Story ID: 
GE Explores Rotorcraft Operations Center
By: Mark Huber
Caption: GE center would provide remote engine diagnostics and analytics for rotorcraft customers.
Word Count: 212
GE Aviation intends to establish a rotorcraft operations center to provide remote engine diagnostics and analytics to helicopter customers based on what it furnishes to its fixed-wing clients. “We’ve been working with some key customers on how we can provide that product to expand our services offering,” said Elissa Lee, GE director of commercial rotorcraft programs. 
She added that GE would say more about it next month at HAI Heli-Expo. However, Lee did say that the company plans to make it available to commercial customers for its line of CT7 turboshaft engines, including Bell, Leonardo, and Sikorsky. A start date depends on demonstrated customer interest, but the nuts and bolts already are there. “It’s something that we use today internally,” Lee said. 
GE—which provides its CT7-2F1 for the Bell 525 super-medium twin-engine helicopter—continues to work with Bell as it completes certification of the helicopter later this year. GE will offer its TrueChoice flight-hour maintenance program for the engine, which received FAA certification in 2019. Interest in TrueChoice is growing from operators of other CT7 platforms, especially among the Sikorsky S-92A community, Lee said.