As it was already said, Flight Data Monitoring tells WHAT happened, only to the extent of identifying exceedances from a standard flight profile. It does not tell WHY, it happened. The analysis needs the expertise of the Flight Operation Analyst. In addition, the contribution of the crew is essential.
The problem is that the pilots are not always aware of an event having been triggered during their flight. And if they think it was the case, their understanding of the facts is most of the time shady. It is due to the limitations inherent of the human brain. In many of the flight situations where an exceedance occurs, and because the pilot brain capacity of processing flight data (the cognitive process) is limited to less than 10 parameters (7 to 8 at best), it is difficult for the pilots to report the actual values of numerous parameters which are necessary for the understanding of the facts. This is even more difficult because of the dynamics of such a situation, the pilot brain being often close to cognitive saturation.
In the standard FDM process, it takes much of time (often several weeks) before a crew can be asked to give its contribution to the analysis of the flight. The memory of the facts is then obviously downgraded. Even when a pilot is spontaneously reporting, the quality of his report is also limited by the very nature of this cognitive process and its limitations.
How does it work?
After engines shutdown an on-board Airfase (Airbus FDM software) engine will process the raw data and produce a file (called a “loms” file), transforming the raw data in engineering values, identifying deviations and grading the severity of them (the highest severity is colour coded in red).
The crew can then replay this file on the Onboard Information Terminal (OIT) in a AirFASE flight replay type of interface.
Here will be displayed the red events of the flight (if any), and he’ll be able to precisely locate the events during the flight, reading the actual values of the parameters. For this he can use the parameters window. The crew has the possibility of printing the events, or to export the file to a debriefing room on the

ground.

What are the benefits of operating this system?
The confidentiality is enforced by an auto erasure of the file after a countdown defaulted at 20’ (the pilot should not have to stay in the cockpit for too long a time after the flight), or by erasure at any time on pilots’ decision.
Thus, pilots will be given critical information to better analyze the events: They will be able clarify their own cognition of events, they will avoid misinterpretation, they will avoid
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discrepancies in their analysis. Hence OFDM is helping to circumvent many of the above-mentioned cognitive limitations. Using OFDM right after engines shutdown leaves the history of the flight fresh in pilot’s memory.
　
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