Flexible Integrated Intelligent Network (FIIN) for Prognostics Health Management (PHM) Systems

A key element of achieving the sustainment vision for rotorcraft of the future is an integrated, robust, flexible, and intelligent Prognostic Health Management (PHM) network. Significant strides have been made in recent years towards sensors and prognostic algorithms needed for an integrated rotorcraft PHM system. An important next step is the development of a Flexible Intelligent Integrated Network (FIIN) for PHM, enabling: better control of operating and support costs, improved aircraft maintenance, increased up-time, and enhanced aircraft safety. The FIIN will collect data from multiple sources on an aircraft, analyze the data, and distribute (as appropriate) data, information, and determinations to crew members, maintainers, commanders, materiel/logistics, operations, and sustainment personnel. To meet current and future challenges, the FIIN will require: robustness, flexibility, machine intelligence, automation, the ability to reconfigure/self-heal, network integrity, support future/legacy aircraft, and ultimately incorporate into aircraft without requiring any special installation equipment. During Phase I, feasibility assessment of FIIN concepts was performed, and a FIIN architecture of high merit was identified. The primary goal of Phase II is to develop the foundational elements and key FIIN system components/functionalities, culminating in the demonstration of the FIIN within an aircraft system prime contractor’s Systems Integration Laboratory (SIL) environment.