The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airbus, Embraer and Rolls-Royce have established five key principles for access to and the use of Aircraft Operational Data (AOD).

The first principle is consent, meaning that AOD can only be extracted with the airline’s written consent. The second is transparency, ensuring that airlines have visibility of the data generated by their aircraft and how it is used. Sharing is the third principle, which allows airlines to choose the parties they share AOD with and maintain control over such sharing.

Moreover, the fourth principle is accessibility, which stipulates that airlines can access, analyse, and use AOD from the aircraft they operate without interference. Lastly, responsible use encourages airlines to provide AOD to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to improve safety and, if they choose, to support aircraft reliability.

The principles apply to AOD generated by aircraft once delivered to the airline/operator, whether in flight or on the ground and are subject to regulations and contractual agreements between parties.