Honeywell is expanding its GoDirect connected services to cover the ground – one of the last unconnected areas in aerospace – through a partnership with telematics company Pinnacle.

The two will convert any airport’s ramp service into a single, managed solution that should result in more timely performance, better safety, lower maintenance costs and greater fuel efficiency.

The ground vehicles, with telematics hardware onboard, transmit data, which is aggregated to provide airlines and ground handlers with immediate, actionable data. The solution enables the parties to look at vehicle use and maintenance requirements, as well as exact locations of all ramp operations. Airlines and ground handlers can use predictive maintenance for ground support equipment and also see reduced fuel costs for planes due to quicker turnaround times on the ground.

Honeywell and Pinnacle’s claim their connected ramp solution can deliver:

  • up to 15% reduction in maintenance costs due to reduced vehicle requirements;
  • 10 to 45% reduction in the cost of damage because of improved safety adherence (for example, preventing speeding), location awareness, vehicle status (such as stairs locked in place), etc.; and
  • up to a five-minute reduction in average aircraft turnaround time.

Kristin Slyker, VP, Connected Aircraft, Honeywell Aerospace, said, “We’re ready to implement this new approach today for any customer ready to improve safety and operational efficiency on the ramp – from the moment an aircraft lands until that same aircraft is airborne again.”

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