Mitesh Patel, SVP and GM of Acron Aviation's Flight Data Intelligence division shares more about the comprehensive range of innovative flight data services we offer our customers.
Q: Can you give an overview of our Flight Data Intelligence division and what sets us apart in this competitive space?
A: “Our Flight Data Intelligence division transforms how airlines approach safety management, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency by treating flight data as a strategic asset rather than just historical records. We provide operators with objective intelligence for informed decision-making, enabling them to maximize efficiency whilst minimizing risk.
“What truly distinguishes us is our unique combination of technical expertise and operational knowledge. Our team includes qualified pilots with extensive airline operations experience, giving us deep understanding of aircraft systems functionality and operational safety management aligned with airline standard operating procedures.”
Q: How is Flight Data Connect, our flagship platform, revolutionizing data processing for airlines?
A: “Flight Data Connect (FDC) is our proprietary platform built on patented data processing technology. It processes vast volumes of flight data with remarkable speed, delivering actionable insights within minutes of data receipt.
“The platform features over 2,000 measurement points across typical flight profiles and uses statistical modelling and machine learning for accurate analysis. What makes it particularly powerful is its ability to detect deviations from normal distribution curves based on aggregated flight data analysis.
“For example, we recently helped an operator identify a minor flap retraction issue through subtle fuel consumption variations during climb phases. This enabled them to address the problem before it impacted operations or led to maintenance complications.”
Q: How does our partnership with IATA's Flight Data eXchange (FDX) benefit our customers?
A: “As a key supplier to IATA's FDX program, we process over 25,000 flights daily, continuously building our database of more than 45 million flights. This extensive dataset enables our FDX participants to benchmark their safety and operational performance against industry standards and similar fleet operators.
“The FDX collaboration provides anonymous benchmarking without competitive concerns, access to data from over 6.5 million flights globally, and opportunities that internal monitoring alone might miss. Recently, we helped an airline identify longer-than-average landing distances at a specific airport compared to industry peers, leading to Standard Operating Procedure improvements and enhanced safety margins.
Q: Many operators are considering outsourcing their flight data monitoring. What are their main concerns and how do we address them?
A: “The three most common concerns relate to data security, operational control and contextual understanding.
“For data security, we've invested heavily in infrastructure meeting the highest protection standards - end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest, strict access controls, and over 40 years of proven regulatory compliance experience with international civil aviation authorities.
“Regarding operational control, operators actually gain more control, not less. By outsourcing the technical processing, their flight safety officers can focus on interpreting insights and implementing safety improvements. We provide comprehensive training and support to ensure maximum value extraction.
“For contextual understanding, we invest significant time understanding each customer's specific operations, routes, aircraft types and safety priorities, configuring our systems to align with their Standard Operating Procedures and safety management systems.”
Q: Aviation operations vary significantly across commercial airlines, cargo carriers and business jets. How do we tailor solutions for these different sectors?
A: “Each sector has unique operational priorities and safety challenges, so our modular approach addresses specific contexts.
“For commercial airlines, we focus on standardization across large pilot groups with emphasis on fuel efficiency and scalability. With cargo operators, we adapt solutions for weight and balance considerations, night operations and special destinations.
“Business aviation receives specialized support including dedicated analyst teams across multiple time zones for 24/7 global operations support. We configure over 1,000 reportable safety events and 320 maintenance events aligned to their specific Standard Operating Procedures.”
Q: Can you explain Astra, our pilot-focused application, and how it addresses information overload?
A: “Astra represents the next generation of pilot-focused flight data intelligence. It's designed specifically to combat ‘app fatigue’ by consolidating critical information into one intuitive platform.
“Rather than overwhelming pilots with raw data, Astra processes over 25,000 flights daily using advanced machine learning algorithms to extract meaningful patterns. It delivers personalized insights through focused safety and efficiency modules within 15 minutes of landing, whilst the flight experience remains fresh.
“The interface uses flight deck instrumentation-style presentation for familiarity, with configurable layouts prioritizing the most relevant information. Our strategic partnership with FuelVision enhances these capabilities by combining flight data expertise with efficiency-focused analytics.”
Q: How do evolving regulations like ICAO's GADSS mandate and EASA's flight data monitoring requirements create opportunities rather than burdens for us?
A: “We view regulatory frameworks as minimum standards, with best-in-class operators consistently exceeding these requirements. Regulatory evolution creates opportunities for operational enhancement beyond basic compliance.
“We transform compliance from a burden into an advantage by identifying trends and exceedances before they become compliance issues, converting raw flight data into actionable insights, and reducing routine analysis tasks for internal safety teams.
“Our regional adaptation approach tailors services to meet diverse regulatory requirements whilst maintaining global consistency. We see compliance as a by-product of good operational practice rather than a separate workstream requiring additional resources.
Q: What future innovations are we developing in the machine learning and AI space?
A: “Our commitment to innovation drives continuous development in machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. We collaborate closely with customers to identify specific challenges and deliver solutions creating genuine operational value.
“Current development areas include enhanced EFB integration for deeper connectivity with Electronic Flight Bags and flight deck systems, predictive maintenance through advanced analytics for proactive scheduling, real-time decision support for in-flight operational optimization, and expanded benchmarking capabilities across the industry.”
Q: How do you view your role in relation to your customers' operations?
A: “We view ourselves as an extension of our customers' safety teams rather than external service providers. Our approach emphasizes collaboration, with significant investment in understanding each operator's unique context, priorities and challenges.
“This partnership philosophy ensures mutual value creation benefiting both operational safety and business objectives, sustainable partnerships built on continuous improvement, and contribution to aviation safety evolution through shared knowledge and innovation.
Q: What's our vision for the future of data-driven aviation operations?
A: “As aviation continues evolving towards increasingly data-driven operations, we remain committed to delivering actionable insights with minimal latency. Our focus on enabling informed, rapid decision-making around safety and efficiency positions our customers for success in an increasingly complex operational environment.
“Through our comprehensive Flight Data Intelligence capabilities - from real-time processing and industry benchmarking to pilot-focused applications and regulatory support - we're not just processing data, we're powering the future of safer, smarter aviation operations.”
Find out more about Flight Data Intelligence
About the author
Mitesh Patel
SVP and GM, Flight Data IntelligenceAcron Aviation
