Overlooked but critical: Impact of storage on aircraft EWIS components

March 9, 2015 Emma Schwoerer

Aircraft maintenance engineers do not pay much attention to the impact of storage on electrical components. This article discusses several aspects of storage in the general category of the electrical wire interconnection system (EWIS), or aircraft EWIS components. We will examine the stowage of connectors, waveguides, harnesses, as well as capping and stowage of terminal […] Read more

What’s next for aircraft EWIS: Carbon nanotubes

December 17, 2014 Emma Schwoerer

This article describes findings from a Rice University study showing the potential for creating new products based on carbon nanotube (CNT) technology. According to the research, CNT fibers have incredible properties that make them ideal for aerospace. For example, they are much stronger and have a greater capacity for carrying current than copper cables of the same mass. Read more

Aircraft EWIS failure investigation

September 5, 2014 Emma Schwoerer

When systems fail, it is often necessary to identify the fault source in order to know where to assign the blame (legal), determine if a maintenance action is necessary (customer support), or improve a product (development). When it comes to aerospace incident investigation, it can be difficult to isolate the cause of faults occurring in-flight. […] Read more

DO-254 process for aircraft component certification

July 18, 2014 Emma Schwoerer

RTCA/DO-254, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware is a commonly used document that provides instructions and process for airborne electronic hardware development and aircraft component certification. Formally recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2005, the DO-254 serves as a standard for ensuring the highest level of safety in the design of electronic […] Read more

By: Emma Schwoerer