Fixing a problem before it becomes a problem has always been a major tenant in helicopter maintenance, with a large part of this 'preventive maintenance' practice based on estimating how many flight hours or cycles a part could safely be used, adding a 'fudge factor' for increased safety before it was overhauled or replaced. While this system worked, it left a lot of good usage on parts being replaced, or overhauls being done before they were really needed. Today, the increasing sophistication of health monitoring systems, combined with the growing use of sensors on helicopters' dynamic components, is allowing OEMs and operators to extend the use of those parts.
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