GPMS International Releases Program Manual to Help Operators Maximize the Value of HUMS

GPMS International releases a new health-and-usage monitoring system (HUMS) program manual and is making it openly available to the rotorcraft industry to help operators turn HUMS data into repeatable, real-world decisions, regardless of which system they operate. The guide is intended to expand access to structured HUMS practices for organizations that have never had a formal program framework, while supporting safer and more effective use of health monitoring across diverse fleets.

While HUMS adoption continues to grow across air-medical, utility, and government fleets, many operators still struggle with what comes next after data collection. According to GPMS, the new manual focuses on process accountability, repeatability and leadership, which are often the missing pieces in long-term HUMS success.

“HUMS data is only valuable if it actually influences decisions,” says Josh Kethan, director of Customer Success at GPMS. "Most operators understand the technology, but where they often struggle is building the internal processes that make HUMS part of everyday maintenance dispatch and safety discussions. This manual gives them a practical starting point.”

Rather than focusing on sensors or analytics, the manual concentrates on how operators organize, manage and sustain a HUMS program over time. It lays out clear roles, review cycles, and decision pathways, along with practical templates for log reports and close monitoring activities.

The guide reflects a broader industry shift toward using HUMS more proactively — identifying early degradation, reducing unscheduled events, and supporting safety management systems (SMS). Key elements include:

• defined roles for HUMS program managers, steering committees, and technicians
• structured processes for data-review validation and trend analysis
• guidance on linking condition indicators with regimes and physical inspections
• risk-assessment tools, including severity and consequence ratings
• a HUMS Action Matrix that aligns alerts with operational responses
• training expectations for personnel involved in HUMS activities.

GPMS emphasizes that the manual is not intended to function as a rigid standard. Instead, it serves as a flexible template that operators can tailor to their aircraft types, mission profiles, maintenance philosophies, and risk tolerances. That flexibility becomes increasingly important as regulators and contracting authorities continue to evaluate more formal HUMS program expectations for certain mission sets.

“We kept hearing the same thing from operators,” Kethan says. “They wanted something repeatable and auditable, but not overly prescriptive. This manual captures what works in real operations and gives teams the freedom to adapt it to how they fly and maintain their aircraft.”

The HUMS Program Manual is available now to all operators and is not limited to GPMS customers. For more information or to request a copy, contact GPMS at info@gpms-vt.com. 

To learn more about Foresight MX and see the full list of STCs, visit www.gpms-vt.com.