2025 Q2 FOQA Committee Update

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Operational Vigilance: A Mid-Summer Safety Reminder

As we reach the peak of our operational calendar, it’s more important than ever to remain vigilant and committed to the fundamentals of safe flight operations. The summer months bring increased flight volume, tighter schedules, and higher stress levels, all of which can contribute to complacency. But complacency is not just a personal risk; it’s a collective threat. As crewmembers, we must hold ourselves and each other accountable to ensure we are following procedures precisely and consistently. The safety of our passengers, our aircraft, and our fellow crew depends on it.

Recent Event Summaries & Safety Lessons

Event 1: A crew initiated a go-around at just 200 feet AGL while the aircraft was still in a clean configuration. Unaware that the flight guidance system would not provide go-around cues in this state, the crew continued descending. It wasn’t until they manually disconnected the autopilot that they began to recover. During the go-around maneuver, the crew oversped the flaps. This incident underscores the critical importance of configuration awareness and understanding how automation behaves under different conditions.

Event 2: A crew called for TOGA power to execute a go-around but failed to realize that the autopilot was disengaged. Despite applying full thrust, the aircraft continued to descend because no one was actively flying it. The crew’s lack of awareness regarding the automation state nearly resulted in a terrain conflict. This serves as a stark reminder that automation is not a substitute for vigilance. We must always verify the aircraft’s response and be prepared to take manual control when needed.

Event 3: A crew climbed to FL400, above the aircraft’s certified service ceiling. This exceedance was caught by dispatch. While the aircraft remained controllable, operating beyond certified limits introduces unnecessary risk and could have serious consequences. Aircraft limitations are not suggestions; they are hard boundaries that exist to protect us and the integrity of the operation.

Exceedance Awareness & Unreported Incidents

We receive multiple flights daily that are having flap and gear speed limitations exceeded and never reported or appropriately logged in with maintenance. The Airbus will not notify a pilot of an exceedance until well beyond the limitation, and the Boeing makes no alerts at all. It is the responsibility of the crew to operate the aircraft within limitations at all times.

Stabilized Approaches – What “Stable” Actually Means

Stabilized approaches are becoming a major concern. Currently, in VFR conditions, we are to be stabilized by 500 AGL. This means:

  • Fully configured
  • At or very near approach speed
  • Engines spooled
  • Vertical and lateral path on track
  • Landing checklist complete

From this point, small corrections to hold each parameter are acceptable. However, crossing 500 AGL at 40 over reference speed but correcting is not a minor adjustment. Adding the landing flap at 200 AGL is not stable. As professionals, you should be going around for another attempt.

It’s Time to Recommit

These events are not isolated anomalies. They are symptoms of a broader issue: a gradual erosion of procedural discipline and crew coordination.

As professionals, we must recommit to the basics. Thorough briefings, clear communication, and strict adherence to procedures are non-negotiable. We must challenge and support one another in the cockpit. If something doesn’t look or feel right, speak up. Ask questions. Verify. Cross-check. These are the habits that keep us safe.

Final Thoughts

Let’s also remember that our job doesn’t get easier just because we’ve done it a thousand times. In fact, that’s when it becomes most dangerous—when routine dulls our edge. We must fight that drift. Stay sharp. Stay engaged. And above all, stay accountable.

We are only as strong as our weakest link. Let’s not allow these mistakes to repeat themselves. Hold yourself accountable. Hold your fellow crewmembers accountable. That’s how we protect each other, and the passengers who trust us with their lives.

In Solidarity,
Shawn Rials
FOQA Committee

FOQA Committee Update – April 2025

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FOQA Committee Update

Increase in Exceedance Events

FOQA has recently observed a surge in exceedance events, including but not limited to:
✈ Flap overspeed
✈ Gear overspeed
✈ VMO/MMO exceedances
✈ General airspeed events

Given these trends, we urge all pilots to remain vigilant regarding aircraft limitations and airspace regulations.

Key Considerations:
✔ The Airbus fleet may not notify crews of an overspeed condition until well beyond the stated limitation.
✔ The Boeing fleet lacks aural overspeed indications in most cases, requiring pilots to visually monitor speeds.
✔ The Flap Load Relief function provides only a visual indication via the flap position indicator—another reason to remain extra attentive to speed limitations.

Stabilized Approaches: A Critical Reminder

The FOQA Monitoring Team (FMT) has also identified a significant increase in flights that remain unstable beyond stabilization height.

🚨 Key Reminder: 500 feet is not a goal—it is a limit. If an aircraft is not stable and in the planned landing configuration at 1,000 ft HAA (IMC) or 500 ft HAA (VMC), a go-around should be initiated without hesitation.

Per the GOM, an approach is considered stabilized only if ALL of the following conditions are met before reaching stabilization height:
✔ The aircraft is on correct lateral and vertical flight path.
✔ Only small changes in heading and pitch are required to maintain flight path.
✔ Thrust is stabilized to maintain the target approach speed.
✔ The landing checklist is complete.

For Boeing pilots: Be aware that Flap Load Relief may automatically alter your flap configuration, potentially at undesired moments, particularly at or beyond flap limitation speeds. Increased vigilance is required in windy conditions.

New FOQA Data Analysis & Flight Review System

FOQA has introduced a new backend system that automates data analytics, providing significantly enhanced graphical interfaces and replay capabilities.

🚀 What This Means for You:
✔ Individual flights can now be shared with crews for replay, offering deeper insights into how events unfolded.
✔ Crews can review their own flights to enhance understanding and prevent future exceedances.
✔ A new commenting feature allows crews to provide feedback without unnecessary phone calls.
✔ Coming next year: Flights will be automatically available for review on your iPad shortly after landing.

2025 Q1 FOQA Committee Update

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The FOQA Committee has observed a notable increase in the frequency and severity of aircraft handling events in the first quarter. Many of these incidents stem from pilot monitoring deficiencies and exceedances, reinforcing the importance of adherence to aircraft limitations and best practices.

Key areas of concern include:
✈ High Speed Below 10,000 ft. – Managed speed deviations may occur momentarily, but selected speed descents causing violations are not acceptable.
✈ Structural Exceedances – Poor airmanship and insufficient monitoring have led to preventable exceedances. Pilots must maintain awareness and avoid operating at absolute limits.
✈ Stabilized Approaches – Stability must be achieved by 500 ft. VMC / 1,000 ft. IMC, with the aircraft in the correct configuration. If stability criteria are not met, an immediate go-around should be executed—no hesitation, no questions asked.

The FOQA Committee urges all pilots to stay vigilant, communicate effectively, and prioritize airmanship to uphold safety standards.