NetJets announced today that it will be the first fractional aircraft operator in the United States to implement a Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) program for all of its Signature Series aircraft, including the new jets that entered the fleet over the last several years. The company recently reached agreement with its pilots’ labor union, NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), to implement FOQA and enhance its record as the leader in private aviation safety.
“Our top priority is the safety of our customers and our crewmembers,” said NetJets Chief Operating Officer Bill Noe. “We have already reached the highest level of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Safety Management System (SMS), and implementing FOQA now takes our commitment to safety to the highest level possible.”
FOQA is an FAA-approved voluntary program designed to improve safety by using data from the flight recorder, which records the operation of an aircraft in flight. The data is downloaded and analyzed in an effort to enhance safety. The results are used to enrich training programs, improve maintenance, and create greater efficiency and operating procedures. FOQA works by examining trends and analyzing raw data.
“A good example of the value of FOQA is analyzing the risks associated with runway overrun on landing,” said Noe. “The way to reduce that risk is to ensure the aircraft touches down at the right speed and at the right point on the runway. FOQA captures this data, which is then aggregated. The information is shared with our pilots, both through periodic communication to show changes in trends and also targeted focus in training events in a simulator. Over time, the emphasis increases consistent aircraft landings to improve safe operations.”
NetJets is the only fractional aviation company to be certified as SMSVP (Safety Management System Voluntary Program) in Active Conformance, the highest level in safety management. SMSVP requires the certificate holder to use and continually improve its safety management processes, which is the top priority at NetJets.
About NetJets
NetJets Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the worldwide leader in private aviation with the largest and most diverse private jet fleet in the world. NetJets celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2014, having been established in 1964 as the world’s first private jet charter and management company. In 1986, NetJets pioneered the concept of fractional aircraft ownership – offering individuals and businesses all of the benefits of whole aircraft ownership and more, at a fraction of the cost. Today, NetJets offers a full range of private aviation solutions through businesses bearing the NetJets®, Executive Jet Management®, and Marquis Jet Card® service brands in North America, Europe and China. For more information on NetJets customer programs and services, please visit www.netjets.com.
