Etihad Airways and Taleris Implement New Technology to Predict Aircraft Maintenance Faults, Reduce Flight Delays

June 18, 2013
Taleris' web-based prognostics service, a part of its Intelligent Operations offering, is a first for the commercial airline industry and will be used to monitor Etihad Airways' fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

Le Bourget, FRANCE  – June 18, 2013 - Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has entered into an agreement with global technology company Taleris to launch groundbreaking new technology which can help predict potential maintenance faults and recommend preventive action.

Taleris’ web-based prognostics service, a part of its Intelligent Operations offering, is a first for the commercial airline industry and will be used to monitor Etihad Airways’ fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.  The prognostics technology will leverage the Industrial Internet to increase the airline’s overall operational efficiency.*

It is expected to deliver significant financial savings for Etihad Airways and improved reliability for passengers and freight customers as the technology continuously analyses data from multiple sensors on aircraft components and systems, and warns of imminent problems.

The expected benefits include a reduction of unscheduled maintenance, fewer delays and cancellations, increased aircraft availability, enhanced on-time performance, increased maintenance efficiency, reduction in maintenance costs and reduction in lost revenue costs.

The service also can reduce the requirement to store expensive spare parts, which are typically stocked in case of failure.  

Norm Baker, president and CEO of Taleris, said: “Around the world, airlines are seeking ways to manage their maintenance and flight operations more efficiently and Taleris is proud to work with Etihad Airways as we launch our new Intelligent Operations service. Significant benefits can be realized through our predictive analytics technologies which leverage an aircraft’s data within the context of the operations so one can address an issue before it occurs.”

The new Taleris-developed prognostics use unique data analytics based on the already established global Probabilistic Diagnostic and Prognostic System (ProDaPS) technology standard which monitors engineering systems anomalies and overall systems health. 

Werner Rothenbaecher, Senior Vice President Technical at Etihad Airways, said: “This represents a leap forward in maintenance prognostics technology and we look forward to realizing the benefits of this deal with Taleris.

“The advanced capabilities of the service will help Etihad Airways to make rapid and informed decisions in relation to maintenance, while gaining technology leadership in diagnostic and prognostic health monitoring. With Taleris’ prognostics, we will be able to predict future faults and take proactive measures which result in less unscheduled disruption to our global operations.”

* The Industrial Internet is a robust network of computers, machines and sensors that combines connectivity with advanced software analytics.

About Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, began operations in 2003, and in 2012 carried 10.3 million passengers. From its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad Airways serves 94 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, with a fleet of 78 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and over 80 aircraft on firm order, including 41 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 10 Airbus A380s, the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Etihad Airways also holds equity investments in airberlin, Air Seychelles, Virgin Australia, Aer Lingus and, subject to regulatory approval, will acquire 24 per cent of India’s Jet Airways. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com.

About Taleris

Taleris is a joint venture company between GE Aviation and Accenture operating with progressive technology assets and capability from both Accenture and GE. Taleris is dedicated to providing airlines and cargo carriers around the world with intelligent operations services focused on improving efficiency by leveraging aircraft performance data, prognostics and recovery.  Taleris currently serves more than 25 customers worldwide and is headquartered in Irving, Texas, with operations in Eastleigh, UK and Manila, Philippines. For more information on Taleris and our Intelligent Operations services: www.taleris.com.