Flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) programs are finally seeing application in business aviation, and in early February the Altria flight department revealed that it has been working with the Flight Safety Foundation in developing a FOQA demonstration program. FOQA compares data downloaded from an aircraft’s digital data bus with aircraft limitations and operator standards, according to Jeffrey Sands, director of flight operations at Altria Corporate Services. The data helps the operator identify safety or operational issues and modify policies, procedures and training to reduce risk.
Airlines have been using FOQA since the 1990s, after resolving issues about data sharing with pilots’ unions, and the process has saved money and improved safety.
Robert Vandel, FSF executive vice president, and the Flight Safety Foundation in 1992 conducted a study that recommended the creation of a flight data monitoring system for airline risk management. The term “flight data monitoring” was soon replaced by FOQA. “Pilots didn’t like the idea of monitoring,” Vandel said.
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