Jeppesen ForeFlight VP: Flight Data Plus AI Will Strengthen Aviation Safety

March 18, 2026

One of the first things a student pilot learns is that the pilot-in-command is responsible for the safety of the flight. To do that, they must avail themselves of “all available information,” according to 14 CFR §91.103, including weather, fuel, alternatives and runway lengths.

In the past, this meant spending hours looking at sectionals and time on the phone with a weather briefer. Years later, pilots availed themselves of computer terminals in FBOs to get this information. Now, the computers are smartphones and tablets, and with the help of a few simple swipes and taps, flight planning apps can gather the information needed in mere seconds.

In the future, artificial intelligence, or AI, could analyze massive amounts of data generated by flight planning software users to significantly enhance aviation safety.

“There is a real opportunity there to help operators extract, I would say, more predictive insight from that data, rather than simply reviewing it after the fact,” said Jeppesen ForeFlight Vice President of Sales for Business & General Aviation Katelyn Matteson. “We definitely see a future where AI will play a meaningful role in strengthening safety management systems (SMS) and broader safety solutions.”

Of course, business aircraft pilots have long relied on flight planning software tools such as ForeFlight for a host of tasks, including accessing enroute charts, weight-and-balance analysis and more. “We like it for weather acquisition because it is very comprehensive and easy to use,” said Summer Martell, a veteran professional pilot who began her career with on-the-phone briefings and FBO computers.

“When you have your aircraft weight-and-balance and performance plugged in, you can flight plan a five-leg day quite quickly and make changes quickly as well,” said John Niehaus, a business aircraft pilot for a Fortune 500 company. “This allows you to guess on fuel load on leg one, but as you work down the line and find out you need to make a tweak to the load at the beginning of the day, it doesn’t take much. ‘Jepp chart’ integration is easy, and the fact that it will overlay NOTAM information specifically for runways and approaches directly on the charts allows you one last chance to see them before attempting to program and shoot the approach.”

FRATs and SMS

The product continues to evolve, said Matteson. Increasingly, elements of ForeFlight have become integrated into the operational workflows that support safety management systems used by many business aviation operators.

“At Jeppesen ForeFight, we see flight planning technology playing an increasingly important role within an operator’s broader safety program,” Matteson explained. “The flight planning platform is often where crews already interact with weather, NOTAMs, aircraft performance and operational constraints. As operators continue to mature their SMS programs, there’s an opportunity for that operational data to support improved risk awareness and decision-making.

“We believe the most value comes when flight planning isn’t treated as a standalone tool,” Matteson added, “but functions as part of a connected operational system, inclusive of flight risk assessment tools, aircraft performance limitations and operational requirements.”

According to Matteson, the performance data in ForeFlight is sourced directly from the aircraft OEMs.

“That’s what powers the calculation engine used for takeoff and landing evaluations. The results reflect approved and aircraft specific performance standards versus generic assumptions,” Matteson said. “It also has additional capabilities like engine-out procedures, which are tailored for airports and developed by the engineering team, and those in turn, are built using multiple inputs, like regulatory guidance and airport specific factors. The whole goal there is to provide clear and operationally relevant guidance in the event of enforcement and engine failure.”

Runway Analysis and AI

ForeFlight’s runway analysis has been a gamechanger, said Matteson, “Putting performance-based go- and no-go data directly in the hands of the crew at the right moment. It takes what used to be a whole bunch of different apps, different tools, different workflows, and really puts it natively inside of ForeFlight, backed by Jeppesen aeronautical data.”

She said AI could help operators see patterns such as emerging risks and highlight anomalies earlier in a planning cycle. “So, if you apply that to SMS, you know you could see a future where AI can help identify recurring high-risk flight profiles, detect trends and performance margins and proactively alert teams based on what they know about the pilot and the aircraft and the weather, when specific risk factors coincide,” Matteson said. “AI can enhance hazard identification and trend analysis and enable SMS programs to be a lot more proactive and data driven.”

Jeppesen ForeFlight: ‘Our Mission Has Not Changed’

For the Jeppesen ForeFlight users who watched the sale of the product from Boeing to private equity firm Thomas Bravo with some trepidation, Matteson offered some insight. “The big message we want our customers and business aviation to understand is: Our mission and our priorities have not changed. We are here to build a world connected by flawless flight and help business aviation operators run safer, more predictable missions with tools that they trust.

“One of the real strengths of Jeppesen ForeFlight moving forward is that combination of Jeppesen’s trusted aeronautical data with ForeFlight’s modern and innovative flight planning and ops platform,” she added. “It’s a really powerful combination. So, since the transition last fall, our focus has been continuity for our customers, keeping support strong, maintaining quality and continuing to invest in our innovative roadmap.”