Contributor

Harry Weisberger

Flight Data Systems (Booth No. 7015) is at this year’s NBAA show highlighting its line of ground-support equipment, which interfaces with flight-data recorders to download data files for flight analysis and replay. It makes not only data download equipment but also flight replay software that includes 3-D flight path reconstruction.
The Melbourne, Australia-based company operates from a new facility that incorporates a clean room environment for avionics and instrument work and extensive office and training spaces. A warehouse facility provides additional storage and supports expanded manufacturing capacity as required. Flight-data monitoring services for both military and airline customers are performed from a new secure flight-data analysis center, located near Melbourne Airport.
The company specializes in the process known as flight-data monitoring (FDM), a key element of a flight operational quality assurance (FOQA) program. FDM involves analysis of flight data, which allows safety managers to identify trends and fully investigate the circumstances behind events that have been flagged so that flight operations procedures and training can be improved.
Flight Data Systems provides FDM replay services, operation and support of FDM systems and complete FDM systems, including training and consultancy. For operators not wishing to operate their own FDM systems, the company offers a web-based FDM replay service. This includes secure transfer of data, transcription and analysis, validation of results and formal presentation of results and statistics in accordance with ICAO requirements.
The company also works closely with NeST Aerospace, provider of a wide range of FOQA tools, to analyze and monitor flight data for maintaining flight safety standards, for performance monitoring and for accident investigation. It is an authorized facility to repair, maintain and certify flight recorders.
The HR Smith Group, purveyor of airborne antenna systems and emergency location and rescue equipment, distributes and supports Flight Data Systems products in the European Union region. Airinc, which specializes in air incident prevention and air accident investigation, is a distributor of Flight Data Systems ground-support equipment in the Americas region. Hawker Pacific provides aviation sales and product support in Australasia, Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East, while GlendaleInternational distributes Flight Data Systems from Essex, England.

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