Development of Low Cost HUMS

A new, low-cost Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) has been developed to maximize the payback for helicopter operators. The on-board system includes a small, cockpit-mounted data acquisition and monitoring system incorporating PCMCIA card readers and a display system. The onboard system records basic airframe and engine parameters by interfacing with the helicopter’s basic sensors and with specific HUMS sensors. The on-board system calculates and displays limit exceedances, performs regime recognition and has advanced built-in test functions. The output parameters can be transferred to a built-in PCMCIA card driver for downloading into a laptop computer serving as the Ground Station. The system is based on an "open system" approach permitting an operator to interface to their existing Ground Station. This new design changes the HUMS cost benefits equation to a large extent, reducing the lifecycle cost of helicopter operations.