DALLAS (HELI-EXPO 2022) – March 08, 2022 – GPMS, a leader in the field of helicopter health monitoring systems, announced today that it has collaborated with MD Helicopters, Wysong Enterprises, and Tennessee Valley Authority to achieve the FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for its Foresight MX predictive Health & Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) on the MD530 platform.
“We received tremendous support and cooperation from the team at MD,” said Jed Kalkstein, President of GPMS International. “Thanks to their assistance, the expertise of our installation partner, Wysong Enterprises, and the support from the team at the Tennessee Valley Authority, MD530 operators will be able to benefit from the advanced capabilities that Foresight MX brings to rotorcraft operations.”
“At MDHI, we’ve been looking at ways to help our customers futureproof their fleet and deliver next-generation operations. Foresight MX provides the data to improve readiness, enhance safety, lower maintenance costs, and dramatically improve the OEM support relationship. We’re glad to have it as the first successful HUMS solution on the MD530 platform,” said John “Jack” Harris, MD Helicopters’ Director of Public Safety Sales.
For the STC, Foresight MX was installed on an MD530 that belongs to the Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA is one of the largest public power providers in the United States. With the STC on the MD530 platform, TVA will have Foresight MX on its full fleet of Bell 429’s, 407’s, and MD530’s that it utilizes to inspect and service approximately 16,300 miles of transmission lines.
This is an important STC for operators of the MD530 platform, which is widely used in public safety missions as well as by customers like TVA in utility, powerline, and construction operations. These missions and operations often include low and slow flight regimes where aircraft performance, reliability, and safety are paramount. Kalkstein explains that Foresight MX stands out in mission-critical operations like these.
“Foresight MX’s capabilities go beyond standard HUMS. Our system delivers aircraft performance and condition monitoring that includes Flight Data Monitoring as well as comprehensive coverage and analysis of the engine and vital components to help ensure optimal aircraft performance,” states Kalkstein. “This equips operators with additional confidence in the capability and reliability of their aircraft to perform in these intricate operations.” Foresight MX also automatically delivers rotor track and balancing solutions after each flight and provides diagnostic and prognostic capabilities including detailed forecasts for Remaining Useful Life data for trending components. The Foresight MX kit for the MD530 has a minimal, lightweight footprint and is available for install in new aircraft and retrofits.
GPMS already has STCs on a range of helicopter platforms including Bell 407 GX/GXP/GXi, Bell 429, Bell 412/212, the Airbus H125/AS350 B3. The company also has completed the system for the Mi- Series helicopters and expects further STC’s for the H135, the AS350 B2, Bell 206, analog Bell 407, and the Blackhawk in 2022.
GPMS will be showcasing Foresight MX at Heli Expo 2022 in Dallas, TX. Stop by booth #6508 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center for a live demo and to speak with the experts and engineers from GPMS about the added values that a modern, comprehensive HUMS like Foresight MX can deliver.
About GPMS
GPMS’s Foresight MX offers a next generation, predictive Health and Usage Monitoring System that goes beyond standard HUMS. Foresight MX is designed to give equipment operators the power to “Know it before it matters” providing Machine Condition Monitoring and Fleet Data Monitoring in one powerful system. Fully predictive, Foresight MX offers insights needed to optimize maintenance, safety, and operations. GPMS has re-engineered the HUMS category to put its advantages within reach of every operator, making all platforms smarter and more connected. To learn why today’s fleets depend on Foresight MX, visit https://www.gpms-vt.com.