Aviation Assistance A/S has signed an Engine Condition Trend Monitoring (ECTM) contract with Danish Engine Trend Analysing (DETA) for ten of its mixed fleet of aircraft. DETA claims that this is just one in a growing number of operators who are turning to ECTM as a cost saving early problem detection tool.\rBased at Roskilde, Aviation Assistance will be asking DETA to carry out work on Cessna Caravan, King Air 90, King Air 200, Beech 1300 and Beech 1900 aircraft. The fleet is operated by Airbridge Limited in Kenya and flies for various international aid organisations in Eastern and Central Africa.\rDETA believes that a growing number of aviation companies are being forced to scrutinise their operation costs due to growing international competition. They recognise the value of ECTM programmes but do not have a sufficiently large fleet or staff to justify employing experienced ECTM personnel. This is where a third party company such as DETA steps in. The company has analysed engine trend readings on aircraft operated in Europe, Asia, and Eastern and Central Africa, in particular focusing on the PT6, JT15 and PW100 series. DETA is currently carrying out work on 25 aircraft.\rCustomers are offered an annual subscription fee, which includes unlimited flight hours and cycles, and in return receive regular feedback. "Operators are only required to provide us trend readings for each engine on a regular basis," explains founder and director of DETA Mads Jensen.\r"We analyse all incoming data and customers will, under normal circumstances, hear from us four times a year - when receiving an in-depth report for each engine. However, the moment we detect an acute problem immediate notification is given, enabling our customers to implement necessary action without delay," Jensen continues.\rDETA refers to this as the 'Sign, Lean Back and Stop Worrying' concept and allows operators to continue run-ning their business while DETA caries out its work. The ECTM programme is also run on aircraft serviced by Business Flight Services, the Danish Beech service centre.