Meggitt wins $48m helicopter contract

FTSE 250 aerospace engineer Meggitt has been awarded a $48m contract for a health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) from engineering and maintenance organisation Guangzhou Hangxin Avionics, for its helicopters.

The programme lifetime contract covers the design, development and delivery of on-board hardware - vibration sensors, data acquisition and processing electronics - and ground station software for detailed data analysis and after sales support. Deliveries are due to start in 2019, with sales of up to 500 units of each platform expected over the next 20 years.

HUMS helps flight crew and maintenance staff monitor the health of engines, cabin, drive train and rotor gearboxes to minimise cabin vibration and detect impending failures.

Meggitt said the win reflects its “60+ years of experience in engine health monitoring and expertise in designing the extreme environment sensors and electronics needed to monitor modern aircraft engines and follows a recently announced contract from regional aircraft manufacturer, ATR, for an on-board propeller-balancing system”.