During a much anticipated set of press briefings at NBAA, GE and Gulfstream announced yesterday that the Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) system has been selected by Gulfstream for its new, state-of-the-art aircraft, the G650.

The announcement is significant for GE in two ways. First, it shows that IVHM is not merely a concept. GE has been hard at work on this system for a long time: the system has been tested on a variety of platforms and its added value has been proven time and again. Second, it ties IVHM to an impressive airframer and platform: not only is Gulfstream an extremely forward-looking company, but the G650 will represent the pinnacle of its fleet once it enters service next year.

At GE we are understandably proud of what we have accomplished so far with this system and we look forward to expanding our portfolio to new platforms and segments in the industry.

Why do we feel that IVHM is such a game changer? The following three distinguishing elements are at the heart of our value proposition:

• Prognostics: if you are unfamiliar with the term, think “predictive”. IVHM doesn’t only collect data from the onboard systems: it actively analyzes it to predict when certain events may occur in the future. In practice this allows operators to pro-actively apply corrective measures during the aircraft’s downtime, rather than react to events after the fact.

• Resolution: Through GE’s close ties to the airframers, IVHM can provide guidance on the severity and resolution of certain events.

• Agnostic: IVHM has proven its effectiveness on many test platforms, equipped with a seemingly endless variety of systems. As such it allows airframers, operators and aircraft owners the freedom to select an aircraft without worrying how the health management system will be integrated.

If you happen to be at NBAA when you read this, feel free to pass by our booth: we will be showcasing IVHM through videos and interactive experiences.

If you are unable to attend but would still like to see what we’ve been up to, take a look at the following video. We think you’ll agree that our excitement is not misplaced.

Raf.