Airbus Helicopters has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with SKYTRAC that will enable helicopters equipped with SKYTRAC real-time data processing and communications hardware to transmit their aircraft and flight data directly to servers on the ground, ensuring the continuous flow of data from the air to the ground for analysis.
Through the partnership, SKYTRAC hardware certified through a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) will interface directly with customer and Airbus servers, allowing customers to better manage their fleets and maintenance planning. The data collected will also join the growing pool that Airbus is collecting with its partners, and will become another data source for Airbus analytics which help to optimise costs, enhance safety and increase availability.
“Our collaboration with data processing providers is about enabling an uninterrupted data pipeline between the aircraft, the manufacturer, and the operator,” said Stephanie Bonnefoy-Fourie, Head of Connected Services at Airbus Helicopters. “Our goal is to drive safety, value and availability for our customers. By opening new pathways and collectively pooling the rich data available, we help operators gain greater visibility into their day-to-day operations and access new tools and analytics for pilot and crew.”
“SKYTRAC is pleased to work with Airbus on this new data delivery solution. We recognize the great potential of data to bring greater value to our customers, especially those in emergency medical services, search and rescue, and oil & gas. We’re happy to play a role in unlocking this by setting up interfaces between our hardware and Airbus systems,” said SKYTRAC Vice President of Sales Jan van der Heul.