Municipal Group of Companies
Learn how Municipal Group of Companies uses Foresight MX to optimize their Bell 407 GXi.
Led by Dexter Construction, the largest civil contractor in Atlantic Canada, the Municipal Group has many diversified business units that include construction, environmental, asphalt and quarry, utilities, emulsions, demolition, mining, disposal, and more. At the core of the company is a commitment to safety and efficiency. Safety is one of their keys to success, so it is no surprise that they chose to implement a next-gen HUMS (Health and Usage Monitoring System) to improve the safety and efficiency of their aviation program that includes a Bell 407 GXi and a Bell 407.
They chose Foresight MX next-gen HUMS
Jeff Byrne, helicopter pilot and aircraft maintenance engineer for Municipal, said that they first learned of Foresight from the Bell sales team during the purchase of their Bell 407 GXi. “During the sales process, we were introduced to Foresight. I was impressed by the amount of information it monitors and analyzes, and how easy it is to use,” he said.
Even with all the benefits provided by Foresight, weight was still a determining factor. Byrne said that the size and weight of Foresight were finally light enough to allow them to add this next-gen HUMS solution to their Bell 407 GXi.
Foresight came pre-installed on the Bell 407 GXi. Byrne said that training and implementation was made much easier by the support from GPMS’s Customer Success and Aeronautical Accessories team. “Customer support has been outstanding. The GPMS team is available on short notice and always happy to answer questions,” he explained.
For Municipal, Foresight stands out because it is simple, easy-to-use, and integrating it into their maintenance program was very convenient. “It was seamless due to the automatic alerts Foresight sends via text message in the case of an exceedance or excessive Health Indicator (HI) trends,” said Byrne.
Since incorporating Foresight into the maintenance program at Municipal Group, Byrne pointed out that confidence in the performance of the aircraft and the health of the components has gone up.
“Peace of mind and confidence are up a significant amount. If a pilot reports an abnormal noise or vibration, you can instantly check Foresight and verify if that is true or false.”
Municipal has two aircraft, the 407GXi with Foresight and an analog 407 (Foresight STC in progress – STC Schedule). As a small aviation unit, anything that can save time or money is greatly appreciated. These are areas where Foresight excels and Municipal noticed this right away with Rotor Track and Balance.
“Foresight definitely saves money and time due to less RTB maintenance and RTB flights.”
“Foresight automatically provides us with multiple RTB samples throughout the daily flight, with recommended moves based off the average of these samples. If your HI reading is increasing or you notice a deterioration of ride quality, you simply make a small recommended move based off HUMS and the next flight will be smooth,” he described.
Foresight’s automated reports on their 407 GXi deliver detailed insight into the status of the engine and components that is comforting to the team. “Foresight provides daily updates for trend monitoring on our engine and airframe components. Being able to see the reports and the trends gives you additional peace of mind knowing that everything is running smooth,” said Byrne.
For Municipal Group, Foresight has improved their operations by providing detailed insight and awareness of the performance and health of their aircraft and its vital components. This has resulted in enhanced safety, additional cost savings, more confidence, and peace of mind.
Next-gen HUMS solutions offer tremendous benefits for helicopter owners and operators. Use the contact form below to learn how to gain the power of Foresight for your operations.