A Method of Applying Flight Data to Evaluate Landing Operation Performance

Abstract

Pilots’ operation has an important effect on flight safety and performance, particularly in the final landing stage when pilots need to deal with complicated operations. This study aims to determine the potential value of flight data and develop a method of evaluating a pilot’s performance during landing phase based on flight quick access recorder (QAR) data from the perspective of risk assessment. First, a Landing Operation Performance Evaluation Model was developed based on risk evaluation principles. Three landing parameters, which are touchdown distance, touchdown vertical acceleration and touchdown pitch angle, were selected as indicators to evaluate the pilots’ landing operation performance in this model. Second, the flight landing operation performance evaluation system (FLOPES) was set up based on the evaluation model. Test results showed that FLOPES can accomplish all calculation flow of operation performance evaluation. Finally, it concluded that this method is a more accurate and effective way for evaluating the landing operation performance of a flight. It could be as a practical tool for airlines to manage landing risk quantitatively and to provide a more practical support for improving training and design in aviation.Practitioner summary: This study aims to determine the potential value of flight data and to develop a method of evaluating pilot’s landing operation performance from the risk evaluation perspective. Test results showed that this method is effective and could be as a practical tool for airlines to manage landing risk and improve training.Abbreviations:QAR: Quick Access Recorder; FLOPES: Flight Landing Operation Performance Evaluation System; ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization; IATA: International Air Transport Association; SMS: Safety Management System; CAAC: Civil Aviation Administration of China; FOQA: Flight Operations Quality Assurance; VBA: Visual Basic for Applications

Keywords:

• Flight data
• flight operation
• landing safety
• performance evaluation

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. U1733117] and the National Key R&D Program of China [Grant No. 2016YFB0502405]. The authors also would like to appreciate the valuable comments from two anonymous reviewers in improving this work.