Additional Information Allows Operators To Determine Possible
Maintenance Trends
An air-to-ground maintenance data
link introduced by Gulfstream Aerospace in September 2007 now
offers summary fleet information to Gulfstream operators through
myGulfstream.com, the secure Gulfstream customer communications
website.
PlaneConnect automatically relays messages generated by the Crew
Alerting System (CAS) and Central Maintenance Computer (CMC) to
operation centers on the ground and then via e-mail to operators.
With myGulfstream.com, operators can now see summary-level messages
across the Gulfstream fleet for a particular model, as well as
messages for each of their own PlaneConnect-equipped aircraft.
The fleet data accessible by operators contains no aircraft or
operator identification information.
"With this new fleet capability, operators have even more
information, which is always good," said Mark Burns, president,
Gulfstream Product Support. "Along with providing a searchable
record of the last six months of their aircraft operations, access
to information from more than 70,000 unique flights is available
for comparison purposes. We've seen how this type of tool
benefits aircraft support by identifying the cause of an
intermittent issue and, in some cases, identifying issues before
they are apparent to the flight crew."
More than 300 large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft operators use
PlaneConnect, and about 80 percent of them have chosen to have
their information sent to Gulfstream Technical Operations in
addition to their own flight departments.
At Gulfstream, a computer analyzes and prioritizes those
incoming CAS and CMC messages. Those that may result in an
Aircraft-on-the-Ground (AOG) situation once the jet lands
automatically generate priority e-mails to the appropriate
Gulfstream field service representative (FSR) and Technical
Operations staff. This real-time reporting enhances safety and
reduces maintenance times by allowing technicians to arrange for
parts or service personnel to be readily available before the
aircraft lands.
"Using PlaneConnect enables us to have extremely fast
maintenance turnaround times, which result in more air time for
Gulfstream operators," Burns said. "That's precisely what they
want, and we're happy we can provide it to them."
PlaneConnect is a free service that Gulfstream operators can
access via myGulfstream.com anywhere they have Internet
access. The myGulfstream.com site offers real-time
communication and collaboration capabilities, including access to
the Gulfstream Computerized Maintenance Program (CMP), technical
publications, maintenance manuals and flight-tracking software.
NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23
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