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Results for: wire system certification

WAIC in Aircraft: Which Systems Will Stay Wired?

December 11, 2025 Michael Traskos

Miles of copper wire connect sensors, controls, and systems which add thousands of pounds to an aircraft, thus there has been a continuous drive for the use of lighter aluminum conductors, and maybe at some point, carbon nanotubes. Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC) has emerged as a concept to “cut the cord” for certain intra-aircraft links. By using radio links between onboard components, WAIC could reduce wiring weight and simplify installation. Idealized models suggest that perhaps 20–30% of an aircraft’s wiring (especially for non-critical data communications) might be replaced by wireless systems. Beyond weight savings, wireless sensors offer easier reconfiguration and the ability to monitor hard-to-wire parts (like rotating or moving components). The background of this idea, the design approach, and its limitations are discussed in this article. Read more

Wiring Diagram Guidance for Aerospace Systems – MIL-HDBK-863

September 2, 2025 Michael Traskos

Aircraft wiring schematics require clear standardized diagrams for design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, and safety assessments. This article explores the scope of MIL-HDBK-863, details it prescribes for wiring schematics, discusses some gaps, and other relevant wiring diagram standards. Read more

SAE J1127 and J1128: Battery Cable and Primary Wire Specifications

July 7, 2025 Michael Traskos

The SAE J1127 and J1128 standards define two classes of automotive vehicle wiring. SAE J1127 covers heavy gauge *battery cables* (e.g. starter and chassis ground leads) and SAE J1128 covers lighter *primary wires* used in general purpose wiring harnesses. In this article, we review the J1127 and J1128 wire standards, the extent of testing performed on these wires, how they stack up against aerospace wires, and if there are parts of these standards that could benefit their aerospace counterparts. Read more

Superconductors and Wire Qualification

December 5, 2023 Chris Wollbrink

Discovery of a room temperature superconductor would have a tremendous impact on the aerospace industry and could result in lighter aircraft. In this article, we consider this impact and discuss steps that would need to be taken by the industry before a superconductor could be practically incorporated into aerospace applications. Read more

The Special Little Wire – Holiday Season 2022

December 14, 2022 Lectromec Team

“The Special Little Wire” is a story about a cheerful 24AWG wire journey to achieve his dream of being installed on an aircraft. But will he be able to become part of an aircraft Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS). Read more

IEC 60851-5 Winding Wires – Electrical Property Test Methods

October 18, 2022 Laura Wishart

Winding wires, or magnet wires, are the wires used to construct coils in electronic components (transformers, relays, etc.) that generate the component’s magnetic field. These wires are primarily composed of a copper or aluminum conductor with a very thin layer of insulation. The insulation layer is as thin as possible to keep the wire cross-section small making it possible to squeeze the highest number of windings in the motor. Whereas most electrical wires are cylindrical, winding wires often have a rectangular cross-section profile; this allows for maximum cross-section during winding, thus reducing potential losses. Read more

EWIS High Voltage Certification

April 14, 2022 Michael Traskos

With the gradual industry implementation of high voltage EWIS systems in aviation, the demand for HV-specific safety standards is rapidly growing. High voltage OEMs currently use available industry standards, as applicable, but are still left with the task of developing and justifying their own system requirements. The SAE’s AS50881 standard, often considered the ‘go-to’ standard for OEMs, could benefit from proposed updates made to address the gaps for high voltage systems. Read more

Risk Assessment and Small Aircraft Certification

November 17, 2021 Michael Traskos

The basic idea behind the F3230 is to limit the total number of assessments to those that are of particular concern for aircraft safety. This aligns with the change of part 23 aircraft the FAA has implemented for a more performance-based certification approach versus the detailed and prescriptive approach that the FAA used prior to 2016. Read more

Aerospace High Voltage Systems: Addressing the Gaps in Current Standards

October 6, 2021 Michael Traskos

The aerospace segment has been dealing with questions of high voltage systems for the last decade. Many of these questions revolve around the generation, storage, and use of this power, but what has also been a hindrance for progress is defining how the standards for the wiring system need to be updated to address these high voltage requirements. As should be done when any new technology is being applied to a field, we should first look at other fields which have undergone the implementation of similar technologies. For example, the automotive market has been using high voltage systems for quite some time and the standards committees have produced documents supporting these technologies.

In this article, we review one of these documents on high voltage directed to the automotive market and see how it lines up with the existing aerospace standards.

WPAFB Wire Study

October 14, 2020 Michael Traskos

Key Takeaways Publicly available recorded data compares many of the commonly used aerospace wire types. Corona extinction and inception voltages of cables decrease drastically with an increase of elevation. Many insulation types display a significant decrease in mechanical durability at increased temperatures. Modern wires of the AS22759 family are incapable of stopping 270 voltage DC […] Read more