Continuous Improvement with FOQA

FOQA, the acronym for Flight Operations Quality Assurance, is a safety program that aircraft operators, management companies, charter operators, and airlines can employ to evaluate aircraft operations and help pilots make continuous improvements to optimize safety. FOQA, also referred to as Flight Data Monitoring or Flight Data Analysis, is a voluntary program outside of Europe. Here at Pentastar, however, FOQA is incredibly valuable and has been an important and positive influence on both aircraft performance and on our safety culture.

Essential information
FOQA works by accessing the flight data recorder (AKA “black box”), information that historically would have only been analyzed after an aircraft accident. However, with continued evolution in technology, avionics, and safety management systems, this data is now readily accessible, allowing aircraft operators to learn from the essential information on an ongoing basis. As a safety assurance tool, FOQA information can provide critical insight into everything from near misses to minor quality escapes and opportunities for improvement.

Flight data monitoring systems collect extensive data that jet aircraft record continuously, from startup to shutdown. There are over 150 parameters measured, including things like altitude, airspeed, heading, rate of climb/descent, bank angle, landing gear status, and whether or not the flaps are extended. Essentially, FOQA covers any and all aircraft configurations and operational details: where the aircraft is and what is happening at every moment of every flight. The Pentastar maintenance team performs routine downloads of the data and transmits it to a third-party vendor who performs the analysis and presents the team with the flight data for review.

Leveraging FOQA data
FOQA data is compared against the accepted standard operating procedures and parameters that aircraft manufacturers like Gulfstream and Bombardier have determined to be optimal for safe aircraft operation. With some aircraft in the FOQA program, we even have the capability to alter those standards and procedures and compare flight performance data against an even stricter set of operating parameters. Any deviation from those parameters is highlighted and brought to our attention. FOQA is a flexible tool that enables Pentastar to not just compare our aircraft operations against standard operating procedures and parameters, but against the fleet of all other comparable aircraft participating in the FOQA program around the world.

We share this data with our pilots to help them understand what we are seeing and what the flight performance trends are so that they can integrate that feedback into their flying. FOQA not only gives our pilots outstanding data, but also some invaluable perspective. If there is any aspect of their flying where they are operating outside the optimized safety standard, this allows us to engage with them in a constructive manner and make sure any needed changes are implemented. It’s important to note that the process of conducting and reviewing FOQA data is entirely non-punitive. We always work collaboratively with pilots to discuss the data, analyze the circumstances and context, and subsequently implement any corrective actions that might be needed.

Operational changes and safety improvements
In one great example of how FOQA can be valuable, the system showed that a managed customer operating a large cabin aircraft that occasionally landed at a mountainous airport was experiencing a terrain alert warning system (TAWS) alert onboard the aircraft as they were maneuvering visually to the airport. The alert was being triggered by a large hill adjacent to the runway. As a result of the FOQA analysis and review, the lead pilot of the aircraft subsequently pursued and secured FAA approval for a more sophisticated instrument approach and landing protocol for the airport that allowed a continuous descent approach and landing. The outcome was exactly what FOQA is designed to do: improve capabilities and optimize safety based on a potential hazard identified through flight operations data.

Even some of the seemingly mundane data gathered through FOQA can be valuable. If an aircraft is consistently arriving at an altitude higher than recommended at a specific airport (necessitating a steeper than recommended approach angle), Pentastar can conduct further research and inquire about things like possible air traffic control handoff issues.

Examples like the above are instructive, but the true value of FOQA is less about single events and much more about making sure all operations are continuously refined and optimized to remain fully compliant with standard operating parameters and procedures and safety best practices. It’s all about continuous improvement.

The Pentastar culture of safety
At Pentastar, we strongly encourage all employees to voluntarily report all safety concerns they see over the course of their work (and we support them in doing so). In many cases, it turns out that no one has done anything wrong, however we cultivate and reward that direct feedback from subject matter experts (not just pilots, but mechanics, flight attendants, and anyone involved in aircraft operations) as part of our culture of openness and our absolute emphasis on safety.

We also have an internal evaluation/audit program that routinely and periodically reviews all aspects of Pentastar’s business, including aircraft operations, to ensure that we are operating in strict accordance with industry best practices and FAA safety regulations and guidelines. Another pillar of Pentastar’s safety culture is our participation in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), a partnership between Pentastar, the FAA, and the Air Charter Safety Foundation, a third-party industry safety advocacy group.

The growth of the FOQA program itself is a reflection of our commitment to safety and continuous data-driven improvement. We began utilizing FOQA for three large cabin aircraft that we’re frequently flying to Europe, but we quickly recognized the value of FOQA and expanded the program. We see a clear benefit from how this program moves the needle and ensures that aircraft are operated well within the safety envelope for standard operating procedures and parameters. Today we have 15 aircraft in the FOQA program, ranging in size from a Gulfstream 280 up to a 737. FOQA is no longer a novel option, but a baseline expectation. As technology evolves and enhanced safety and data-gathering solutions become available for smaller aircraft, FOQA is only going to become more valuable. We are actively looking at ways to get our managed light and medium jets into this or similar programs. Managing flight data in that space is the next leap forward in industry safety, and Pentastar is at the forefront of that process.