11th AIAC / HUMS2005 Melbourne 15 March 20051

Bristow Helicopters & HUMS

Andy EvansQuality & Safety Manager

andy.evans@bristow.co.uk

WC0194

11th AIAC / HUMS2005 Melbourne 15 March 20052

• This is a review the Bristow experience with:– Health & Usage Monitoring System (HUMS)

• The leader with HUMS for airworthiness improvement

– The Helicopter Operational Monitoring Programme (HOMP)

• The leader with helicopter flight data monitoring• Usage monitoring for operational flight safety purposes• The prefect compliment to HUMS

Introduction

11th AIAC / HUMS2005 Melbourne 15 March 20053

The Bristow HUMS Experience

Leading From the Front

11th AIAC / HUMS2005 Melbourne 15 March 20054

• Prime contractor for first trial of flight-by-flight HUMS – UK CAA funded trial 1987-1991

• Developed the ‘IHUMS’ HUMS/CVFDR system – Entered service 1991– Used extensively by Bristow Helicopters worldwide– Widely adopted by other civil operators

• Compatible with networking of data• Supported with a Diagnostics Manual

– IHUMS has over 1.5 million hours of experience– Rights now held by Meggitt Avionics

Bristow’s HUMS History

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• 81 helicopters (including those of partner companies), of 7 types equipped:– 72 IHUMS– 9 TC Holder supported EuroARMS & M’ARMS– Current HUMS operations in UK, Netherlands, Norway

(Norsk), Nigeria, Mauritania, Kazakhstan, China (inc COHC), Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Solomon Islands & Australia

– TC Holder supported IMD/HUMS to enter service 05Q1– HUMS trials underway in Russia

Current Fleet

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• Experience introducing new systems:– Bristow first operator with IHUMS on 5 types:

• AS332, S61, S76, B212, B214ST

– Bristow first operator with EC155B / M’ARMS (in Nigeria)– SBAS introducing HUMS to the Mil-8 in Sakhalin, Russia– Norsk lead European customer for S-92A / IMD-HUMS

(05Q1)– Bristow lead civil customer for EC225 / M’ARMS (05Q2)– Working with Bell & Sikorsky for HUMS on 412 & S76C+

• >650,000 hours of HUMS experience to date– >430,000 hours with AS332L/IHUMS combination

Experience

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Future Developments

Condition Indicator tracking

for diagnosis

Tracking anomaly trajectory

Condition Indicator tracking

away from normality

5555

• Bristow are teamed with Smiths for a new UK CAA research initiative• Smiths Data Mining Tool plus machine learning algorithms • Evaluates for abnormalities in combinations of parameters

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• Significant proven safety benefit• HUMS should be seen as standard equipment on new aircraft• Effectiveness is dependent on the:

– Capability & functionality of the HUMS chosen– Experience & capability of the helicopter operator

• New HUMS must offer:– At least equivalent levels of safety at entry into service– Operational benefits

• Need to be able to develop more advanced warning & diagnostics techniques – Need to be able to apply the best to any HUMS

• Manufacturers need to listen more to key operators– TC Holder HUMS is not automatically better than 3rd party HUMS

View on HUMS

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The Bristow HOMP Experience

The Prefect Compliment to HUMS

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HOMP Introduction

• Helicopter Operational Monitoring Programme • A Flight Data Monitoring programme specific

to helicopters• UK CAA trials programme started in 1999• Bristow demonstrated HOMP technology

developed by Smiths was practical & effective– Initially using 5 AS332Ls from Aberdeen & Scatsta

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HOMP Trial Objectives

• Establish how best to monitor helicopter flight operations

• Evaluate the safety benefits of monitoring• Evaluate the tools & equipment • Eliminate technical risks• Establish a HOMP management strategy• Assess the operator’s workload• Obtain crew & management ‘buy-in’• Make the lessons widely available to the industry

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How HOMP Works

• HOMP works with:– FDR data downloaded with HUMS data on the standard HUMS card

after each flight & stored on server– Operational & weather data imported

• HOMP makes pro-active use of all this data:– Automatic event detection– Manual analysis of each event– Constructive feedback where appropriate

• To a specific crew, training staff or by newsletter– Process ensures crew confidentiality – not a ‘spy in the cockpit’

• HOMP identifies & addresses operational risks: – In a closed loop manner– Before they can lead to incidents & accidents– At low cost

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The HOMP Process

FDR + Op & Wx data Data Replay,

Analysis andVerification

ConfidentialCrew Feedback

Review Meeting

Reporting oftrend information

Changes toHOMP,

Investigations

Assessment

Changes toProcedures,

Manuals,Training

etc.

Essential to HOMP’s

success is selecting the right HOMP

Project Manager

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Data Presentations

Flight DataSimulations

(FDS)

Flight Data Traces (FDT)

Flight DataFlight DataEventsEvents(FDE)(FDE)

SHL 008

Flight DataFlight DataMeasurementsMeasurements

(FDM)(FDM)

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Example HOMP Successes

070°

T

345°

T

030°

T

Low

Medium

High000°

090°270°

180°

30 kts

40 kts

20 kts

10 kts

Control positions

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 20 40 60 80 100

Full left Yaw Pedal Full right

HOMP event control positions

Accident control positions

Rollover Line

Rollover Line

Previous Accident Control PositionsHOMP Event Control Positions

Tail Rotor & Collective Pitch

0

20

40

60

80

100

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

Time (minutes)T

ail

Ro

tor

(%)

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Co

llec

tive

(d

egre

es)

AutopilotTail Rotor PedalCollective Pitch

Right

LeftAP Engaged

TR Pedal, Collective Pitch & Autopilot vs Time

Tail Rotor Pedal

Collective PitchAutopilot Engaged

Rig Take-off: Time to 35kts

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Time (seconds)

Fre

qu

ency

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

%Frequency

Cumulative %

Fre

quen

cy

Time to 35kts

Cumulative Percentage(50% point = 4.5 secs)

Average of turbulence/workload parameter by installation

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

CAPT

ANAS

BRAE

A

MCURL

CAFPS

BRAE

B

NPROD

BRNTC

SF14

0 NINJU

DYTIF

FS7

12

EBRAE

ARMAD

DUNLATH

ISA

GALAX

DSTAR

Installation

Ave

rag

e T

urb

ule

nce

or

Wo

rklo

ad

Captain

Brae ABrae B

Av T

urbu

lenc

e/Wo

rklo

ad

Installation

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Current HOMP Status

• First operator to have all aircraft at a base monitored• All Bristow North Sea fleet now monitored daily• Bristow now have 98% of the world’s HOMP experience• Implementation underway at overseas Bristow bases • UKOOA has committed its members to implement HOMP on

all UK offshore helicopters• Other oil companies making HOMP a requirement elsewhere• Potential ICAO recommendation for HOMP• Full trials reports (CAA Papers 2000/2 & 2004/12) available at

www.caa.co.uk

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View on HOMP

• Natural, low cost, complement to HUMS• Significant proven safety benefit• Effectiveness is dependent on the:

– Capability & functionality of the HOMP software– Experience & ability of the HOMP Project

Manager– Safety culture of the helicopter operator

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Conclusions

• HUMS & HOMP both offer significant proven safety benefit

• Selecting the right systems is important• The operator’s experience makes a major

contribution to the effectiveness of both• Bristow uniquely has the experience & ability

to maximise safety benefit from both systems• Bristow is committed to continue:

‘Leading From the Front’