HUMS provider GPMS has appointed Tom Benson to its board of directors. Benson, an accomplished C-level executive with a strong record of leading software-as-a-service companies, will help guide the company's strategy and direction as it navigates growth and demand for its Foresight MX product.

“Tom brings a wealth of experience developing businesses that specialise in software and data-driven aviation maintenance management tools,” says president Jed Kalkstein. “We will certainly lean into his expertise as we continue to grow GPMS and expand our Foresight MX customer base.”

“I'm thrilled to be part of the GPMS team and contribute to its mission to deliver a comprehensive aircraft health and performance monitoring solution that will transform aviation maintenance management,” adds Benson.

According to Benson, the world of heavy asset management is migrating away from traditional scheduled maintenance and toward digitalisation that supports predictive maintenance. Owners and operators have begun embracing solutions that monitor and analyse asset performance data to improve business and operational efficiency. He reckons Foresight MX's design puts it in a unique position to capitalise on this shift in the rotorcraft industry.

“Foresight was designed to not only deliver detailed, comprehensive insight into the health and performance of aircraft, but it was also designed with sophisticated APIs to integrate with existing operator maintenance management tools,” he says. This level of information and integration will enable operators to move beyond simply scheduling and documenting maintenance events to a predictive maintenance paradigm, greatly improving operational efficiency through schedule optimisation and budget controls.

“Foresight is the most advanced HUMS technology available anywhere, and it will help the industry shift to predictive and condition-based maintenance, resulting in increased safety and reduced operational costs,” he concludes.

Benson has spent more than 25 years developing and directing high-tech hardware and software projects, and leading companies focused on monitoring, collecting data, and developing and delivering maintenance management solutions to the business aviation industry. Most recently he was the chief strategy officer at CAMP Systems International where he oversaw significant company growth, resulting in a multi-billion dollar private equity exit transaction. Prior to that, he was the executive vice president and general manager at AMSTAT where he oversaw a transformation of the business to a modern, web-based SaaS platform with a customer-driven mindset.

The company also welcomes rotorcraft industry veteran John Byus as the director of sales for the Americas. His responsibilities will include expanding the Foresight customer base throughout the Americas and working with fleet operators to develop specialised solutions to address the intricate needs of their programmes.

Byus brings more than 40 years of rotorcraft and aviation experience from a career spanning nearly every market segment, with positions ranging from mechanic, pilot, inspector, instructor and several director of maintenance roles to, most recently, a 15 year stint as sales/key account manager with Airbus Helicopters. Byus adds a unique perspective to the sales organisation that Todd Powers, GPMS VP of sales, says will help customers in the Americas with larger, complex fleets and operations realise the benefits of Foresight.

“John is very well known throughout the rotorcraft industry, especially with the larger operators and programmes,” says Powers. “He has the perfect blend of experience, understanding and insight to show our customers how advanced our Foresight system is, how easily it will integrate into their operations and most importantly how it will make their programmes more efficient, sustainable and cost-effective.”

“I am really excited to join GPMS,” says Byus. “I am super impressed by the team, the direction of the company and how it has developed an advanced HUMS that is so user friendly. Foresight will change how the industry sees and utilises HUMS.”

Byus also mentions that he was attracted to GPMS because of its potential to establish HUMS as an essential tool for aviation maintenance: “I've been in the industry long enough to see the early adoption of HUMS and the progress made since then.

Byus revealed that while the industry has made great strides, what GPMS has created with Foresight is something quite special.

“It blew me away when I first saw it,” he says. “It's more than 50 per cent lighter, less expensive, benefits from 20 years of technological advancement and provides a touchless experience. This means that the same operators who have required HUMS on their medium-to-large aircraft now have a real option with Foresight, especially for their lighter, typically single-engine aircraft.”