Voluntary Safety Programs Branch

Program Descriptions

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Advanced Qualification Program (AQP)
AQP is a voluntary alternative to the traditional regulatory requirements of CFR 14, Parts 121 and 135 for flight crewmember training and checking. Under the AQP, the FAA is authorized to approve significant departures from traditional requirements, subject to justification of an equivalent or better level of safety.

Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)
The objective of the ASAP is to encourage air carrier and repair station employees to voluntarily report safety information that may be critical to identifying potential precursors to accidents. Under ASAP, safety issues are resolved through corrective action rather than through punishment or discipline. An ASAP is based on a safety partnership that includes the FAA and the certificate holder, and usually includes a third party, such as the employee's labor organization.

Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA)
FOQA collects and analyzes digital flight data generated during normal line operations. FOQA programs provide greater insight into the total flight operations environment. FOQA data is unique because it can provide objective information that is not available through other methods. The information and insights provided by FOQA can improve safety by significantly enhancing training effectiveness, operational procedures, maintenance and engineering procedures, and air traffic control procedures.

Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program (VDRP)
The Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program provides positive incentives for a certificate holder, an indirect air carrier, a foreign air carrier, or a production approval holder (PAM) operating under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to voluntarily identify, report, and correct their own instances of regulatory noncompliance.

The FAA believes that aviation safety is well served by providing incentives for certificate holders to correct their own instances of noncompliance and to invest more resources in efforts to preclude their recurrence. The FAA's policy of forgoing civil penalty actions when a certificate holder meets the requirements of this program, is designed to encourage compliance with the FAA's regulations, foster safe operating practices, and promote the development of internal evaluation programs.