Meggitt PLC (Meggitt), a leading international company specializing in high-performance components and sub-systems for aerospace, defense and energy markets, has announced that Meggitt Sensing Systems has been awarded a $48 million contract for a health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) from Guangzhou Hangxin Avionics Co Ltd (Hangxin), a leading engineering and maintenance organization, for its Avicopter AC313/SJ and AC352 helicopters.
The program lifetime contract covers the design, development and delivery of on-board hardware – vibration sensors, data acquisition and processing electronics – and ground station software for detailed data analysis and after sales support.
HUMS helps flight crew and maintenance staff monitor the health of engines, cabin, drive train and rotor gearboxes to minimize cabin vibration and detect impending failures. The system promotes the safe running of aircraft.
However, it plays a critical role in promoting effective operating economics, the key to which is predictable and therefore cost-effective maintenance.
The Avicopter SJ is the firefighter version of the three-engine, 13-ton class AC313, the heaviest helicopter developed in China. The AC352 is the Chinese version of the twin-engine, multi-purpose H175 (EC175) helicopter developed jointly by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Airbus Helicopters.
Deliveries start in 2019. Sales of up to 500 units of each platform have been forecast over the next 20 years.
The win reflects Meggitt’s 60+ years of experience in engine health monitoring and expertise in designing the extreme environment sensors and electronics needed to monitor modern aircraft engines and follows a recently announced contract from regional aircraft manufacturer, ATR, for an on-board propeller-balancing system. Using lightweight, modular electronic processing units and sensors, this distributed monitoring system can monitor more equipment, including auxiliary power systems, landing gear, avionics and air conditioning systems, more cost-effectively.
