The Importance of Real-time Monitoring for Early Detection of Engine Issues
Aircraft engine health monitoring is a crucial aspect of aircraft maintenance that involves the use of various sensors to detect early signs of engine issues (known as predictive maintenance). These sensors can monitor a real-time wide range of parameters, including temperature, pressure, oil, rotor speed, vibration, noise, corrosion levels, electrical currents, and more. By constantly monitoring the health, performance/efficiency, emissions, and safety of the engine, operators can detect potential issues early and take appropriate actions to avoid major damage or even accidents.
Engine Health Management (EHM) is a term used to describe the transfer of data from an engine on an aircraft to an operational center on the ground, which can be used to record and monitor the performance of the engine. With the latest EHM systems, operators can collect and analyze vast amounts of data, enabling them to make informed decisions about maintenance, repairs, and replacement of engine parts. In addition, the engine can "talk back" by responding to requests from an operational center to focus on a specific part or parameter, sending back hundreds of hours of information tailored to that request. This data would provide insight into various aspects, such as whether the engines were functioning correctly, if specific parts were operating too quickly, slowly, or at excessively high temperatures, or even if the engine was functioning at all.
The importance of aircraft engine health monitoring was demonstrated in February 2021 when a United Airlines Boeing 777 suffered an engine failure shortly after takeoff from Denver. The failure was caused by the failure of a single fan blade due to metal fatigue, which led to the engine's disintegration and parts falling from the sky. Fortunately, the pilots were able to make an emergency landing without any casualties, but the incident highlights the importance of early detection and prevention of engine issues.