Miguel Angel Morrell on Impact of Digital Systems
05/31/2011 – As readers of Second Line of Defense know, one of our interests is the role of the new digital systems on new aircraft, which are facilitating a maintenance revolution. Later this year we plan to publish a new book on this subject. Digital systems, which provide accurate information on macro and micro performance, obviously can assist in the upgrade process for platforms as well.
In a discussion with Miguel Angel Morrell, Senior Vice President and Head of Engineering at Airbus Military, the role of digital systems was discussed.
SLD: This aircraft (A330MRTT) is in a new era; it has a lot of digital sensors and other systems on-board the aircraft, which allows one to maintain it differently. But it also allows you to address part of the improvement differently, by adding real data from the operation performances?
Morrell: The main thing that we can do using real data is to change the maintenance of the aircraft using that data. With the health monitoring systems, we can modify the inspection and the maintenance operation of the aircraft. We can also modify the inspection regime and make it based on real needs rather than a rigid and to some extent artificial protocol
You can adjust your maintenance with regard to temperature variations as well. You have data about the real temperatures being experience by the aircraft, which provides and important aspect affecting maintenance as well. And of course, you can take that information for improvement as well in the design of the aircraft.