQA output software allows the data to be presented in different various forms. The recorded
data can be displayed in a numerical format, such as tabular or graphic. To further aid in FOQA
data analysis, many visualization software programs now exist. A typical visualization program
will allow a user to re-enact a flight with synchronized 2D and 3D displays showing detailed
models of aircraft, actual runways, and surrounding terrain. A user will also be able to, on the
same screen and synchronized, view the cockpit instruments and navigational charts. These
visualizations will help the FOQA Event Review Team better understand an event derived from
the flight data. The software also offers the possibility of use as a simulator de-briefing tool,
enabling pilots to review their performances. There are numerous vendors that offer this type
of software. Several FOQA data output visual formats are displayed below.
Benefits

FOQA-derived information provides operators with objective and actionable data not available
through any other means. The primary benefit of FOQA is the optimization of an operator’s
flight safety program. In addition to the safety benefits, FOQA program participants also have
experienced significant financial gains. Through a clear understanding of how the aircraft are
utilized during routine flights, an organization can discover previously unknown areas of unsafe
operation. Existing “problem areas” previously identified can also be both qualified and
quantified utilizing FOQA data. Patterns and trends emerge which can identify problems in
many areas such as unstable approaches, exceeding operating limitations, and training
deficiencies. By understanding these areas of unsafe, or potentially unsafe operations, an
organization will be able to identify the source of the problem and take proactive corrective
actions to mitigate it. FOQA programs can also identify inadequate training programs or
identify procedures that need more emphasis during training. For example, analysis of data at
another carrier indicated that more training emphasis on rates of rotation during takeoff was
needed. As a direct result of FOQA, the airline modified its recurrent training and has seen a
quantifiable improvement in pilot performance on that maneuver. The primary value of FOQA is
that it allows an operator to execute a proactive, data-driven response to operational flight
safety concerns.

FOQA programs yield substantial financial benefits to users. Cost reductions are found in such
areas as maintenance, fuel expenditures, flight operations, and training. Maintenance technical
concerns such as engine and brake component inspection/replacement are carefully evaluated
through FOQA data analysis. Considering the volatile nature of fuel costs, optimization of fuel
consumption is another benefit realized by operators. Fine tuning of fuel costs, even if just a
matter of a few gallons per engine on each flight, generates large savings to an operator on a
yearly basis. Flight operations optimization is a crucial benefit of FOQA. The FAA’s Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) requires that operators utilize Performance-
Based Navigation (PBN) operations. This initiative will be assisted by FOQA, as operators can
now enhance their fleet’s navigational performance and then integrate these new navigation
procedures into their flight procedures. These new procedures will increase customer service
and schedule reliability, thereby increasing the operator’s revenue. Flight crew training costs
are also positively affected by FOQA. The flight data can be used to examine crew
performance and areas that need to be addressed can be evaluated. The results of these
analyses can then be integrated into the operator’s training program, minimizing costs and
maximizing training outcomes. It can easily be seen that application of FOQA program
information is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of the program participants.