Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
2120-0660 2025_FOQA Supporting Statement_Final_03312026.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-05-07	Available
2026-07840.FOQA 30-Day PRA Notice_04222026.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-04-22	Available
FAA-2026-1344-0003_attachment_1.pdf	Public Comments	Uploaded 2026-03-30	Available
2026-02716.FOQA Technical Correction_02112026.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-02-12	Available
2026-01658.FOQA_60 Day Notice_01282026.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2026-02-12	Available

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
279072	Implementation and Operations ((I&O) Plan Revision		New
25806	Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program - Existing Program Reporting Requirements	Instruction	Modified
238504	Flight Operations Quality Assurance - New Program	Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2120-0660	ICR Reference No: 202602-2120-005
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202208-2120-001
Agency/Subagency: DOT/FAA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program
Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 05/08/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	288	0
Time Burden (Hours)	2,630	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) is a voluntary safety program designed to improved aviation safety through the proactive use of flight-recorded data. Operators will use this data to identify and correct deficiencies in all area of flight operations. An air carrier wanting to participate in FOQA will prepare an Implementation and Operations (I&O) Plan for FAA review and approval. The I&O Plan specifies the organization, technology, policies, procedures, and operational processes to be used in their FOQA program. It further details how an air carrier will collect operational flight data, develop methods to analyze the collected flight data (e.g., trigger events, routine operational measurements), and establish procedures for comparing the collected data with established procedures and standards. The air carrier determines the areas it will heighten awareness and feedback programs to enhance safety. Identified areas often include flight procedures, flight training procedures and qualification standards, crew performance, air traffic control procedures, aircraft maintenance and engineering programs, and/or aircraft and airport design and maintenance. Trend analyses of FOQA data will identify potential problem areas, evaluate corrective actions, and measure performance over time. This information is de-identified to share with stakeholders and regulators such as the FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), or industry safety groups. Properly used, FOQA data can reduce or eliminate safety risks, as well as minimize deviations from regulations. Through access to de-identified aggregate FOQA data, the FAA can identify and analyze national trends and target resources to reduce operational risks in the National Airspace System (NAS), air traffic control (ATC), flight operations and airport operations. The FAA and the air transportation industry have sought additional means for addressing safety problems and identifying potential safety hazards. Based on the experiences of foreign air carriers, the results of several FAA sponsored studies, and input received from government/industry safety forums, the FAA concluded that wide implementation of FOQA programs could have significant potential to reduce air carrier accident rates below current levels. The value of FOQA programs is the early identification of adverse safety trends, which, if uncorrected, could lead to accidents. A key element in FOQA is the application of corrective action and follow-up to ensure that unsafe conditions are effectively remediated.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 49 USC 40123 Name of Law: Protection of voluntarily submitted information
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 3766	01/28/2026
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 21590	04/22/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 3

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program - Existing Program Reporting Requirements
Flight Operations Quality Assurance - New Program
Implementation and Operations ((I&O) Plan Revision

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	288	0	0	0	-5	293
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,630	0	0	0	-30	2,660
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: • References to air carriers were changed to operators to include more certificate types. • The estimated number of operators was updated. • Burden was added to question 12 for revisions of FOQA I&O Plans. • Updated hourly wages for employees in question 12. • Updated hourly wages for FAA employees in question 14. • Burden was added to question 14 for review of revised FOQA I&O Plans.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $19,039

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 05/08/2026

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