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GE 'On Condition'
A vision at GE Aircraft Engines is that sometime down the road,
and it might be 10 years away, airlines will be able to operate
their engines "on condition."
That means their engines are so carefully monitored that nothing
is fixed until it shows the very earliest telltale signs of distress.
Today many parts, components and accessories are ruled by rigid
maintenance schedules measured in hours or cycles, rather than how
healthy they are.
To achieve "on condition" will result in far fewer shop
visits, and a significant reduction in maintenance costs.
"In order to do this we have to accumulate a number of technologies,
not just inside the engine but around the engine, and that's what
we're after," GEAE president & CEO Dave Calhoun told Show
News.
The first fell into place two months ago with the little-heralded
acquisition of Unison Industries, a privately held company headquartered
in Jacksonville, Florida, that sells and services turbine ignitions,
wiring harnesses, alternators, piston ignitions, sensors and switches
to the aerospace and power generation industries.
"Unison was a perfect acquisition," said Calhoun. "The
ignition system is one where we can accumulate data. They have great
ideas on accumulating critical information on the performance of
an engine, and that's what we're after. I hope this is the beginning
of a long steady trail of acquisitions that will get us to that
dream of 'on condition' maintenance."
Calhoun stressed the long-term aspect of the vision. "We're
not going to be ready in five years, maybe not 10, to put forth
a comprehensive condition-based maintenance program. But on the
other hand we will get there some day. We are going to have to acquire
and accumulate the necessary technologies."
Many companies GEAE will buy will also be suppliers to Rolls-Royce
and Pratt & Whitney.
"It is very important to create firewalls, but as an industry
we are used to that," said Calhoun. "After all, we buy
lots from Hamilton Sundstrand (a sister company to Pratt & Whitney).
By John Morris
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GE couldn't buy Honeywell, but it's going to achieve the
same goals by a different route-acquiring one after another
specialist companies that add to its skills progressively,
until it becomes a GE-Honeywell lookalike.
"That's exactly what it is," GEAE CEO Dave Calhoun
told Show News.
"We would have accomplished it a lot faster had the Honeywell
merger gone through. Now we're just going to have to be disciplined
and methodical in our approach. "But were going to reach
for the same vision."
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