Definition

An Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (ACMS) is a predictive maintenance tool consisting of a high-capacity flight data acquisition unit and the associated sensors that sample, monitor, and record information and flight parameters from aircraft systems and components.

Condition Monitoring

Condition monitoring (CM) is a critical component of predictive maintenance. It is the process by which one or more parameters of a machine are either periodically measured, or continuously monitored, to identify significant changes that usually are indicative of an impending failure. This allows the operator to plan maintenance actions focused on avoiding failures and their consequences. Continuous condition monitoring is most often applied to rotating machinery such as fans, compressors, pumps, and combustion engines.

Sensor Types

Depending upon the piece of machinery or type of component concerned, there are a number of parameters that can be measured or monitored. There are also a number of different types of sensors with which these measurements can be accomplished. Sensor types include, but are not limited to: