An FDM Service from Teledyne Controls allows an airline to outsource most of the labor and effort required to set up an end-to-end FDM solution.

When an airline enters into a partnership with Teledyne Controls, the FDM Services team can assume responsibility for many of the operations and functions within a totally secure environment. The FDM server and, if required, the Wireless GroundLink® base station*, are hosted at Teledyne's London facility. The airline has 24-hour access to their system either via an Internet browser or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Remote Desktop (RDS) connection.

The level of service offered by FDM Services is highly flexible and can be as basic or complex as the operator requires.

*When data is sent automatically via Teledyne's WQAR.

Data Delivery & Media Management

In order to deliver the flight data for processing and analysis, an operator can utilize one or multiple delivery options.

Data is sent automatically via Teledyne's Wireless GroundLink® QAR (preferred method)
Data is uploaded manually to a Teledyne-hosted FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site
The operator burns the data to a CD or DVD and courier's it to Teledyne's Data Center
The operator couriers the MO disk or PCMCIA card to Teledyne's FDM Services Department

If media is sent to FDM Services, Teledyne will produce media tracking and quality assessment information if required, reformat and return media, and work with the operator to develop data archive and destruction policies.

Data Replay & Analysis
If required, the operator can take advantage of Teledyne's knowledge and expertise to perform ECM, APM and ACMS report extraction and then send them to third parties. Additionally, an airline can utilize the skills of a qualified Flight Data Analyst to perform tasks such as duplicate flight deletion, event validation and verification, assistance with investigations and assessment of certain events operational significance.

Reporting & Animation
Depending on the airline's preference, FDM Services can produce monthly and quarterly statistical reports which include graphical representations of the FDM data. Charts such as, 'Fleet Wide High Severity Events for the Previous Six Months', can be produced and sent securely to the operator. Alternatively, an airline may want to perform this activity in-house.

Teledyne also has the capability to produce individual operational reports and attend periodic customer briefings to discuss future advancements to the service.

Teledyne's flight data monitoring product, AirFASE®, consists of a built-in medium fidelity animation system. The animation contains models for all common aircraft types and can be personalized with the airline's livery. The animation system also consists of a generic Primary Flight Display (PFD), curves view, and top-down Airport Visualization function, to which airport plates or satellite images can be overlaid.

Additional Services
On top of the normal operational functions offered by a flexible FDM Services program, an operator may wish to ask for additional events, functions, reports or studies to be conducted by Teledyne.

Day to Day Communication
Each FDM Services customer has an assigned Teledyne Program Manager whose responsibility is to over-see the running of the customer's FDM system. The airline will also have working-hours access to a qualified FDM Services Analyst, who's responsible for managing the system on a daily basis and provide a help-desk for any queries about the FDM Service or any requests for assistance in understanding the FDM output.

Costs
For many operators, the cost of running an in-house FDM system will be much more than forming a partnership with Teledyne Controls' FDM Services. Our knowledge and expertise of the end-to-end process can prove invaluable in cost savings.