More than 40,000 pilots are now using GE Aerospace’s FlightPulse electronic flight bag software for flight planning and analytics, and the company said it is on track to surpass 50,000 users next year. According to GE Aerospace, 25 airlines and 20 corporate operators have signed up to use the FlightPulse software, which provides flight crews with historical flight data in an easily digestible format in the mobile app, FlightPulse Pilot.
“The idea is that you capture your data being recorded on board the aircraft…then when you process that parameter data, you can extract snapshots, you can find out when exceedances occur, and then you can aggregate that data a step further,” GE product manager Jonathan Morrell told AIN.
“We tried to find a way to package all of that and provide it to pilots in a way that's actionable, in a way that that data carries meaning, rather than what we would traditionally provide the analysts or gatekeepers at these operators.”
Because FlightPulse is built on a data-sharing platform, operators across the industry can see and learn from each other’s flight data—which remains anonymous—to benefit from each other’s past experiences, Morrell explained. Users can filter a map showing historical flight trajectories and safety events for factors such as the type of aircraft, the runway where it takes off or lands, and seasonal meteorological conditions.
Building on FlightPulse’s features, GE Aerospace recently added a 3D animation module that replicates the flight deck, showing realistic imagery and flight safety data. It has also created a preflight module to support preflight planning. Its most recent addition is a “home” module that gives airline administrators the ability to distribute announcements to their pilots.
According to GE, the FlightPulse Pilot app has more than 3,000 daily users and 20,000 monthly users. “The strong engagement we are seeing with pilots illustrates the valuable insights they are deriving from the app,” said Andrew Coleman, general manager of GE Aerospace’s software business.
“Pilots using FlightPulse is very analogous to how a runner might use a fitness watch to improve their run times or an individual using a weight loss app to be healthier,” Coleman added. “It’s an app they can access on their iPads to become better pilots.”
In addition to software solutions that improve aviation safety, GE Aerospace remains focused on innovating aircraft engines. The manufacturer recently teamed with NASA to modify the GE Passport 20 engine with hybrid-electric components for testing.
GE Aerospace is also preparing to certify the Passport engine for Bombardier’s Global 8000 ultra-long-range business jet. That engine entered service in late 2018 on the Global 7500. According to GE Aerospace, software changes to the engine will enable a boost in speed and range for the Global 8000 to Mach 0.94 and 8,000 nm (at Mach 0.85), up from the 7500’s Mach 0.925 and 7,700-nm range (also at Mach 0.85). The Global 8000 is on track to enter service later next year.
Meanwhile, GE Aerospace’s Catalyst turboprop engine remains on track for FAA certification by year-end. The Catalyst engine powers the Textron Aviation Beechcraft Denali turboprop single that is also slated for certification in 2025.