The role of Flight Data Monitoring?
 

In our operation we have 5 FULL TIME staff employed in the interrogation of Flight Data Monitoring. As flight crew, we have received numerous memos stating that the purpose of FDM is to monitor and report trends and it is NOT to be used for disciplinary purposes.

In the last few years, we have received NO feedback whatsoever on any FDM trends. Are we to believe our operation is perfect, and we have nothing to learn?:rolleyes:

More worryingly, we do have cases of pilots being dismissed on the grounds of FDM events. Is this legal?

Thanks in advance for your advice:ok:

MOR in the post:ok:

At our airline FDM is being used for several years now, and we do get regular information on the analysis of the data.

There are several (I think about 3-4) security measures in place to keep the data anonimous, e.g. flight numbers are not stored.

As for your question I don't know about the laws and jurisdiction where you are living/working, but where I live, it is illegal to use such data against the employee. Any labour court would dismiss any claim by the airline in such a case.

Besides, using information gained by FDM for disciplinary measures would be plain counterproductive to any 'non-punitive' reporting system, which many airlines use.

Just my two cents.

How long, or over how many flights, is FDR material stored on modern a/c before the data is downloaded? Can the whole flight history of the aircraft be recorded and stored on board?

Just curious as I have heard many different inputs and to help me to clarify different opinions.

In our operation we have 5 FULL TIME staff employed in the interrogation of Flight Data Monitoring. As flight crew, we have received numerous memos stating that the purpose of FDM is to monitor and report trends and it is NOT to be used for disciplinary purposes.

(a) either yours is a big operation and they are very busy

(b) they do it all manually

(c) they are doing something altogether other than FDR work

Seriously, though, once the readout analysis is set up to be done largely automatically on a PC, filtering for exceedances is a pretty straightforward exercise.

Sounds a bit like your folk are missing the point of the exercise's value.

At our airline FDM is being used for several years now, and we do get regular information on the analysis of the data.

.. which is the idea of the game. If the line folk's attention is drawn to unidentified instances/frequencies of this and that undesired exceedance, then there is some chance that the message will get through and folk will be more likely to toe the flight standards party line.

Although not the prime mover, those who might otherwise be cowboys are more likely to be conservative if they know that the system does, if fact, have the means to detect gross exceedances and, indeed, there should be an agreed set of protocols to address this sort of concern.

How long, or over how many flights, is FDR material stored on modern a/c before the data is downloaded?

Depends on the box and what you are storing. For instance, the aircraft fleet installation with which I am involved typically stores 80-120 hours of operation. Downloads are done manually to a PC at whatever frequency we might choose within that time frame ... typically to suit routine maintenance activities.

John

Good post and thank you.

We keep FDM as a Monitoring
 

Hi,

We used this document to develope our policy.

Flight Data Monitoring Manual

We just follow basic principles in the document and keep FDM as MONITORING. We have no other silly procedures over pilots.

If you look document you will see main policy is share info and develope solution as a team. Pilots will believe FDM results and advantage than they will correct them self.

According us, rest is loosing time. We don't believe punishment, reporting so on.