Pratt & Whitney Canada continues to develop technology aimed at improving prognostic maintenance solutions.

One such initiative, on display at this week's Helitech show in Europe, is designed to reduce unscheduled engine removals, as well as to provide remote trouble-shooting. FAST (Flight Acquisition Storage and Transmission) is an automated engine and aircraft data processing system that records a wide range of engine and aircraft parameters. The system wirelessly downloads the data when the aircraft lands, in turn allowing a rapid report on the aircraft’s health. It also generates automatic alerts of possible events.

Comprising a small box installed by modification or during construction, FAST is currently installed on a number of fixed-wing aircraft, and in the rotary-wing world is available on the Leonardo AW139. STCs for further types are planned. At present the system is in its Phase 1 configuration, which requires that the flight crew initiate data recording manually at a time when the parameters of engines and aircraft are stable, providing the best possible data. The company will roll out Phase 2, which introducesautomatic initiation of data recording.

Pratt & Whitney Canada counts approximately 60,000 of its engines and APUs in service covering 128 different models.