Life cycle cost impact of using prognostic health management (PHM) for helicopter avionics

Case studies were conducted using a stochastic model to predict the life cycle cost impact associated with the application of prognostic health management (PHM) to helicopter avionics. The life cycle costs of systems that assumed unscheduled maintenance and fixed-interval scheduled maintenance were compared to the costs of precursor-to-failure and life consumption monitoring PHM approaches, and the optimal safety margins and prognostic distances were determined.