Testing for AS50881

September 23, 2016 Michael Traskos

For several decades now, the AS50881 has been a fundamental knowledge base used for the installation of aircraft wiring systems. The requirements laid out in this standard cover the electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS) design and recommendations on the selection of qualified parts. Additionally, the design must be verified to show compliance. For commercial aircraft, this may be done as part of the overall certification package. For the military, this may be part of design acceptance. This article covers some of the testing necessary for showing compliance with AS50881.

What are the Potential Issues with Tin Plated Conductors?

September 11, 2016 Tristan Epp Schmidt

Tin plated copper is a common choice for wire conductor within the aerospace industry. The advantages of using tin as the plating for copper conductors is the low cost, increases to solderability, and corrosion resistance. However, tin-plated conductor does have drawbacks. Here we review some on the key differences between common platings for aerospace wires. Read more

Standard Practice for Maintenance of Aircraft Electrical Wiring Systems

September 2, 2016 Michael Traskos

An industry as broad as the aerospace industry will have a variety of standards and recommended practices. The hope is that each standard brings something new through either a higher level of requirements or by providing better guidance to achieve a reliable aircraft. The ASTM Standard F2799 was written with the intention of being, “used […] Read more

EWIS SLEP Reassessment

August 9, 2016 Michael Traskos

In past articles, we have talked about a comprehensive assessment of Electrical Wire Interconnected System (EWIS) Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) that is possible with following the guidance laid out in MIL-HDBK-525. One of the areas that Lectromec did not cover thoroughly in these articles is what to do five or ten years after the […] Read more

Use of Cables on Aircraft – Part 3 – Testing

August 3, 2016 Michael Traskos

To continue the series of articles on NEMA27500 cables discussing their use on aircraft (part 1 and 2), this article focuses on the several tests that are necessary for cable verification and certification. There is some level of performance verification for each part of an aircraft cable. Most cable assessment tests focus on the performance […] Read more

Use of Cables on Aircraft – Part 2

July 14, 2016 Michael Traskos

In this article, we will continue the discussion by exploring the NEMA27500 cable. Four sections were covered in the Part 1 (Specification, identification and shield coverage, conductor size, and wire specification). The remaining three parts covered here are the basic component wires, shielding materials, and the jacket materials. Read more

Use of Cables on Aircraft – Part 1

July 6, 2016 Michael Traskos

Electrical wire cables are an integral part of an aircraft’s Electrical Wire Interconnection System (EWIS). It would be difficult to imagine the design of an aircraft electrical system without the use of electrical cables. The use of cables in aircraft has simplified the formation of wire harnesses and installation of electrical components (think of the […] Read more

Electrical Fault and Fire Prevention and Protection

June 3, 2016 Michael Traskos

The prevention of electrical fires is a common goal for most aircraft systems. Advisory Circular (AC) 25-16, “Electrical fault and Fire Prevention and Protection”, released in 1991, can be considered one of the precursors to the Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) regulations. Although the document is now 25 years old as of last month, AC 25-16 provides a wide variety of recommended practices that are commonplace in the EWIS design and installation. Here we review some of the key points addressed in AC 25-16 and considerations with modern EWIS design with respect to electrical fault and fire prevention and protection. Read more

High-speed footage of wire failure near fuel line

May 13, 2016 Michael Traskos

Introduction As with most fields, the more we learn about a particular topic, the better our understanding of its complexity and the finer details involved. One area Lectromec has done extensive research in is the potential impact of wire failure and electrical arcing (you can find several blog posts and white papers here). In this […] Read more

Latest news on aircraft wire from the SAE’s Spring 2016 Wire and Cable Committee Meeting

May 5, 2016 Michael Traskos

he Spring 2016 SAE AE-8A and 8D wire cable standard and wiring installation guidance committee meetings were held last week in Denver, Colorado. The continuing process of wire improvement, both in terms of product and installation, was held over a three-day period covering dozens of topics critical to improving the reliability of EWIS. The following are some of the updates from this meeting. Read more

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