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Honeywell is expanding its GoDirect connected services to one of the last unconnected aerospace frontiers: the ground.
A new agreement with global telematics company Pinnacle will enable the two companies to connect an airport’s ramp service into one single, managed solution that provides airlines and ground handlers with real-time insights into vehicle activity anywhere at the airport.
Telematics hardware on ground vehicles transmits data, which feeds into advanced software that gives airlines and ground handlers actionable data at their fingertips. This combination of connectivity and telematics provides real-time insights into vehicle use and maintenance requirements, as well as exact locations of all ramp operations. Airlines and ground handlers can utilize predictive maintenance for ground support equipment and also see reduced fuel costs for planes due to quicker turnaround times on the ground.
Honeywell said that the companies’ connected ramp solution can deliver up to a 15% reduction in maintenance costs due to reduced vehicle requirements; a 10 to 45% reduction in the cost of damage due to improved safety adherence (e.g., speeding), location awareness and vehicle status (e.g., stairs locked in place); and up to a five-minute reduction in average aircraft turnaround time.
Honeywell said the ramp solution is ready to be implemented for customers today.