Flight Operations Risk Management Service (FORMS) Available For Bizjets

Introduced in 2009, Gulfstream's Flight Operations Risk Management Service (FORMS) resembles Flight Monitoring/Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FDM/FOQA) programs utilized by the commercial airline industry. Gulfstream says FORMS increases operational safety by objectively and accurately measuring exposure to known risks, such as unstable approaches, system operating limits and adverse runway operations. Forty-four Gulfstream aircraft are enrolled in the service and the company expects more to follow.
 
"With FORMS, there's no guess work, just a quantifiable assessment of the crew's performance and the potential for risks," said Randy Gaston, vice president, Flight Operations, Gulfstream. "We can then use that information to create real-world training that mitigates those risks. It really is a cutting-edge safety enhancement."
 
FlightSafety International is working closely with Gulfstream on this initiative and will use the feedback from FORMS to incorporate into training scenarios.  "The information that FORMS provides will allow us to train pilots on specific areas of improvement," said David Davenport, regional operations manager and Savannah Learning Center manager, FlightSafety. "We are looking forward to expanding our training scenarios based on the feedback we receive from FORMS. This is a win-win situation for Gulfstream operators."
 
FORMS consists of two components, a Quick Access Recorder (QAR) to collect data and a monitoring service provided by Austin Digital Inc. of Texas to analyze it. The system records when defined takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach and landing parameters have been exceeded. When this occurs, the system identifies and analyzes the conditions present during the event and provides a summary to the operator. Gulfstream then receives consolidated fleet data with which to enhance pilot training. 
 
"Our in-service analysis of this system demonstrated that operators using FORMS have fewer unstable approaches than operators not using the system," Gaston said. "Feedback to pilots during the training program, and directly via their own safety stand downs, ensures adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which greatly improves operating safety."
 
The QAR captures the same information as a flight-data recorder but comes with a removable compact flash drive that has the capability to record hundreds of hours of data. It does not require a technician or specialized equipment for removal.
 
The system is available through an aircraft service change for the Gulfstream G550, G500, G450, G350, G400, and G300.

FMI: www.gulfstream.com