Delta Air Lines has entered into a multi-year contract with Airbus to continue using the Skywise open-data platform and related predictive maintenance services. The airline will expand the use of the tool to its A320 and A330 fleets - comprising around 400 aircraft - to track and analyse their operations and performance data and assess failure probabilities in order to anticipate maintenance tasks.

Delta was one of the airlines involved in the development of Skywise Predictive Maintenance by co-designing, testing and making improvement recommendations about some of its key features.

"Skywise is the latest example of our great partnership with Airbus," said Ed Bastian, Delta's CEO. "Delta people are continuously focused on improving the experience for customers, and this new tool will enable them to provide an exceptional, reliable experience."

"I'm extremely proud to see our long-time partner Delta Air Lines, one of the leading airlines of the world, join the Skywise platform," said Tom Enders, Airbus' CEO. "Skywise is propelling the aviation industry to new levels of productivity and efficiency, and it is truly becoming an industry flagship. I want to thank Delta for their trust and confidence."

Skywise was developed to enable Airbus, airlines, equipment manufacturers and maintenance operators to tap into vast amounts of aircraft operational and performance data and identify areas of improvement. Skywise can gather and track many thousands of data parameters on aircraft in operation.

Use of the Skywise-based applications to analyse extensive aircraft data can enable airlines to identify efficiencies, cost savings and enhanced revenue opportunities. Key applications help airlines reduce operational interruptions, maximise aircraft utilisation and flight operations. In particular, Skywise Predictive Maintenance enables them to turn unscheduled maintenance into scheduled maintenance and thus optimise aircraft operations. Airbus rolled-out the Skywise platform at the Paris Air Show in 2017.

Contributed by Airbus