Starting this year, Eurocopter has extended its reliability analysis of the civil helicopters in service.
A few months ago, the process applied by Eurocopter to analyze the reliability of civil helicopters was expanded to include the EC135, EC145, BO105 and BK117. The aim of the process is to acquire slowly but surely a more accurate picture of the reliability of these helicopters and hence increase their operational serviceability.
In order to collect accurate data on each helicopter model in its range, Eurocopter has defined a reference fleet made up of the helicopters of customers willing to regularly provide technical and operational data.
These operators furnish a list of all the components installed and removed on their helicopters. The information and data provided are treated with complete confidentiality and entered in the RAMSES(1) database, specially designed for the purpose. A software application is then used to process and analyze this information and data.
The Eurocopter teams analyze these parameters technically and statistically in order to pinpoint the recurring phenomena responsible for the failure. The results are then applied by the Eurocopter specialised departments to define the actions needed to improve component reliability and thereby boost helicopter serviceability.
The advantage for the customers who are members of the Reliability Data Group (see inset) is that they are sent regular reports with a synthesis of the analysis results. Each member-customer receives a personalized report including a comparison of his results with the average of the other operators.
Member-customers can thus determine the true reliability of the components on their helicopters. What is more, member-customers operating more than six helicopters save both time and money as they can use the Eurocopter-issued report as a substantiating document for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
All the new members of the reference fleet have favorably welcomed this new service, which Eurocopter has extended to the EC135, EC145, BO105 and BK117. In the context of European cooperation, the next objective is a project for the military Tiger and NH90 helicopters.
(1) Reliability Analysis and Monitoring System - Enhanced Solution
