HELICOPTER EXPRESS BECOMES FIRST OPERATOR TO ENROLL IN BHVM TO GPMS HUMS UPGRADE PROGRAM
Leading USFS Firefighting Operator Selects GPMS Foresight MX to Unify Bell 429 and Bell 412EPX HUMS-Enabled Fleet on a Single Advanced Platform
March 9, 2026 — GPMS International, Inc., the industry leader in helicopter Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS), today announced that Helicopter Express has become the first operator to upgrade from the Bell Helicopter Vibration Monitor (BHVM) System to the GPMS Foresight MX HUMS platform for their Bell 412 EPX. The milestone marks a significant step forward in the growing BHVM-to-GPMS upgrade program developed in partnership with Bell, as operators across the industry seek modern, supportable alternatives to aging legacy monitoring systems.
Helicopter Express, based in Tate, Georgia, operates a mixed-mission fleet serving the United States Forest Service (USFS) under its latest MATOC contract, which requires “modern helicopters” equipped with HUMS as a minimum standard. Their HUMS-enabled fleet consists of one Bell 429 and three Bell 412 EPX aircraft. Two of the 412 EPXs were already operating on GPMS Foresight MX; with this upgrade, the third (previously monitored by the BHVM) joins them, bringing the entire HUMS-equipped fleet onto a single unified platform.
A Fleet-Wide Decision Built on Confidence
While the BHVM already satisfied the USFS HUMS requirement, Helicopter Express determined that upgrading to GPMS Foresight MX was the logical next step for their operation.
“The BHVM did what it needed to do and met the HUMS requirement,” said Richie Kittrell, Chief Operating Officer at Helicopter Express. “But upgrading to GPMS HUMS was a no-brainer. The ease of use is in a different league, the customer support from the GPMS team has been exceptional, and keeping our entire fleet on a single unified system just makes everything simpler. That’s exactly what we need when we’re deployed to fight fires.”
Surging Industry Demand as BHVM Obsolescence Drives Operators to Act
The Helicopter Express upgrade reflects a broader trend across the Bell operator community. Aging BHVM hardware is generating unsustainable replacement part costs and lead times, prompting operators to explore modern alternatives. The BHVM-to-GPMS upgrade program, developed jointly by Bell and GPMS, offers those operators a clear and proven path forward.
“We are incredibly grateful to the entire Helicopter Express team for their continued trust in us,” said Ronnie Ries, Vice President of Marketing at GPMS International. “Helicopter Express is a benchmark operator in every sense: their safety culture, their operational discipline, and the way they embrace innovation set the standard for the industry. We couldn’t be prouder to be their HUMS partner.”
Ries continues, “What we’re seeing across the BHVM community right now is remarkable. We’re continuously fielding inquiries from operators who are dealing with severe obsolescence issues with their BHVM systems as replacement parts have become very difficult to source and the cost and lead times have become unsustainable. We expect several fleets to formally begin their BHVM replacement programs in the very near term. Helicopter Express has shown the way.”
Advanced Capabilities and Unmatched Support
The BHVM to GPMS HUMS upgrade program delivers significant operational advantages, including more advanced sensors, wireless data uploads after each flight, automated exceedance alerts, and an intuitive, easy-to-use dashboard. Operators also benefit from GPMS’s responsive customer support and a fully supportable spares inventory designed to reduce long-term ownership risk.
Uniquely, GPMS Foresight MX is the only non-OEM HUMS solution fully supported by Bell Product Support. Operators can choose to share their Foresight MX data directly with Bell’s industry-leading customer support team, enabling GPMS, the operator, and Bell to collaborate on trends and exceedances in real time. This allows all three parties to make faster, more informed decisions that keep aircraft flying and missions moving forward.
Limited-Time BHVM Trade-In Credit Program
For a limited time, BHVM operators are eligible to receive trade-in credit for their existing BHVM system toward the purchase of GPMS Foresight MX HUMS. Operators interested in learning more about the upgrade program, trade-in credit, or pricing should email [email protected].
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