Data Review and Analysis Program (DRAP) Flight Data Visualization Program for Enhancement of FOQA

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1 86 Data Review and Analysis Program (DRAP) Flight Data Visualization Program for Enhancement of FOQA Koji MURAOKA and Noriaki OKADA, Flight Systems Research Center, Keywords: flight safety, FOQA, DFOM, flight path animation 1. Introduction The Flight Systems Research Center is developing flight data visualization software, Data Review and Analysis Program (DRAP), its aim being use in flight data feedback to airline pilots as part of the Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) and Daily Flight Operations Monitoring (DFOM) programs The main purpose of the FOQA and DFOM programs is the enhancement of flight safety and quality 1). The FOQA and DFOM programs are conducted by airline carriers whereby data is obtained during flight and analyzed with a view to improving flight crew performance, air carrier training programs and operational procedures, air traffic control procedures, airport maintenance and design and aircraft operation and design. Today, major Japanese airlines, in the same way as the world's other major airlines, have adopted the FOQA and DFOM programs. A variety of flight parameters are obtained from almost all flights using on-board flight data acquisition systems such as Quick Access Recorder (QAR) and data is fed back to pilots. Figure 1 summarizes how daily flight data is fed back to pilots for enhancement of flight safety. After a set of flight operations is completed, the QAR is removed and the FOQA and DFOM-related airline staff analyze the flight data. Exceptional events such as a high descent rate during approach is fed back to pilots, the aim being to eliminate any potential threat to flight operations. A pilot can also review his or her own flight data in order to enhance his own flying skills by requesting the FOQA and DFOM staff to prepare flight data. Data are usually fed back in the form of numerical data or a data plot. DRAP software however presents digital flight data in the form of animation. It is an alternative way of presenting flight data to pilots. Three-dimensional animation can provide a more intuitive flight sequence and has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of the FOQA and DFOM programs. Development of DRAP started in 1999 in cooperation with Japan Airlines (JAL). The software was developed by integrating NAL s flight systems research resources such as systems for managing flight experiment data, flight simulation software and pilot interface research. JAL provided sample flight data and helped to determine the software specifications, in particular from the user's point of view. Since 2001, the prototype version of DRAP has been used and evaluated by the FOQA and DFOM divisions of JAL, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Air System (JAS). Development is continuing and a release version of DRAP is being prepared This report gives an overview of DRAP software and its use in the FOQA and DFOM programs.

Introduction The Flight Systems Research Center is developing flight data visualization software, Data Review and Analysis Program (DRAP), its aim being use in flight data feedback to airline pilots

2 87 QAR Data File (binary format) Daily Flight Flight Parameters Required for DRAP Animation QAR Flight Data File (text format) DRAP Figure 1: Feedback flight data to pilots DHS File (binary format) DHS Converter Data Reconstruction DFOM/FOQA division in Airline DRAP Flight Path Animation Pilot Figure 2: Data conversion process 2. Flight data transformation Figure 2 shows the process of flight data transformation from the on-board QAR to Data Handling System (DHS), the data format of which is specified for DRAP animation. After a set of flight operations is completed, the QAR data file is collected from the aircraft and data is converted to text format in order for the FOQA and DFOM-related airline staff to analyze flight parameters. To prepare flight data for DRAP animation, text data is converted to DHS format. DRAP accepts only DHS files for loading of flight data. DHS format is a binary file format developed especially for NAL flight data recording. The data conversion software DHS Converter, also developed by NAL is used to create DHS files. The pilot then obtains the DHS files from FOQA and DFOM staff and reviews his flight using DRAP. To render flight path animation, DRAP and DHS Converter need databases such as the QAR data format, and airplane configurations including pilot eye-position, nominal CG position etc. Since some kinds of flight parameters recorded on QAR and sampling rates of flight data vary according to fleets and airlines, DRAP and DHS Converter are designed to separate their functions such as rendering animation and data conversion from the airline's own database and flight data 3. DRAP Package The DRAP Package is designed for easy pilot review of flight data from all perspectives. To avoid complexity, sophisticated functions such as correction of flight parameters for detailed analysis were not installed. Following is a summary of the functions of DRAP Ver. 0.9, currently able to handle Boeing B , B777 and B767 flight data. (1) Pilot view (Figure 4) The view from the left and right seat in the cockpit is shown on the Visual window with a simplified shape of the glare shield and ceiling of the cockpit. To present animation during takeoff from and approach to an airport in Japan, a Japanese terrain database and specifications of the aerodrome such as field elevation, width and length of runway etc. are prepared for the program. A generic airport is also prepared to show flight data recorded on around a foreign airport. (2) Airframe view (Figure 5) Aircraft motion is shown on the 3-D Airframe window. The function has two viewing modes: chase mode, a view from a moving camera with a constant distance to the airframe, and fixed mode, a view from a fixed camera on the global axis. In addition to the airframe itself, it is possible to present flight track and nominal approach path.

Flight data transformation Figure 2 shows the process of flight data transformation from the on-board QAR to Data Handling System (DHS), the data format of which is specified for DRAP animation.

3 88 Figure 3: DRAP Ver. 0.9 (prototype version) (3) Flight Instruments (Figure 6) Primary Flight Display (PFD), Navigation Display (ND) (or analog flight displays), and Engine and Control Surface Display are presented. To avoid occupying too much of the display area, necessary control parameters for engines and control surface for pilots to control aircraft are selected and integrated into an Engine and Control Surface Display. Estimated vertical and horizontal wind speed and wind direction, calculated by the DHS Converter, are indicated on the bottom of ND in green. The algorithm of wind estimation is summarized in Section 4. (4) Other functions (Figures 7 and 8) DRAP has a 2-D map display function which presents the trajectory of the aircraft on a horizontal plane, a control input display of pilot input to column-wheel, pedal, throttle lever and speed brake, and flight data summary display of destination airport name, runway number, recording date etc. 4. DHS Converter Package Figure 9 shows the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the DHS Converter. DHS Converter is designed with functions to handle flight data based on the assumption that users of the DHS Converter are not pilots but FOQA and DFOM experts specialized in the handling of QAR data. The section summarizes functions of DHS Converter. (1) Data conversion QAR data written in text format is converted to binary DHS format. The benefits of DHS format are that file sizes are smaller than files in text format and it is easier to prevent malevolent modification of flight data. (2) Interpolation Sampling rates of flight parameters recorded in QAR vary from 1/4Hz to 8Hz according to kinds of parameters. If the essential sampling rate of data recording is 8Hz and a certain flight parameter, for example altitude, is recorded once every second (1Hz), the animation does not run smoothly because the (altitude) parameter only changes every second. The DHS Converter interpolates such flight parameters so that animation can be presented smoothly.

To avoid occupying too much of the display area, necessary control parameters for engines and control surface for pilots to control aircraft are selected and integrated into an Engine and Control

4 89 Figure 4: Visual window Figure 5: 3-D Airframe window (a) PFD (b) ND (Green: Estimated wind) (c) Engine and control surface Figure 6: Flight Instruments Window Figure 7: 2-D Airframe window Figure 8: Control Inputs window

90 (3) Flight path reconstruction Accuracy and sampling rate of aircraft position parameters recorded in the QAR are not sufficient for smooth and realistic animation.

5 90 (3) Flight path reconstruction Accuracy and sampling rate of aircraft position parameters recorded in the QAR are not sufficient for smooth and realistic animation. DHS Converter reconstructs aircraft position data by using recorded parameters of track angle, ground speed, rate of climb, destination airport code etc. capabilities. References: 1. Anon.; Flight Operational Quality Assurance, Final Rule, 14 CFR Part 13(2001) 2. Muraoka, K.; DRAP-Flight Visualization Program for Enhancement of FOQA, Human Factors Seminar in Aviation in Asia (2001) 3. Komori, T.; JAL Safety Improvement by Daily Flight Operation Monitoring, International Workshop on Technical Elements for Aviation Safety (1999) Figure 9: DHS Converter Reconstruction algorithms of landing, go-around, takeoff and cruise are installed in the package. (4) Vertical and horizontal wind estimation Onboard ND of large transport aircraft shows wind direction and speed calculated by a Flight Management Computer (FMC). The algorithm does not have vertical wind calculation. It also assumes zero side-slip angles and accuracy is degraded when the aircraft flies with a certain amount of side-slip angle. The DHS Converter estimates angle of attack and sideslip angle by using QAR data and an aircraft aerodynamic coefficient, and then calculates estimated horizontal and vertical winds. 5. Concluding remarks A prototype version of DRAP is now being used and evaluated by JAL, ANA and JAS. They have reported bugs and presented ideas for additional functions. They also report that pilots have been positive about DRAP and that it is very useful and effective for FOQA and DFOM programs. The Flight Systems Research Center is now preparing a release version of DRAP based on the prototype version and will continue to develop further functions such as additional fleet

; Flight Operational Quality Assurance, Final Rule, 14 CFR Part 13(2001) 2. Muraoka, K.; DRAP-Flight Visualization Program for Enhancement of FOQA, Human Factors Seminar in Aviation in Asia (2001) 3.

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