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Bombardier ties Global 5500 and 6500 engines into Rolls-Royce monitoring

Bombardier's Global 5500 and 6500 engines can now be wired into Rolls-Royce's monitoring network, with the goal of cutting excessive downtime and increasing the jet's availability. For operators who build schedules around dispatch reliability, that is the point. The companies have combined Bombardier's Smart Link Plus system with Rolls-Royce's EVHMU. Smart Link Plus is an aircraft health monitoring system that collects aircraft data so flight and maintenance crews can prioritize and proactively deal with alerts; Bombardier says it is now flying on roughly 450 aircraft. The EVHMU, an engine vibration and health monitoring unit, opens access to about 10,000 engine performance and health parameters on the Global 5500 and 6500, provides early warning indications to prevent flight schedule disruptions, and gathers key engine data. The two systems work together: the EVHMU reads engine parameters and sends them to Rolls-Royce during and after each flight, while Smart Link Plus handles the wider aircraft data. It is available only on the Pearl 15, the engine used on the 5500 and 6500. The larger Global 7500 and 8000 run a different Rolls-Royce engine, the Pearl 700. New in-production 5500s and 6500s will get both boxes automatically, while in-service jets can have them installed at Bombardier Service Centres if the aircraft is eligible. Activation requires both a Smart Link Plus contract and Rolls-Royce CorporateCare Enhanced coverage, plus a software or hardware update. Aircraft health monitoring, the hardware and software that records and transmits aircraft and engine data, exists to catch part faults and developing problems early, before they turn into groundings. The less time an aircraft loses to surprise part removals and unscheduled downtime, the more it is available to fly, which is exactly what operators and owners planning their missions care about. Market impact Operators will have to weigh the cost. Monitoring matters, but the required contract, CorporateCare Enhanced coverage, and a possible retrofit may not fit every budget. Eligibility is another factor, since only a select group of Global 5500s and 6500s can take the upgrade. The systems could support residual value and dispatch reliability across the Global line, but the narrow availability means they are not yet an option for many operators. If eligibility widens to more engines and aircraft, more operators will face the question of whether the dual system is right for them.
Created 23 hours ago
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