Analytics in the Cockpit: How Denis Krainov Turns Flight Data Into Safer Operations

Image: Denis Krainov | LinkedIn

Each flight generates data that extends beyond altitude and speed. Within every flight lies information that helps airlines measure performance, anticipate risk, and strengthen safety systems. As Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) becomes central to how regulators and operators assess flight safety, its value in improving pilot training and operational culture is growing fast.

Senior First Officer Denis Krainov considers this data a resource for establishing clear standards, detecting early risks, and improving teamwork. With more than 3,700 flight hours logged and dual certification from both EASA and the UK CAA, he combines operational experience with analytical discipline. Over time, his focus has evolved from following procedures by the book to interpreting them through data and evidence.

For Denis, data serve as prompts for open conversations, better teamwork, and sharper situational awareness in every flight. This mindset defines the way he leads, communicates, and builds trust in the most demanding operational settings.

From Unexpected Beginnings to Applied Learning

Denis didn’t aim for a career in aviation from the start. Initially, he planned to become a dental surgeon, but realized it wasn’t the right fit. He switched direction and enrolled in a flight school in Florida, where he obtained his first license and logged his first hours in the cockpit. Those first solo flights taught him that awareness, adaptability, and steady focus mattered just as much as technical skill.

While piloting, Denis also pursued academic growth. He completed a BSc (Hons) in Aviation Management at Buckinghamshire New University, earning a second-class upper degree. During this period, he compared academic models with real cockpit situations, learning how management concepts translated into operational decisions.

That habit of analysis eventually led him to FDM. What began as a pilot’s instinct to look for patterns evolved into a structured approach to understanding performance and risk.

Adapting Across Airlines: The ACMI Experience

Image: Cockpit with electronic flying navigation panel | Freepik

Currently, Denis works with Heston Airlines, a leading ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) operator that provides wet-lease services worldwide. In the ACMI sector, adaptation is a constant requirement. Each carrier comes with its own procedures, regulatory requirements, and workplace culture.

Denis’s routes span more than 120 airports in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The range of destinations calls for more than technical accuracy. He draws on intercultural communication and steady leadership to build relationships and clarify procedures when they change.

He applies his knowledge of EASA, FAA, and ICAO standards in every situation, whether handling crosswinds or landing in challenging winter conditions. He also adapts to new teams and procedures without missing safety-critical details. Intercultural awareness and sound crisis management are part of his routine, defining each flight and briefing.

Beyond flying, Denis relies on FDM as a technical backbone for continuous improvement. FDM collects data from onboard sensors and flight recorders, including pitch, roll, thrust, and descent rates. By tracking these data trends, Denis helps identify early signs of operational risk, such as consistent high approach speeds or deviations under specific conditions.

Adapting to frequent shifts in standard operating procedures and regulatory expectations has strengthened Denis’s understanding of the global nature of aviation. He brings a unified approach to safety, one that relies on reliable communication, mutual respect, and verifiable data.

From Procedures to Analytics: Improving FDM Culture

Image: Control panel and dashboard for navigation | Freepik

A turning point in Denis’s work came with his involvement in Flight Data Monitoring (FDM). While many pilots saw FDM as a disciplinary tool, Denis viewed it differently. He recognized the potential of data to inform progress and encourage learning.

Instead of focusing on mistakes, he focused on what the numbers revealed about cockpit decisions. Small changes in data patterns often pointed to high-pressure choices, environmental challenges, or shifting instructions. By interpreting numbers as insight rather than judgment, he found a way to connect pilots to data in a constructive way.

He developed anonymous reporting and feedback channels between pilots and the FDM team. This step enabled pilots to share observations without fear of blame or retribution.

Denis also helped design an internal application that allows pilots to review their individual performance and learn from real operational data. To enhance visualization and communication across teams, he and the FDM group plan to integrate Power BI dashboards, making key trends and safety insights easier to interpret for both flight crews and safety managers.

These changes led to higher voluntary reporting, more substantive debriefs, and broader adoption of FDM as a routine part of flight improvement. Data that once raised concern became a neutral basis for open discussion. Pilots began using these insights to address operational risks directly, whether it was high approach speeds at specific airports or minor deviations during adverse weather.

Growth Through Change: Lessons and Aspirations

Changing perceptions takes patience. Denis learned that progress in safety culture happens one conversation at a time. Building acceptance for FDM meant listening to concerns, explaining data in plain language, and showing how small changes could make a big difference.

Those conversations strengthened his belief that openness and steady communication build understanding and trust. Denis’s approach reflects what international safety bodies like EASA and ICAO describe as a “just culture,” one that encourages accountability without blame. By creating space for open dialogue, he helped crews feel that data existed to support their judgment, not question it.

As his scope of responsibility has grown, Denis’s ambitions have grown as well. He’s working toward promotion to Captain and continues researching how AI-powered predictive models can help spot risk patterns earlier. His research focuses on how FDM systems can evolve into proactive tools by using predictive analytics and AI to recognize weak signals before incidents occur. By analyzing correlations among variables like flight path deviations, control inputs, and environmental factors, these models can flag subtle irregularities that human review might miss.

When AI tools highlight emerging risk patterns, safety teams can intervene earlier and turn data into a basis for prevention rather than a basis for reaction. For Denis, this innovation represents the next stage in aviation safety: continuous, evidence-based improvement supported by technology that learns from every flight.

His plans also include pursuing an MBA in Aviation Management and Safety Leadership and seeking FAA certification to expand operational flexibility across markets. Denis believes that each new skill, whether technical or managerial, is a step toward a broader perspective and sharper decision-making grounded in data, clarity, and accountability.

Final Reflection: Shared Responsibility in Safety

Denis’s career mirrors aviation’s shift from rigid procedure toward practical insight. The sector increasingly recognizes that lasting safety improvements depend on an honest interpretation of operational data and ongoing discussions about what the data reveals.

“I want pilots to stop fearing FDM,” he shares. “It’s not about punishment, but about growth. When we can talk openly about what went wrong, we can truly make flying safer for everyone.”

This approach aligns with the principles now guiding safety management, which include active feedback, shared responsibility, and candid dialogue. Denis’s work demonstrates that technology, when used transparently, can strengthen the link between operational standards and real-world performance.

Aviation’s progress doesn’t depend solely on larger datasets. Real change comes from interpreting insights accurately and building trust across all levels of flight operations. For Denis Krainov, the objective measure of progress lies not in abstract metrics but in how well data supports sound decisions and safer skies for everyone on board.

About the Author:

Jordan Reeves is a freelance writer and editor with an interest in technology and human-centered innovation. Her work explores how people use information to make better decisions across industries, from transportation to healthcare.