By Airline Ratings
Published Thu Dec 18 2025
TAP Air Portugal has been recognised for its long-standing leadership in Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) after receiving the FDM Pioneer Award at the Cassiopée Users Conference 2025, held in Paris from 17 to 20 November.
Flight Data Monitoring is the proactive use of recorded flight data from routine operations to improve safety. TAP’s award recognises its role as one of the earliest adopters of this proactive approach to safety. The airline’s FDM programme dates back to the 1960s and continues to be regarded as an international reference for the effective use of flight data to enhance safety and operational performance.
The international conference, hosted by Safran—one of the world’s leading aerospace, defence and security technology manufacturers—brought together airline operators, manufacturers and aviation safety specialists to share technical knowledge, present case studies and discuss emerging trends in flight data analysis. A key focus of this year’s event was the evolution of FDM, including new capabilities within Safran’s integrated software platform, Cassiopée Alpha.
Pedro Soares, FDM Engineer at TAP, said the award reflects decades of consistent investment in the discipline.
“Receiving this award recognises TAP’s long tradition of using flight data to strengthen safety and enhance operational performance. Long before FDM became standard practice in the industry, TAP was already exploring this potential. This distinction confirms that historic commitment to proactively investing, consistently and purposefully, in a tool that is now essential for any modern airline.”
He added that the role of flight data is expanding beyond safety alone.
“The industry is increasingly recognising the importance of flight data analysis not only for safety, but also for operational efficiency, fuel optimisation and cost reduction. TAP is following this trend by investing in new platforms, such as Cassiopée Alpha, and by strengthening the analytical capabilities of its teams.”
During the conference, TAP’s Safety & Security FDM team delivered two technical presentations. The first addressed GNSS interference, including GPS jamming and spoofing, outlining global trends, operational risks and how FDM can be used to monitor and better understand these events. The second focused on TAP’s implementation of ICAO’s EDR turbulence metric across its fleet, enabling objective, aircraft-independent turbulence measurement and enhancing in-flight safety monitoring.
João Gomes e Silva, also an FDM Engineer at TAP, highlighted the broader value of the event.
“It’s an opportunity to discuss common challenges, align expectations with the provider and ensure that TAP keeps pace with industry developments. For Safety, this knowledge-sharing and connection with the global user ecosystem are crucial to keeping the FDM programme modern, relevant and effective. Being present is a sign of commitment, openness and willingness to evolve—three fundamental pillars in such a critical area as FDM.”
Josh Wood, AirlineRatings Safety and Quality Manager, said: “TAP Air Portugal has an exceptional safety record and has been rated as a Seven-Star Safety Rated airline on AirlineRatings since the programme’s launch in 2013. The airline also placed in the Top 25 World’s Safest Airlines in 2025, and we have no doubt it will do so again in 2026. Awards such as the FDM Pioneer Award are another demonstration of TAP not only taking safety seriously, but being a world leader in this critical area. We congratulate TAP on this recognition and thank the airline for its ongoing contribution to a safer global aviation industry.”
TAP has participated in the Cassiopée Users Conference since its early editions, further reinforcing its position as a reference airline in the field of Flight Data Monitoring and its continued commitment to advancing aviation safety through data-driven insight.
