Aircraft EWIS failure trends

April 1, 2015 Michael Traskos

The process for identifying an EWIS problem on an aircraft often follows these steps: At some point during aircraft operation a system malfunctions and the pilot reports the malfunction. Maintenance starts by replacing the system component. Depending on schedule and criticality, the maintenance action is scheduled. Often, the first action to be taken is the […] Read more

Aircraft wire inspection? Time tested guidelines

March 18, 2015 Carina Cannon

Performing routine aircraft wire systems visual inspections is a critical aspect of maintaining aircraft airworthiness and extending the component lifecycle. A visual inspection is the first step in assessing the condition of a component or determining what future steps need to be taken. This article discusses recommended techniques based on MIL-HDBK-522, which provides EWIS inspection […] Read more

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

Perspectives on arc fault protection

February 27, 2015 Michael Traskos

Lectromec has published several articles and a white paper on our web site that discuss the hazards of electrical arcing and how they can be mitigated. In order to broaden the discussion, this article will try to give our readers some insight on systems that offer solid state protection, generally called arc fault circuit protection […] Read more

Insights from Europe: The More Electric Aircraft (MEA) Conference

February 18, 2015 Michael Traskos

Recognizing the tremendous interest in making a transition to electrical components, Lectromec attended the More Electrical Aircraft conference held in Toulouse, France, on February 3rd – 5th. This article summarizes some of the key points discussed during the conference. Read more

Principles of aircraft wiring system safety

February 11, 2015 Carina Cannon

Principles of Aircraft Wiring System Safety System safety supports risk management with the ultimate goal of optimizing safety on aircraft systems. Risk management is a vital aspect of system development that takes effect during the design phase; however it also remains important during the implementation and sustainment phases of an aircraft lifecycle. Optimizing safety is […] Read more

Electrical tests for aircraft wires and cables

January 26, 2015 Michael Traskos

Equipment installed onto aircraft goes through a range of tests designed to verify that the component meets the operational needs and environmental factors. For wires and cables, these tests include chemical exposure, thermal, mechanical, and electrical testing. We have already covered mechanical tests in our Assessment of Mechanical Stress on Wire Insulation article, as well […] Read more

Commercial airliner EWIS life extension

January 19, 2015 Michael Traskos

This article is the first in a series aimed to inform how to safely extend the life of commercial aircraft from the electrical wire interconnection system (EWIS) perspective, or what some would call EWIS Life Extension. The article gives an overview of the 2008 Federal Aviation Administration’s guidelines for EWIS. Read more

5 lessons learned from NASA on electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS)

January 9, 2015 Omid Orfany

This is the second article on Lessons Learned from NASA. The documentation is based on NASA’s years of EWIS design and fabrication experience. Several of these EWIS-related recommendations are discussed. 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

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