Evendale, OH - September 29, 2020 - GE Aviation was selected by AVX Aircraft Company to provide a key airborne and ground Systems component asset management system for the U.S. Army Rotorcraft Automated Component Tracking (RACT) program.
GE Aviation’s solution will report the planned and unplanned movement of tracked assets from local aviation units to ensure better maintenance and logistics insights across the fleet, as well as accurate operational availability for individual aircraft.
“By integrating parts tracking and calculation results, we’re able to provide a more accurate use of the actual utilization and consumption of critical parts,” said Christin Rauche, Connected Aircraft executive for GE Aviation. “This will enable military planners to better assign aircraft for current and upcoming missions based on overall health awareness state across the fleet.”
This is part of a US Army Science & Technology program with the purpose of demonstrating a system that will allow aviation units in the field to better manage maintenance records in conjunction with higher level Army Maintenance & Logistics structures.
The RACT program is intended to explore new methods of tracking key components, including their usage, as well as overall aircraft health state. This will serve to aid better fleet management decisions and contributes to the U.S. Army’s vision of zero-maintenance and minimization of forward operating sustainment needs.
The airborne and ground system integrates decades of GE’s proven health management technologies on rotorcraft with their vehicle management system on fixed wing to drive increased operational availability and safety of the fleet.
GE Aviation will be leveraging existing hardware and software solutions to track key components and their actual utilization rather than a traditional operating hour tracking mechanism. Through consolidated on-board analytics, ground based software and emulated maintenance and logistics systems, the RACT program will demonstrate the complete health awareness state for modeled aircraft. GE Aviation’s team, led by their Avionics Systems business, will work closely with AVX Aircraft Company and Texas Tech University to provide an integrated solution that will be validated at GE’s VertiCenter Integration Laboratory in Lynn, Massachusetts.
About AVX
Founded in 2005, and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, AVX Aircraft Company employs helicopter industry veterans and executives with a combined experience of more than 400 years across a spectrum of skill sets. AVX has developed and has patented a unique compound helicopter configuration with coaxial rotors and dual ducted fans that combine proven technologies to achieve greater aerodynamic efficiency, speed, range, fuel efficiency, HOGE and utility than conventional helicopters.
About Texas Tech University
Committed to teaching and the advancement of knowledge, Texas Tech University (TTU), a comprehensive public university designated as a Carnegie R1: Doctoral University with Highest Research Activity and a Hispanic-Serving Institution, provides the highest standards of excellence in higher education, fosters intellectual and personal development, and stimulates meaningful research and service to humankind. The Office of Research & Innovation (OR&I) facilitates excellent research, scholarship, and creative activities for all. OR&I promotes the safe conduct of research, faculty development and recognition, interdisciplinary collaborations, externally sponsored research, partnerships with industry and the community, and the application of research for the benefit of society. The Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. College of Engineering is a globally elite engineering program composed of a community of scholars; faculty, students and staff all working together to educate the best engineering talent in the world. The Institute for Materials, Manufacturing, and Sustainment (IMMS) is committed to nourish TTU's growth to meet the scientific and technological demands and is founded on the principles of discovery, innovation and translation.
About GE Aviation
GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, avionics, electrical power systems, digital solutions and integrated systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. For more information, visit http://www.ge.com/aviation. Follow GE Aviation on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GEAviation and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/GEAviation.
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Contact: Jennifer Villarreal [email protected] +1 616 241 8643