Pilots' Data Dashboards Get FAA Green Light
Published Date: 1/28/2026
Notice
Summary
The FAA wants to keep collecting flight data through the voluntary Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program to help airlines spot and fix safety issues before they become problems. This renewal means pilots and airlines can keep sharing info that makes flying safer, with no new costs or rules. You’ve got until March 30, 2026, to share your thoughts on this plan!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Air carriers must submit I&O plans
If an air carrier wants to join FOQA, it must prepare an Implementation and Operations (I&O) Plan for FAA review and approval describing organization, technology, policies, procedures, and operational processes. The agency estimates a 100-hour burden for new respondents and 30 hours annually for existing respondents, with 69 total air carrier respondents (57 existing and 12 new) and estimated total annual burden of 1,200 hours for new respondents and 1,710 hours for existing respondents.
Continued national aviation safety monitoring
The FOQA renewal lets operators continue voluntarily submitting flight-recorded data so the FAA can analyze de-identified, aggregated data to identify national trends and target resources to reduce operational risks in the National Airspace System (NAS), air traffic control, flight operations, and airport operations.
FOQA data shared only in de-identified form
FOQA information is de-identified before it is shared with stakeholders and regulators (including the FAA, NASA, or industry safety groups), meaning individual-identifying data is removed for analyses and trend reporting.
Participation in FOQA is voluntary
FOQA is a voluntary safety program; air carriers choose whether to participate and submit FOQA data and plans to the FAA rather than being required to do so by this action.
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