After acquiring an “ownership interest” in airborne connectivity and data collection provider Avionica, GE Aviation has deepened its partnership and formed a joint venture with Avionica to take advantage of the two companies’ strengths. GE is now offering Avionica products as part of its digital product line and supporting them via the GE worldwide service network.
Under the joint venture, Avionica will provide flight data management solutions and GE will add its analytics expertise and digital products “to address customer needs in flight analytics, aircraft health management, and flight operations,” according to the two companies. Air transport, general and business aviation, and agricultural aviation flight operations will benefit from the joint venture’s offerings, which will enable “new levels of efficiency.”
Certifications are already in place for Avionica’s quick access recorders in Airbus, Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Honda, and Thrush aircraft, with STCs covering more than 300 models and 8,000 units delivered. Avionica’s quick access recorders collect aircraft data and enable transmission of the data via ground networks (cellular and Wi-Fi) and in the air via Iridium satcom.
“Avionica’s wireless data collection and transmission technology enables advanced data analytics by accessing important flight information, such as engine and aircraft health data, wherever the aircraft is operating around the world,” said Avionica president Raul Segredo.
“We are determined to take aerospace data usage, related product delivery, and customer support to the next level,” said John Mansfield, chief digital officer for GE Aviation. “Our customers increasingly require a lightweight solution for data flow to and from their fleet. The flow of rich and continuous data provides insights into asset condition that were not previously possible. Applying physics and data science expertise together, on continuous data, helps create the analytics needed to provide increased detection lead time, reduce maintenance burden and improve asset availability.”