Honeywell is offering self-diagnosing sensors that it says are designed to improve the performance of aircraft systems and reduce maintenance costs associated with false readings.

The Integral Health Monitoring (IHM) series proximity sensors can detect when a sensor has been damaged or otherwise impacted. The proximity sensors can be designed into a range of aircraft systems such as thrust reverser actuation systems, flight controls, aircraft doors, cargo loading systems, evacuation slide locks and landing gear.

The device can detect whether a sensor reading is correct or the result of damage or some other problem with the sensor itself.

The proximity sensors are configurable, non-contact devices designed to sense the presence or absence of a target in aircraft applications such as determining when a thrust reverser is not fully closed. The sensors can detect most internal failures and display a fault output to a pilot or maintenance worker to help reduce aircraft downtime and maintenance costs.

For example, proximity sensors in aircraft landing gear systems provide a pilot with a fault alert on landing approach to warn if the landing gear is not completely deployed. The IHM proximity sensors can indicate if the error message was caused by the sensor itself rather than an issue with the landing gear.

Honeywell also introduced Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDT), which are used in engine mechanisms, pilot controls and nose-wheel steering applications, and provide aircraft with continuous position monitoring. The LVDT sensors are being incorporated into Honeywell-manufactured aircraft systems and can support other component and system manufacturers.

Honeywell sensors and switches can be found in a range of applications such as engines, fuel pumps, exit doors, landing gear, cargo doors, cabin controls and auxiliary power units.