GPMS installs Foresight MX HUMS
31/10/2024
GPMS International has announced that Aerotech Group, South Australia’s largest privately owned aviation operator, has completed installation of the Foresight MX health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) on one of its UH-60 Black Hawk aircraft. Additionally, Aerotech has placed a follow-on order with options for additional aircraft.
Based in Adelaide, Australia, Aerotech operates a fleet of fixed and rotary aircraft performing agricultural, utility and firefighting missions. “For nearly 60 years, we have been proud to service our customers both in South Australia and around the world, but providing our aerial assets to the South Australian County Fire Service (CFS) is sacred to us, as most of our employees, friends and families are protected by their incredible efforts,” said Sam McCabe, Managing Director of Aerotech Group.
Based on key findings from the Bushfires Royal Commission, Aerotech has purchased six Black Hawks to provide Australia with the permanent ‘Type 1’ helicopter firefighting capability that is required to support the ever-increasing bushfire threats around the country. “We are proud to be the first and only Australian operator of VH-registered Black Hawks. Their speed, superior water-drop capability and ruggedness make it the perfect platform for this critical responsibility,” Sam continued.
According to Chris Boyd, Head of Fleet Operations for Aerotech Helicopters, maximising the availability of its Black Hawks in support of the CFS mission was a big reason why they decided to invest in HUMS. “Being in Australia, especially with former military aircraft, getting parts when we are aircraft on ground (AOG) can be very difficult. Every hour that we are down can put homes and lives at risk. We knew we had to move from being reactive to unscheduled maintenance events to proactive and predictive and there is only one way to really do it. And that is with Foresight MX HUMS.”
HUMS utilise vibration monitoring and other capabilities to analyse and trend the health of aircraft and engine components. With the advanced capabilities of GPMS’s Foresight MX HUMS it goes much further, by not only identifying negative issues earlier than legacy HUMS but also through its advanced sensors and predictive analytics, which can notify operators 100+ hours ahead of a chip light.
“Most civil-operated Black Hawks are no longer supported by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), placing big responsibilities on the operators,” said Ronnie Ries, Vice President of Marketing at GPMS. “To maximise availability, they are planning their supply chain out not in months, but in years. This is where Foresight MX can help. By identifying issues when they are at a bearing level instead of a gearbox, the availability of parts is greater, replacement costs are lower and the time to get the birds back in the air is significantly faster. Add in the remote monitoring capabilities, operators like Aerotech will have a better view of the health of their fleet, no matter where they are in Australia, or even around the world.”
Ronnie continued: “Aerotech is a leader in aerial firefighting in Australia and we are proud to provide HUMS monitoring for their fleet. Their continued investment into technology, training and, most importantly, safety are why they continue to win contracts, but their leadership and their culture are why they are so successful and why they continue to grow; and we are looking forward to growing with them.”
