Atlanta, GA. At HAI HELI-EXPO 2019, HeliDax, AMS (Aircraft Maintenance Systems) and Safran Electronics & Defense signed a letter of intent to collaborate on a complete digital chain based on the Cassiopée range of flight data analysis services. This new solution will be a world’s first for helicopters, a Safran press statement said on March 5.
The partnership between Safran, HeliDax and AMS focuses on the implementation of a complete, automated digital flight data processing chain that will connect Cassiopée to each operator’s MIS. Alongside this planned collaboration, Safran is in talks with HeliDax to connect its HeliSafe flight data recorder to the Maintenance Information System (MIS) from AMS.
Cassiopée fully automates the management and collection of all the data captured before, during and after each flight, which is downlinked wirelessly to a tabletafter landing, eliminating the risk of human error. The Cassiopée suite from Safran makes sure that operators have the accurate, contextualized information they need. As well as reducing operating costs, this arrangement will improve flight safety by analyzing safety-related events. Operators can therefore maximize helicopter availability by the timely scheduling of maintenance services.
HeliDax was chosen by the French government in 2008 to supply and service a fleet of thirty-six EC120B Colibri helicopters for the basic and advanced training of French military helicopter pilots. HeliDax uses the MIS developed by AMS to manage the airworthiness of its helicopters, including the thirty-six EC120Bs, which fly an average of 22,000 hours each year.
Joel Baudon, HeliDax Technical Director, commented: “Automated maintenance data capture is an integral part of what we do at HeliDax and a key facet of our innovation strategy since 2012. It keeps maintenance teams informed of any faults or failures on the helicopter in real time and tells them exactly what data they need to analyze. Building Cassiopée into our overall strategy will help us minimize repair turnaround times and further improve flight safety.”
Jean-Marc Roquelaure, Presidentand CEO of AMS parent company Reactis, added: “With its 30 years of practical experience in all aspects of aircraft maintenance, AMS, a Reactis company, is constantly striving to optimize operations for its 280 customers and is delighted to be working with Safran and HeliDax on this innovative project.”
Reflecting its strategy of developing new data-driven services, Safran is now addressing the needs of helicopter fleet operators and paving the way for more sophisticated data analysis methods for the benefit of its customers.
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets. Safran has a global presence, with more than 92,000 employees and sales of 21 billion euros in 2018. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.
Safran Electronics &Defenseis a world leader in optronics, avionics, electronics and critical software for civil and defense applications. The company’s products are deployed worldwide on more than 1,000 ships, 25,000 armored vehicles and 10,000 aircraft.
