Honeywell’s VHM

Honeywell Software Provides MRO Diagnostics

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) has a reputation for being at the leading edge of aerospace technology. As a result, it comes as no surprise that this Phoenix, Arizona company offers a wide range of software products for MROs.

One of Honeywell's most recent releases is its Vehicle Health Management (VHM) software platform. Derived from the company's AMOSS (Aircraft Management Operations Support System) product and developed for Boeing's 7E7 program, VHM "uses a model-based approach to provide superior diagnostics," said Adrian Paull, Honeywell's manager of customer service. "The main advantage of a model-based approach, as compared to a case-based system, is that the model-based system comes preloaded with an exhaustive archive of `true causes' and `likely causes.' This is because the model-based system is based on scenarios derived from the actual engineered interactions of components: when a certain part fails, we can predict the impact on other parts of the aircraft and what symptoms will occur. It is this data that is loaded into the VHM system, making it possible to do accurate troubleshooting while still on the tarmac or even in flight." Honeywell's earlier AMOSS program is being used to support the Boeing 777 and various business jets and regional aircraft. A specialized version of VHM, known as the Integrated Vehicle Health Management system (IVHM), has been developed by Honeywell for use in spacecraft such as the Shuttle.

Closer to Earth, Honeywell has developed a number of web-based tools to aid technicians in servicing its products, all made available through its "e-Engine" subscription web site (www.e-engines.honeywell.com). Designed to use the Internet to enhance maintenance and operations support, e-Engine offers software tools not just for analyzing symptoms, but also for comparing them against a database of actual scenarios and solutions. As well, e-Engine can collect information from aircraft data systems, then process this data to provide MROs with engine condition trend monitoring, spectrometric oil analysis, engine/GSE software and technical publication reference downloads, service bulletins, and electronic logbook information that is compatible with Aircraft Technical Publishers's suite of maintenance information software. Although designed to support Honeywell products, e-Engine is versatile enough for MROs to use for all of their maintained aircraft, no matter who built them.

One of e-Engine's most successful products is SpotLight. Designed in collaboration with Casebank Technologies to service the TFE731 engine, "SpotLight contains field service report data, accumulated engineering knowledge, and maintenance manuals, all in a single Web-accessible system," said Rob Richardson, Honeywell's manager of engine aftermarket programs.

"SpotLight speeds TFE731 servicing by identifying previously experienced maintenance issues, and how those issues were solved." At present, more than 1,500 TFE731-related scenarios have been loaded into the SpotLight database. To date, he said, "we've found that over 90 percent of the queries entered into SpotLight by technicians result in successful solutions. Based on our data, we've been able to save our customers at least $1.2 million through faster troubleshooting and less downtime."

As a result of this success, Honeywell has expanded SpotLight so that it can troubleshoot all 36-100 auxiliary power units used on the Challenger 600, 601, and 604; Gulfstream II, III, and IV; BAe 146; Falcon 50; and HS125 series jets. "SpotLight is provided through the e-Engine website at no charge to operators enrolled in our Maintenance Service Plan, for engines under warranty, and for our rental engines," Richardson said. "As well, all Honeywell authorized service centers for propulsion and APU have access to SpotLight and are using it to help customers improve their line maintenance problem identification and repair turntimes."

SpotLight is just one of the many software tools Honeywell has developed to help MROs in the line maintenance, routine maintenance, and heavy maintenance sectors. The goal of this software is to provide MROs with accurate, efficient, and faster troubleshooting solutions. By doing so, the cost to MROs and their customers is reduced and aircraft spend less time in the shop, and when they do, the work done on them is precisely the work that needs to be done.

"We want to be able to spot problems before they become serious," explained Richardson. "We want to be able to analyze engine data, for instance, and be able to warn a customer that its readings indicate, say, a turbine degradation before the unit fails and puts the aircraft on the ground. Today's aircraft are engineered to provide the necessary data to make this kind of preventative approach possible. Honeywell's MRO analysis programs are expert enough to use this data to make prevention a way of life. That's the whole idea behind Vehicle Health Management: we want our customers to be able to keep their aircraft healthy at all times, rather than having to pull them from service after a problem--which was detectable--occurs." -- By James Careless