Standards and method
Editorial Method
This page explains who is accountable, how evidence is handled, and how editorial and commercial material are kept separate. Last reviewed .
Accountability and bylines
Joey Pehrson is the accountable publisher. The Flight Brief Editorial Desk is an organisational byline, not a person. An individual author or reviewer is named only when identity, consent, and substantive contribution are recorded for that article. Legacy attribution changes are shown on affected pages and in the corrections record.
Sources and claim support
Primary sources are preferred: regulators, accident investigators, legislation, court or company filings, official datasets, and direct statements. Reliable secondary reporting provides context but is not presented as first-hand evidence. Public source links appear on each article where available. A link supports only the claim it contains. The absence of a source list is disclosed, not hidden.
AI-assisted work
AI tools may help organise research, compare documents, draft working copy, or edit language. AI output is not evidence, and an AI system is never credited as a witness, source, or reporter. Editorial responsibility remains with the publisher or named human contributor. Material claims and quotations require source support regardless of how the draft was produced.
News, analysis, and opinion
News reports describe a current development. Analysis explains consequences or context. Opinion states a point of view. A category label must match what the reader sees; opinion and commercial material must not be presented as independent news.
Corrections
Material factual, quotation, or authorship changes receive a visible note on the article. The public record states what changed and when. Send a correction request to [email protected] with the article URL, the disputed passage, and supporting evidence.
Conflicts and commercial relationships
A material ownership, employment, client, investment, or personal relationship relevant to a story is disclosed. The Flight Brief is published by Off The Ground Marketing; that relationship is stated on the About page and site footer. Links to related publisher properties are labelled on the article and never represented as independent evidence.
Sponsored and affiliate material
Paid, sponsored, supplied, or affiliate-supported material carries a clear reader-facing label. Payment does not buy an editorial conclusion. Paid and affiliate links use appropriate link qualification, and commercial support is never represented as independent reporting. Tracked referral links are separated from the public source list and never counted as publisher-independent evidence.
Safety and legal sensitivity
Aviation safety claims, allegations about named people or organisations, and commercially damaging statements receive higher scrutiny. The publisher may seek legal review, remove a passage, or withdraw a page while evidence is assessed.