Definition
The systematic, proactive use of digital flight data from routine operations to improve safety; FOQA is the term commonly used for such voluntary programmes in the United States.
Why it matters
FDM reveals exposure and weak signals that reports alone may miss, while supporting evaluation of safety controls across a fleet.
Questions that turn reading into a defensible review
A strong review separates the event description, possible precursors, recorded evidence, approved criteria, and the final safety decision.
What exactly is being examined?
The systematic, proactive use of digital flight data from routine operations to improve safety; FOQA is the term commonly used for such voluntary programmes in the United States.
Which conditions could build the exposure?
Safety questions without usable data; Unvalidated event logic or poor metadata.
What evidence would strengthen the picture?
Data completeness and decode quality Event rate with exposure
What must remain authoritative?
Current approved aircraft data, operator procedures, investigation findings, and the source document’s own scope control any operational conclusion.
Timeline, aircraft state, relationships, and recurrence
Normal acceleration, Radio altitude, Vertical speed, Calibrated airspeed, Pitch attitude, Roll angle, Engine thrust, Autopilot status can contribute to a synchronized event picture when their mappings, units, sampling, and flight-phase logic are validated.
Cause, intent, compliance, and technical disposition
An FDM alert or pattern is not by itself a causal finding, judgement of individual performance, regulatory conclusion, or aircraft maintenance and airworthiness determination.
Reports, approved criteria, context, and authoritative evidence
Combine the recorded picture with applicable procedures, crew and operational reports, weather or airport information, technical evidence, and the linked official publications and investigation sources.
Data-to-action loop
FDM creates value only when validated analysis changes a control and its effect is checked.
Common causes and precursors
- →
Safety questions without usable data
- →
Unvalidated event logic or poor metadata
- →
Weak governance, trust, or action follow-through
Operational risks
- R1
False conclusions
- R2
Loss of workforce trust
- R3
Dashboards disconnected from risk controls
Guidance themes
These are cross-source themes for orientation. Apply only the current, approved material for the aircraft and operation.
- Start from a safety question
- Validate signals and denominators
- Protect data and close the action loop
Safety actions to consider
Create joint analyst–pilot–engineering governance
Version event definitions
Publish data limitations with every result
Parameters that help explain the event
A useful event picture comes from signal relationships—not a single exceedance or a generic threshold.
Normal acceleration
A short peak may support detection and engineering review of a suspected high-load landing, but recorder sampling, filtering, sensor location, weight, and aircraft response all affect interpretation.
Open parameter guide ↗ftRadio altitude
Radio altitude provides the low-height reference needed to align approach gates, flare, touchdown, warning, and go-around events.
Open parameter guide ↗ft/min or m/sVertical speed
It helps describe energy management, approach stability, flare development, and the severity context of a touchdown.
Open parameter guide ↗ktCalibrated airspeed
Speed relative to the applicable target and configuration is central to energy management, approach stability, runway performance, and stall margin.
Open parameter guide ↗degPitch attitude
Pitch shows rotation, flare, stall response, and potential tail-clearance context when combined with gear geometry and radio altitude.
Open parameter guide ↗degRoll angle
Near the runway, roll angle affects wingtip or engine clearance, crosswind alignment, touchdown sequence, and lateral control margins.
Open parameter guide ↗% / ratio / aircraft-specificEngine thrust
Thrust is a primary part of energy control and is essential for understanding approach corrections, takeoff, go-around, and engine malfunctions.
Open parameter guide ↗discrete / modeAutopilot status
Mode transitions can explain changes in path, speed protection, pilot expectation, workload, and manual-control readiness.
Open parameter guide ↗Recommended monitoring questions
Data completeness and decode quality
Event rate with exposure
Action owner, due date, and effectiveness
Cases that add context
ASIP provides a concise learning index. The investigation authority report remains the definitive source.
Editor-reviewed starting points
These records include a deeper ASIP editorial review. Continue to the full evidence index below for direct matches and broader manufacturer, regulator, and investigation reading.
Safety Management Manual (Doc 9859), Fourth Edition
ICAO's fourth-edition manual explains how safety data, risk management, assurance, culture, and governance work together in State and service-provider safety management.
Official sourceAC 120-82 — Flight Operational Quality Assurance
Active FAA guidance describes one acceptable way to establish a voluntary FOQA programme using de-identified aggregate flight data to identify and reduce operational risk.
Official sourceCAP 739 — Flight Data Monitoring, Second Edition
CAP 739 presents FDM as the systematic, proactive use of routine digital flight data within a non-punitive, just safety culture.
Official sourceTitle or indexed metadata explicitly matches this topic.
Related collection material for adjacent systems, phases, and defenses.
Manufacturer, regulator, investigation, and safety-organization sources.
Where the reading comes from
34 source records
Official links · no copied report files34 source records match the current evidence filters.
Annex 19 — Safety Management, Third Edition
Annex 19 consolidates ICAO safety-management provisions, including State safety responsibilities, SMS, safety-data collection and processing, and the protection and sharing of safety information.
Open official sourceAC 120-92D — Safety Management Systems for Aviation Service Providers
FAA guidance explains performance-based, scalable approaches to integrating safety policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion into aviation organizations.
Open official sourceHigh Load Event Reporting
The Airbus Safety First article explains why a pilot report remains central after a suspected high-load event and how recorded reports and analysis tools can support the applicable maintenance process.
Open official sourceSafety Management Manual (Doc 9859), Fourth Edition
ICAO's fourth-edition manual explains how safety data, risk management, assurance, culture, and governance work together in State and service-provider safety management.
Open official sourceCAP 739 — Flight Data Monitoring, Second Edition
CAP 739 presents FDM as the systematic, proactive use of routine digital flight data within a non-punitive, just safety culture.
Open official sourceAC 120-82 — Flight Operational Quality Assurance
Active FAA guidance describes one acceptable way to establish a voluntary FOQA programme using de-identified aggregate flight data to identify and reduce operational risk.
Open official sourceFlight Data Analysis (FDA), a Predictive Tool for Safety Management System (SMS)
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for maintenance and flight data and sms. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceLearning from the evidence
Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for aviation safety. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 21004 — SAFO 21004, Air Traffic Control (ATC) Notification and Pilot Awareness When Conducting an Instrument Landing System (ILS) Autoland Procedure
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 20014 — SAFO 20014, Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 Airplanes: Pilot Training and Flight Simulation Training Devices ( FSTD ) Updates
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 18004 — SAFO 18004, Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 18013 — SAFO 18013, Updated Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 17001 — SAFO 17001, Pilot and Flightcrew Awareness of Class B Airspace Boundaries
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 15004 — SAFO 15004, Scenario-Based Go-Around Training
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 11010 — TCAS II Guidance and Training for Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR ) Part 135 and Part 125 Certificate Holders, Part 125 Letter of Deviation Authority ( LODA ) holders (125M), Part 91 Subpart K, (91K) Program Managers, Part 91 Operators and Part 142 Training Centers
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 10006 — In-Flight Icing Operations and Training Recommendations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for weather and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09014 — Concepts for Fatigue Countermeasures in Part 121 and 135 Short-Haul Operations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09015 — Training For Maximum Performance Landings on Contaminated Runways
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceLessons learned
1An event counter is not safety intelligence
2Trust and technical validity are both programme infrastructure