Gulfstream Offering New Flight Data Monitoring Service

Gulfstream has developed a FDM/FOQA (flight data monitoring /flight operations quality assurance) system and is making it available for all of its in-production business jets as well as out-of-production GIVs, GIV-SPs and GVs.

According to Gulfstream, its Flight Operations Risk Management Service (FORMS) is the first of its kind to be offered by a large-cabin business-jet aircraft manufacturer, and is tailored for business-jet operations.  The system accurately measures and analyzes exposure to known risks, including unstable approaches, events reaching aircraft limits, and maintenance issues.  The system also can help identify ways that air traffic control procedures can be improved, and Gulfstream will apprise the FAA when these occur.

The program includes the installation of a QAR (quick access recorder) via an aircraft service change; a FORMS service subscription and a tailored implementation and operations plan. The QAR captures Flight Data Recorder data and is uploaded periodically onto a secure server for analysis.  Data access protocols are chosen in advance by operators to satisfy their data privacy requirements.

FORMS participants will receive quarterly reports in a graphical format that features analysis of their aircraft operations, Gulfstream says.  At the end of the year, they receive a comparison of their aircraft's performance to that of the entire reporting fleet.

Gulfstream has partnered with Austin Digital, which currently provides services to a number of major commercial carriers including American, Continental, Lufthansa, Northwest, Southwest, and United, to supply FORMS services.  02-21-2008.

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