NEW TIMES, NEW TOOLS
When it comes to rotorcraft maintenance, we are living in exciting new times—and these new times call for new tools.
Take digital twins: by collecting and analyzing onboard sensor data, technicians can create digital duplicates of an aircraft’s physical systems to track wear and tear over time. The biggest benefit of this approach is predictive maintenance. A digital twin can identify failure trends as soon as they start to appear in the physical equipment, alerting technicians to a problem before it results in a costly aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situation.
In the same vein, augmented-reality and virtual-reality (AR/VR) goggles allow technicians to train on advanced maintenance techniques without having to open up an actual aircraft. On the hangar floor, these tools can overlay schematics from manuals and other critical data directly onto the aircraft as the mechanic works. The result is faster, more effective, and often less expensive maintenance. In both of these instances, AI serves as the underlying engine to process the data, analyze it, and offer actionable recommendations.
How are the OEMs harnessing these new digital tools?
“At Bell, we are using digital technologies to shift rotorcraft maintenance toward a more connected, condition-based, and predictive model,” said Van Wilson, Bell’s director of customer solutions. “In our upcoming 525 aircraft, Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) uses Bell-developed MissionLink, which is linked directly to technical publications for ease of troubleshooting. When a fault occurs, the maintainer is directed immediately to the proper instructions and wiring diagrams.”
Leonardo Helicopters is taking a similar approach. “Our company is investing thoughtfully in digital services leveraging data automation and artificial intelligence while ensuring every innovation meets strict safety standards,” said Andrea
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Campagna, Leonardo’s director of Customer Support and Services for the Americas. “We are shifting from reactive to predictive maintenance models, leveraging on more than 20 years of expertise in analyzing HUMS [health and usage monitoring system] and fleet data, through the HELIWISE Software, for early anomaly detection. We also have a consolidated experience on virtual reality maintenance training for technicians in a safe digital environment.”
Both Robinson Helicopter Company and Sikorsky are investing heavily in digital tools as well.
“We’re working with partners right now to build augmented reality overlays for several of our helicopters—essentially an immersive simulation where a technician can simulate repair scenarios in a virtual learning environment,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company. “It’s hardware-agnostic, so our factory instructors and technical support staff can walk a mechanic through a procedure remotely, wherever they are in the world. On the R88 specifically, we’ve partnered with GPMS to develop an advanced HUMS with early detection that relays real-time data back to us and our engine partners during flight. Having the ability to monitor large sets of data quickly shifts the maintenance event from reactive to proactive.”
“Digital twins are being developed for Sikorsky platforms currently in production and are becoming an important part of how we approach maintenance and sustainment now and into the future,” said Matt Kelsch, director of Sikorsky sustainment business development. “Sikorsky, along with our industry partners, has also developed virtual-reality maintenance trainers that allow maintainers to practice a task using a VR headset before performing it on an aircraft. Newer maintainers gain experience and familiarity before completing the task in the field, while more experienced maintainers use the technology as a refresher for procedures they may not have performed recently.”
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