Pathfinder Aviation signed a contract for 20 of GPMS’s Foresight MX enhanced health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS). The operator plans to install the systems in its mixed fleet of Airbus AS350B2/B3/H125 and H135 and Bell 212 helicopters, allowing remote aircraft and fleet monitoring with predictive analytics through a common user interface.
“Pathfinder is an innovative helicopter transport company that demonstrates its commitment to safety and operational improvements,” said Jed Kalkstein, president of GPMS (Booth 6605). “Its adoption of Foresight MX across the full, mixed fleet showcases the additional benefits when you implement our system to go beyond HUMS.”
Rogan Parker, CEO of Pathfinder Aviation, said the detailed level of monitoring and insight provides enhanced safety for pilots and crews. “Having an advanced HUMS such as Foresight MX on our aircraft is an invaluable addition. Foresight MX provides the insight and level of detail to know the health and status of all the aircraft in our fleet and provides us with additional confidence in our operations.”
Pathfinder Aviation operates a wide variety of missions in Alaska, as well as specialized operations and logistics solutions worldwide. Operations in these environments are typically demanding, and the utility market itself is very challenging and competitive.
Parker is quick to point out that the value of Foresight MX goes beyond financial and competitive advantages. “This is an investment in the people, our passengers, and our crews, and for Pathfinder the real value, the real return, is safety,” he said.
“There is a growing trend in aviation maintenance and operations management that is shifting away from traditional static, reactive scheduling to more proactive, data-driven planning,” Kalkstein added. “Foresight MX provides critical analysis and information for this type of proactive planning. It helps move unscheduled events to scheduled events, which reduces AOG costs and helps protect an operator’s assets.”
“Late last year, we had a new engine that was making metal and set off a chip light. Fortunately, we caught this preflight and the aircraft was on base and not remote,” said Parker. “Unfortunately, this is an expensive endeavor. I am quite certain that if we had Foresight MX at that time, we would have caught it before it became such a significant event.”
GPMS has STCs for its Foresight MX system on several other helicopter platforms, including the Bell 407 series, 429, and 412, as well as the MD Helicopters MD530. The company also has recently completed the system for the Mi-8/17/171 and expects further STCs this year for the Airbus H135 and AS350B2; Bell 206 and analog Bell 407, and Black Hawk.