Electrical arcing of aircraft wire is hazardous even over separation

May 30, 2011 Michael Traskos

Research shows hydraulic line can be punctured without direct contact with arcing wire Recent research conducted by Lectromec confirmed the harmful effects of electrical arcing of aircraft wire events even in the presence of positive separation between the arcing source and the arcing target. Laboratory tests using hydraulic lines as arcing targets showed that, even […] Read more

XL-ETFE aircraft wire degradation

May 30, 2011 Michael Traskos

XL-ETFE insulated wires can be found on many commercial and military aircraft built since the 1980s and need to be included in the study of XL-ETFE aircraft wire degradation. As such, some aircraft have been operating for 30 years with the same wiring. The question that becomes more important with each passing day is the […] Read more

EZAP, the FAA, and the electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS)

May 17, 2011 Michael Traskos

The Enhanced Zonal Awareness procedure (EZAP) was introduced to the aviation industry that applies to Electrical Wire Interconnection System in 2005 was part of the FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that covered new requirements for the assessments of new and existing aircraft (the final rule was enacted in 2007). This required existing fleet operators […] Read more

Aircraft wire insulation degradation and advancements with WIDAS 2.0

May 5, 2011 Michael Traskos

A fundamental principle of wire analysis technologies has been the fact that wire insulations degrade over time. To this end, Lectromec developed the first generation of the Wire Insulation Degradation Analysis System (WIDAS) in the early 1990’s. The WIDAS targeted the particular needs of aircraft operators who needed a scientific basis for making fleet maintenance […] Read more

ETFE vs XL-ETFE vs PTFE: What’s best for wire circuit protection?

April 5, 2011 Michael Traskos

One reader of the blog asked Lectromec to compare products for wire circuit protection. A couple of the common wire insulations on the market are based on the PTFE and ETFE polymers. PTFE (DuPont trade name Teflon®) is a fluorocarbon and is constructed with carbon and fluorine atoms, whereas ETFE is a carbon, fluorine, and […] Read more

An overview of the “Big 2” wiring insulations: PTFE and ETFE

February 28, 2011 Michael Traskos

Editors Note: Article updated August 29, 2014 Most aerospace wiring insulations on the market are based on the PTFE or ETFE polymers. These polymers have a high corrosion resistance and strength and excellent dielectric properties that make them perfect for use in aircraft and radio wiring. PTFE (DuPont trade name Teflon®) is a fluorocarbon and […] Read more

FAA wire incidents report: March 2009

September 1, 2009 Lectromec Team

The following are the wire incidents reported in the FAA’s March 2009 Circular 43-16A – Alert Number 368. Incident # 1 Aircraft Make: Cessna Aircraft Model: A150K Part Name: Air Intake Part Condition: Water Block From the perspective of FAA Wire Incidents, a mechanic provides this excellent analysis of his customer’s aircraft problems: “The owner […] Read more

FAA wire incidents report: February 2009

September 1, 2009 Lectromec Team

The following are examples of a FAA Wire Incidents Report.These are the wire incidents reported in the FAA’s February 2009 Advisory Circular 43-16A – Alert Number 367. Incident # 1 Aircraft Make: Aerospace Technology Aircraft Model: ATR42* Part Name: Wire Harness Part Condition: Damaged Part Location: Engine The engine experienced repeated events of torque fluctuations […] Read more

FAA wire incidents report: January 2009

April 3, 2009 Lectromec Team

The following are the wire incidents reported in the FAA wire incidents report for January 2009 Advisory Circular 43-16A – Alert Number 366. Incident #1 Aircraft Make: Beechjet Aircraft Model: 400A Part Name: Wire Part Condition: Chafing Part Location: Right Forward Galley “The pitch-trim (was found to be) inoperative. (I) removed the right forward galley […] Read more

Arc flash assessment on naval vessels

March 19, 2009 Lectromec Team

Arc flash is a problem for many industries; with increased demand for electrical power, arc flash is the likely consequence. To combat this growing hazard, most organizations have taken proactive measures to provide training to their staff in the proper way to protect against an arc flash. This training is the first line of defense in protecting […] Read more

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