Prognos: the Predictive Aircraft Maintenance tool

During the 2017 Paris Air Show, AFI KLM E&M is presenting its Prognos product range comprising two dedicated predictive maintenance solutions, Prognos for Engine and Prognos for Aircraft.

Developed as part of the Group's "MRO Lab" R&D program, the Prognos applications are based on the gathering and analysis of technical data generated by aircraft fleets to further improve maintenance operations. The aim is to predict possible failures and optimize scheduled maintenance work for maximum client fleet availability.

Dawn of the predictive maintenance era 
With its exclusive Prognos solutions, AFI KLM E&M now includes a predictive maintenance component in its MRO capabilities. Increased aircraft connectivity and the development of Big Data technologies mean that real-time processing and exploiting of data generated by aircraft and engine systems are now possible. The data are analyzed using specific algorithms to create alerts on the basis of pre-defined parameters.

As an MRO/Airline, AFI KLM E&M covers both the data uploaded by aircraft systems and that derived from maintenance work in its facilities, helping it to boost the value of the data and analyses generated even further.

Proven operational solutions 
Prognos for Aircraft, a performance monitoring and alert solution for critical aircraft systems, and Prognos for Engine, a dedicated engine data analysis and failure prediction system, are both already in use for the AIR FRANCE and KLM fleets as well as those of third-party airlines. They have already proven their effectiveness, as the first issues covered by Prognos for Aircraft are no longer among the five most common causes of flight delays and cancellations, as previously.

Prognos for Aircraft is already in use on A380s and Boeing 747/787s and is being developed for the A320/A330/A350 and Boeing 777, while Prognos for Engines is available for monitoring engines in the CFM56, GE90, CF6, PW4000, GEnx and GP7200 families, and will shortly take in the Trent XWB and Trent 1000. Close to 1,200 engines are currently being monitored using Prognos for Engine on behalf of around 30 client airlines.

As Rodolphe Parisot, Vice President Digital & Innovation AFI KLM E&M, explains: "Prognos-supported aircraft offer improved efficiency and availability at the same time as unscheduled maintenance is significantly reduced, with a knock-on positive impact on airlines' Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)."