Honeywell to deploy HUMS onboard USCG MH-60T helicopter fleet

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has selected Honeywell to deploy Zing health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) 1239 onto the entire fleet of USCG MH-60T helicopters.

Under the $4.8m contract, Honeywell will deliver and install HUMS to enhance safety, increase mission readiness and reduce maintenance costs for the USCG.

Honeywell Aerospace Defense Americas Aftermarket, Defense & Space vice president Brian Sill said, "U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T operators will now have key insight and information about potential mechanical issues before they happen, which will help them keep the MH-60T platform running and available when needed."

The HUMS has been designed as a sensor-based monitoring system, to enable preventative maintenance by measuring the health and performance of mission-critical components.

Actionable information will be provided by the HUMS to enable the Coast Guard to anticipate mechanical failures and make maintenance decisions.

Operators can use the data into a user-friendly ground station to quickly see the status of all selected components instantly, without the costs associated with traditional contractor support.

A total of 42 Zing HUMS 1239 aircraft kits and 24 ground support kits will be deployed with the Coast Guard before the end of 2012, aimed to monitor critical drivetrain components including rotor shafts of helicopters prior to its flight.

Currently, Honeywell HUMS products are operational with the US Army onboard AH-64D, OH-58D and CH-47D aircraft as well as all US Army Special Operations Aviation Command rotor wing platforms.

The systems are also installed on thousands of commercial rotorcraft which include a wide variety of AugustaWestland, Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter, MD Helicopters, Sikorsky and other platforms.