US low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has chosen Boeing’s Airplane Health Management (AHM) to improve operational efficiency of its maintenance and engineering operations.
Under the deal, Southwest Airlines will use AHM to collect and examine airplane operations data while the aircraft is in flight, and will use the real-time data to signal ground operations crews of any potential maintenance issues before the aircraft lands.
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The process minimises flight schedule disruptions and maintenance-related delays.
Southwest Airlines Maintenance Operations vice-president Jim Sokol said in its trials with AHM, the company clearly saw how it would be able to reduce – and even avoid – unscheduled maintenance and ground time for its fleet.
"The predictive nature of this product allows us to proactively initiate planning for necessary repairs, even while an airplane is in flight. With this capability, we can mitigate schedule delays and help ensure on-time arrivals and departures for our customers," Sokol said.
Boeing Airplane Health Management is a data-driven capability used worldwide by airplane operators and maintenance, repair and overhaul providers (MROs) to manage the serviceability of aircraft and fleets.
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By GlobalDataThe system is designed to interface with existing aircraft systems and communication infrastructure, using the latest airplane and ground technology to address day-of-operation disruptions, help predict future operations events and prevent unplanned maintenance and schedule interruptions.
Technical teams at Boeing will work together with Southwest Airlines to facilitate initial deployment of the system for next-generation 737s.
Commenting on the development, Southwest Airlines Technical Services vice-president Trevor Stedke said that the company expects to see an immediate cost benefit with the introduction of Airplane Health Management to its next-generation 737 fleet.
"We’re excited to work with Boeing to take advantage of the full potential of this product and further leverage its capabilities to improve efficiency across our operations," Stedke said.
