The Aviation Performance Measuring System (APMS) is a sophisticated software tool designed to simplify the analysis of flight data for air transport users. This system allows airline carriers to examine flight data effectively, helping to identify safety trends and enhance flight reliability. Instead of just focusing on individual flight events, APMS utilizes advanced technology to uncover systemic issues through statistical analysis of numerous flights.
APMS development revolves around three key areas: improving safety and efficiency, providing focused analysis on higher-risk phases of flight, and identifying unusual precursors that could lead to incidents or accidents. One notable feature is the Morning Report of Atypical Flights. This report uses multivariate cluster analysis to categorize flights based on similarities in their flight signatures, derived from various parameter values. It then calculates an atypicality score for each flight and offers a straightforward description of what makes these flights stand out.
Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center in 1993, APMS is now utilized by U.S. carriers involved in Space Act Agreements. Furthermore, it has been adapted for use by the Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) software vendor community.
