FDR information
04-09-2011, 08:39 AM
#1
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FDR information
Nowadays airlines continuoslly download information from the airplane computers. Mostly used for trend information and to see what are areas of concern like unstabilized approach, over 250 kts below 10000 ft, and others. Can an airline take action against a pilot if a normal download of the computers brings to light a deviation of the procedures as those listed above or others?
04-09-2011, 09:22 AM
#3
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Most airlines out there now have FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance) programs that would prohibit the use of such data for disciplinary purposes. However, it probably wouldn't even get that far. The person who pulls the data is called the "gatekeeper" and is usually a line pilot. The gatekeeper removes all identifying information in the data and aggregates it for analysis. So what the company actually sees is only aggregate data with no identifying information. This approach is consistent with our approach to ASAP and SMS programs in general and is considered to be far better for overall safety.
04-09-2011, 10:56 AM
#4
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Wasn't there steps being taken to allow such action? After the MSP flight over flew by 2 hours due to the pilots being involved in other activities, didn't some people try to allow to have CVRs be used to monitor pilot conversations? Do we have to worry about big brother in the cockpit soon?
04-09-2011, 11:07 AM
#5
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A normal FOQA download is protected and only the gatekeepers are "supposed" to know the specific flight details. A smart analyst can usually figure out which flight an event occurred on, but there are numerous legal protections in place. If a question arises during the analyzing of an event, usually a gatekeeper and not a company analyst will call.
If an aircraft is involved in an obvious incident and the DFDR is downloaded, traditional FOQA protection does not exist. Your union safety rep is the best person to ask about all of this since the specific procedures of FOQA varies from airline to airline.
If an aircraft is involved in an obvious incident and the DFDR is downloaded, traditional FOQA protection does not exist. Your union safety rep is the best person to ask about all of this since the specific procedures of FOQA varies from airline to airline.
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