“It would be right to say that
the helicopter's role in
saving lives represents one
of the most glorious pages in
the history of human flight.”
“Mechanical failures in
helicopters
are
numerous
and
significant.”
–Igor Sikorsky
–Anonymous
“It (HUMS) keeps us
from flying an aircraft
with a component that
might possibly fail in
flight.”
“This means that the
helicopter is not considered
airworthy without HUMS
installed and in function.”
–Al Chapmon, field service
engineer for TF Thunder
–Norwegian Committee for
Review of Helicopter Safety
Business & Safety
Case for HUMS
Lance Antolick & Kenneth Speaks
Booth #4250
SAFETY CASE
FOR HUMS
Introduction
• Lance Antolick
– B.S. and M. Eng. from Penn State in Aerospace
Engineering
– 8 Years US Army Aviation Engineering Directorate
HUMS
– International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) HUMS
Working Group Member
– Health Monitoring Projects with NASA and USCG
3/4/2015
4
Safety Case for HUMS
• Definitions first…
• What is HUMS?
– Health Monitoring:
• Monitors and records condition of
–
–
–
–
Drive train components
Structures
Engines
Electro-mechanical systems
– Usage Monitoring (commonly Flight Data Monitoring
“FDM”):
• Parametric data: Flight Operations Quality Assurance
(FOQA)
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5
General Benefits Of HUMS
• Early detection of flaws/structural damage
• Reduction in the NMCM and NMCS rates
– Faster troubleshooting & reduced manual inspection cycles
– Increased product/part life cycles
– Reduction in test flights
• Remote monitoring of component health
• Effectiveness of HFDM+HUMS+Flight data Analysis S/W provided
by the same HUMS manufacturer like RMCI :
– Reduction in loss due to communication between separate
devices
– A versatile and multi-functional system
3/4/2015
6
Helicopter Accident Reports
2014 Accident Causes (from NTSB reports)
16%
29%
Mechanical Failure
Pilot Error or Weather-Related
55%
Cause Undetermined
3/4/2015
7
HUMS Enhancement Of Safety
• Can HUMS make my aircraft safer? ABSOLUTELY!
• How?
– Detect dynamic component damage before it
becomes catastrophic
– Provides assurance during a post-maintenance
check
– Tool for previously unknown fault modes
– Manufacturing defect safety net
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8
Dynamic Component Damage:
Shaft/Fan
• Shaft and fan imbalance
issues
• 1/Rev and N/rev condition
indicators
3/4/2015
9
Dynamic Component Damage: Gears
Condition indicators
designed to detect prior
to failure of teeth/loss of
torque
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10
Dynamic Component Damage:
Bearings
Detect bearing damage prior to
bearings losing functionality/bearing
catastrophic failure
Tail 3 NGB Mid Frequency Energy
40
28-Jul-2013 17:25:30
Amplitude: 40.6862
35
CI Value
30
25
20
15
10
5
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
time
3/4/2015
11
Post-Maintenance Check
• Ensure maintenance of dynamic components was
performed correctly
• Detect installation errors if maintenance was
incorrectly performed
3/4/2015
12
Tool for Previously Unknown Fault Modes
• Use HUMS to ensure safe flight while operating with
known potential issues
3/4/2015
13
Manufacturing Defect Safety Net
• Detect defects of typically
reliable components
• Track health of same lot
of components among
fleet
3/4/2015
14
HUMS Maintenance Benefits
3/4/2015
15
References
1. Overview of Transmission HUM Performance in UK North Sea
Helicopter Operations, Proceedings of the Rotor Transmission System
Health Monitoring Experience Update Seminar, S553, Institution of
Mechanical Engineers, London, UK, November 1997.
2. A. Draper, 'The Operational Benefits of Health and Usage Monitoring
Systems in UK Military Helicopters', in Third International Conference on
Health and Usage Monitoring, Melbourne, Australia, 2002.
3. K.F. Fraser, An Overview of Health and Usage monitoring systems for
Military Helicopters, DSTO Aeronautical and Maritime Research
Laboratory, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1994.
4. R. Fox, The History of Helicopter Safety, International Helicopter Safety
Symposium, American Helicopter Society International, Inc., 2005.
3/4/2015
16
References
6.
R. Romero, H. Summers and J. Cronkhite, 'Feasibility Study of a
Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS): Results of
Operator's Evaluation', Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, 1996.
7. R. Sewersky, 'System Design Assessment for a Helicopter Structural
Usage Monitor', Master of Science in Engineering and Management,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999.
8. Flight Safety Foundation Inc., 'Fatal Turbine-helicopter Accidents
Provide Clues to Safer Operations', Flight Safety International,
Arlington, 1995.
9. Honeywell, Cost-Benefit Analysis Report, 2008
10. M. Shamo, The Other Added Value of HUMS, 1st ed. USA: RSL
Electronics, 2001, pp. 5-9.
3/4/2015
17
References
10. J. Land, HUMS – The Benefits – Past, Present and Future, 1st ed.
Newport Coast, CA: Irvine Labs, Inc., pp. 3083-3094.
11. M. Rigsby, Rotorcraft Operations and Statistics, Aviation Human
Factors and SMS Conference, March 2011.
12. G. Wurzel and S. Hasbroucq, Review of fault signature data
collection methods for the validation of Condition-Based
Maintenance applications, American Helicopter Society,
Huntsville, Alabama, 2015.
13. Helicopter Association International Economics Committee, Guide
for the Presentation of Helicopter Operating Cost Estimates,
Alexandria, VA, 2010.
14. http://www.verticalmag.com/
3/4/2015
18
References
15. J. Hunt, B. Hicks and S. Krick, 'Bringing Army Helicopter Vibration
Checks into the 21st Century', in AHS Airworthiness, CBM and
HUMS Specialists’ Meeting, Huntsville,Alabama,USA, 2015.
16. L. Antolick, 'An Investigation of the Expectation Maximization
Technique for an Unsupervised Machine Learning Application of
Rotorcraft HUMS Data', in AHS Airworthiness, CBM and HUMS
Specialists’ Meeting, Huntsville,Alabama,USA, 2015.
17. J. Allen, 'CBM Vibration Monitoring Lessons Learned from the
Apache MSPU Program', in AHS Airworthiness, CBM and HUMS
Specialists’ Meeting, Huntsville,Alabama,USA, 2015.
18. http://www.bellhelicopter.com/MungoBlobs/835/215/rb_fe
b07.pdf. [Accessed: 23- Feb- 2015].
3/4/2015
19
BUSINESS CASE
FOR HUMS
Introduction
• Ken Speaks
– Infantry Officer
– Finance Officer
– Agent of Treasury
– Comptroller for $100M Flying Hour Program (FHP)
– Instrumental in Army’s Business Case Analysis
(BCA) for CBM (HUMS)
3/4/2015
21
“As much as one quarter of helicopter
accidents are attributable to some level of
parts or systems failures, but there are
many studies that suggest nearly half of
those accidents could have been mitigated
by the use of HUMS”.
–M. Hangge, Rotor & Wing, Sept. 2014
“Tom Hart, vice president of Honeywell
Aerospace, states that they have
“customers realizing returns on their
investments in only one to two years
based solely on maintenance cost
savings.””
–M. Hangge, Rotor & Wing, Sept. 2014
Business Case for HUMS
• Definitions first…
• What is HUMS?
– Health Monitoring:
• Monitors and records condition of
–
–
–
–
Drive train components
Structures
Engines
Electro-mechanical systems
– Usage Monitoring (commonly Flight Data Monitoring
“FDM”):
• Parametric data: Flight Operations Quality Assurance
(FOQA)
3/4/2015
26
Definitions Continued
• What is a Business Case Analysis?
– A method by which to assess factors and
considerations in the form of analysis to assist in
decision making
– Not a guaranteed return on investment!
– ROI may not be monetary (defined on next slide)
• Compliance / Intangible benefits
• Seatbelt, airbag
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27
Definitions Continued
• Return on Investment (ROI)
– For a business case, a dollar value is expected,
however consider the Car Company and the gas
tank.
– If I were ever asked in the event of an accident, I
want to say that I did everything I could to prevent
an accident—Not only what was required.
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28
Define the Problem
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Maintenance costs?
Increased aircraft availability?
Safety/Flight training?
Flight Operations Quality Assurance?
Compliance?
Warranty assistance?
Accident investigation?
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29
Main Rotor Swashplate Bearing
3/4/2015
31
Main Rotor Swashplate Bearing
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32
Business Case Analysis
So, we have defined HUMS, BCA, ROI,
Let’s get into some specifics of what a BCA for
HUMS would look like for your organization.
“We don’t have enough data for that”
--the standard response. But someone has to
make a decision, doing nothing is a decision!
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33
Gather Information
•
•
•
•
More is better
Enough to be statistically significant
Fair to use other data sources
Army had over 1,000 helicopters in its analysis
of the same type and similar use. Results:
validated reduction in NMCM; Reduced
Maintenance Test Flight hours, increased
operational availability.
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34
Information Needed
– Maintenance data
•
•
•
•
•
Parts costs / removals
Warranty items
Labor costs
Cost drivers for maintenance
Records of events and component life
– Operational data
•
•
•
•
•
3/4/2015
Flight hours
Power by the hour factors
Harsh environments
Mission abort rates
Aircraft availability
37
Cost-Benefit Model Using HUMS
3/4/2015
38
Costs: Initial Acquisition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Avionics
Installation kit
Spares
Install labor
Installation facilities
Aircraft down time
Flight test
Crew/maintainer training
3/4/2015
39
Costs: Recurring
•
•
•
•
•
HUMS equipment maintenance
Ground station software
Flight crew operations
Recurring training
Increase in payload
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40
Benefits: Direct
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reduced test flights
Reduced mission aborts
Reduced MRO time
Increased service intervals
Improved O&M planning
Increased aircraft resale value
Automation of functions
Improved part life cycle
Dispatch reliability improvement
Effective fault/damage prognosis
3/4/2015
41
Benefits: Indirect
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Improved availability
Reduced turnaround times
Reduced crew fatigue
Improved safety
Reduction in accidents
Reduced insurance costs
Improved customer confidence/opinion
Accurate operational performance report
Decrease in the NMCM/NMCS, FMCM time
3/4/2015
42
Define Full HUMS
• The HUMS case is different from FDM
• Detect mechanical failures
3/4/2015
43
Metrics
•
•
•
•
•
What are your terms of measurement?
Maintenance Test Flights (test flight hours)
Operational availability
Reduced mission aborts
Reduced parts costs (oil cooler fan bearing vs. oil
cooler fan assembly)
• Reduced maintenance costs (labor hours)
• What are your metrics? What can you objectively
measure? Direct/indirect
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44
Comparison of Benefits
• “Quantifying benefits and costs is worthwhile,
even when it is not feasible to assign monetary
values; physical measurements may be possible
and useful.”
• “Analysis can also be used to compare programs
with identical costs but differing benefits. The
alternative program with the largest benefits
would normally be favored.”
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45
Examples of BCA
3/4/2015
46
Other Factors
•
•
•
•
•
Compliance
Insurance costs
Flight training
Opportunity costs (tail rotor boss)
OEM’s opinion
3/4/2015
51
QUESTIONS?