To Buy or Not to Buy Mining Airfare Data to Minimize Ticket Purchase Retrieving and analyzing data from a flight data recorder after a typical flight is not new. Airlines often check a quick-access recorder that operates in parallel with the flight data recorder, examining certain parameters to improve operations and safety. But current tools are limited to looking for known issues, and the amount of data can be staggering. MIT professor John Hansman says the key is developing analysis tools that can effectively utilize all the information. Commercial airlines in the United States are not required to implement a flight-data monitoring program. But the Federal Aviation Administration has a flight-operations quality-assurance program that includes guidelines airlines can follow on a voluntary basis. Airlines typically monitor known parameters that have helped identify issues in the past. Things like engine thrust and aircraft speeds, as well as flight control positions such as elevator a...