Safran Landing Systems and ATR have jointly created “Smart Lander,” a landing gear diagnostic service to collect and analyze data on hard landings.
Using machine learning technology, the service aims to reduce maintenance response time for the Franco-Italian regional aircraft manufacturer, and thus return the involved aircraft to service more quickly. The process could be reduced from a week to an hour.
“Our former process could take up to 10 to 20 working days,” David Brigante, ATR Senior Vice-President Customer Support and Services explained. “It required analyses from both the ATR Design Office and Safran Landing Systems to decide whether the aircraft was fit to return to service. With Smart Lander, we will be able to massively reduce our response times, therefore boosting aircraft availability, reducing costs for customers and enhancing customer satisfaction, while maintaining the same level of analysis quality.”
A faster process would substantially reduce the costs usually associated with a hard landing, from immobilizing the aircraft to accommodating or transferring passengers.