GE Aerospace announced Henley Air as the launch customer for the Rotor Analysis Diagnostic System Next Generation (RADS-NG). The system will be used across Henley Air’s fleet of helicopters including the Bell 222 UT, Bell 206 and 206L, Bell 407, Dauphin AS 365, and Augusta 119 MK11.

“The RADS-NG will differentiate Henley Air as a leader in cutting edge vibration analysis for the region”, said André Coetzee, Executive Chairman of Henley Air. “The distinct advantage of performing regular, proactive vibration measurements on our mixed fleet of helicopters and integrating such data with GE Aerospace’s development and support structures will provide a real-time benefit in enhancing engine and component life.”

GE Aerospace will begin RADS-NG deliveries to Henley in Q1. Training and support will be rendered by GE Aerospace in commissioning the RADS-NG capability across Henley Air’s fleet.

“The RADS-NG will allow operators the ability to complete their rotor track and balance operations and diagnostics in fewer flights while significantly reducing flight and pilot time and saving fuel”, said Matt Burns, general manager of Avionics for GE Aerospace. “Our team developed the system with input from customers, enabling more control over adjustment solutions and providing for future needs.”

The RADS-NG will replace the RADS-AT (Advanced Technology) and the AVA (Aviation Vibration Analyzer) as GE Aerospace’s portable vibration diagnostics solution for vehicles where permanent installation is not practical or to supplement existing systems.

The RADS-NG builds on more than 30 years of reliability as the go-to Rotor Track and Balance (RT&B) solution with the flexibility to service all major helicopter models with a faster, easier-to-use interface.

As the industry standard for RT&B and standard equipment for the U.S. Army and the UK Navy, one unit can support an entire fleet. Approximately 5,000 RADS-AT units have been supplied supporting civil and military rotorcraft like the Airbus H125 (Eurocopter AS350), the Bell 412, the Boeing CH-47, the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, Leonardo AW139, and more than 200 other vehicle types and variants. The system’s versatility also offers fixed-wing vibration diagnostics for aircraft such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and the capability to support the new generation of eVTOL aircraft.