Data4Safety: Innovation and collaboration for a safer European Aviation.

Data4 Safety (D4S) is an ambitious, voluntary partnership program initiated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to set new standards in aviation safety across Europe. By combining extensive data collection with advanced analytics,

Data4Safety enables EU Member States and industry partners to proactively identify and mitigate safety risks at a systemic level. This initiative brings together aviation safety partners across Europe, creating an unprecedented collaboration to strengthen safety intelligence in a data-centric, modernized approach.

According to EASA’s Executive Director, Florian Guillermet, "Data4Safety takes collaboration with Member States and the aviation industry in data sharing and analysis to an unprecedented level, equipping us with the ecosystem we need to efficiently leverage innovative digital technologies”.

Through a series of targeted use cases, Data4Safety enables the identification of Systemic Safety Performance Indicators, anonymized safety benchmarking, vulnerability discovery, and detailed studies on high-profile safety issues.

A Long-Term and Sustainable Initiative

Following five years of proof-of-concept work, the current Development Phase, launched in 2022, focuses on creating a sustainable data platform built to scale, enabling the program to address evolving analytical needs and incorporate new stakeholders, tools, and data layers.

Paradigma Digital, alongside ALG, is instrumental in building this future-proof platform, ensuring it is designed not only to handle current needs but also to expand as the program prepares for its operational phase in 2025.

Our work in the Development Phase centers on building a resilient, adaptable infrastructure that can seamlessly ingest high volumes of aviation data, deliver timely analysis, and support complex safety insights—all essential to Data4Safety’s mission of achieving sustainable, long-term success.

Data4Safety’s strength is rooted in its extensive collaboration across the aviation sector. Starting with a core of 13 founding members, the program now includes EASA, National Aviation Authorities, and a range of EU-based airlines, Air Traffic Management (ATM) organizations, airports, and leading aircraft manufacturers.

Key members include prominent airlines like British Airways, Ryanair, Iberia, and manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing. Additionally, industry organizations representing aviation professionals, including IFATCA and ECA, contribute valuable perspectives from air traffic controllers and pilots.

As D4S grows, its collaborative network will expand further, potentially including engine manufacturers, maintenance providers, and training organizations.

This breadth of expertise ensures a holistic approach to safety intelligence that reflects the unique insights and needs of all aviation stakeholders across Europe.

The foundation of Data4Safety’s success lies in the robust data governance framework that protects the sensitive data shared by its members. Paradigma Digital has implemented stringent data protocols that maintain confidentiality and trust among stakeholders, enabling safe data sharing and analysis.

Our framework incorporates secure data de-identification, fusion processes, and a meticulously designed permissions model to ensure appropriate access control for various user groups within the platform.

This governance structure fosters a trusted environment where Data4Safety members, data scientists, and aviation experts can collaborate on safety intelligence projects while maintaining the highest levels of data security and compliance. By aligning with established data protection standards, we empower stakeholders to contribute to and benefit from a reliable, shared data ecosystem that respects both privacy and operational security.

Advanced Technology as a Foundation for Insightful Safety Analytics

Paradigma and ALG have developed a state-of-the-art architecture emphasizing security, scalability, and industry interoperability across three main platforms:

Using industry-standard tools such as Azure Data Factory for streamlined data integration, Databricks for powerful data processing and machine learning, and Power BI for comprehensive data visualization, this platform addresses diverse analytical needs across the Data4Safety stakeholder community.

Leveraging open standards like Delta Lake and MLflow, the platform achieves a high level of flexibility, ensuring D4S avoids vendor lock-in and adapts as technology and industry needs evolve.

This robust architecture enables not only secure data ingestion but also a collaboration hub where Data4Safety’s diverse user groups can access tools and curated insights that drive data-informed decision-making. From high-level analytics to deep-dive studies, our platform’s modular approach meets Data4Safety’s requirements for rapid response, advanced data fusion, and deployment of predictive models that push aviation safety insights forward.

Through this platform, EASA’s safety analysts have drastically reduced the time required to implement new models and analytics—achieving efficiencies several orders of magnitude beyond existing data systems. With an anticipated 500 terabytes of aviation data collected by the end of this phase, Data4Safety’s platform will continue to drive impactful safety insights.