How to identify an aircraft wire to understand wire system degradation

November 5, 2006 Lectromec Team

If you try to identify an aircraft wire, particularly in service conditions, is not an easy task. However, we know it can assist with understanding details of wire system degradation. With the a variety of codes combined with the difficulty of finding the code on smaller gauge wires can try the patience of a skilled technician. […] Read more

Understanding series and parallel arcing for aircraft engineers

September 1, 2006 Lectromec Team

Aircraft engineers should know that in recent years have shown increased talk of arcing and the possible damage to aircraft. There have been many examples of these events on aircraft. Recently compiled data from the FAA indicates that between the years 1999 and 2004, there was an average of more than 20 reported electrical arcing […] Read more

For aircraft wire systems, there is no perfect conductor, not even a silver plated one

July 1, 2006 Lectromec Team

Aircraft engineers are always seeking perfect aircraft wire systems. Problems with silver plated copper wires were discovered during the 1960’s; in particular, a corrosive effect emerged that was commonly referred to as Red Plague (cuprous oxide and perhaps some cupric oxide). Read more

The scope of chafing on aircraft wire and its impact on wire reliability

June 1, 2006 Lectromec Team

Wire chafing can have an impact on wire reliability. The U.S. Navy found as part of a review for the allocation of labor and general wiring practices, roughly $94 million is spent annually in time and materials for the removal of equipment due to undiagnosed wiring problems. This is often referred to as equipment being returned […] Read more

Improving aerospace wire reliability by understanding arcing vs protection schemes

February 1, 2006 Lectromec Team

Prior to the launch of the space shuttle Discovery in July of 2005, NASA engineers discovered a previously unidentified hazard. Perhaps they should have gotten a better understanding of aerospace wire reliability. Power wires leading to a heater in the space shuttle were collocated with wires controlling the reaction jets used for in-orbit maneuvers. There were […] Read more

Improving aircraft wire management systems: The entanglement of separation standards

November 1, 2005 Lectromec Team

Separation standards are starting to emerge to help improve wire management systems. A number of airworthiness directives have been recently issued dealing with the wire hazards that result from lack of separation, either from other wires or structure. Read more

Understanding aircraft wire differentiation to improve EWIS

July 1, 2005 Lectromec Team

The amount of aircraft wire on a civil aircraft has increased in recent decades such that today’s typical aircraft has hundreds of miles of wire connecting all of its subsystems. The increase in the amount of wire on an aircraft, coupled with weight concerns, has lead to progressively thinner and lighter insulation materials. Wires used on […] Read more

Importance of aircraft electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS) analysis

March 1, 2005 Lectromec Team

A United Airlines B767-300 on a Jan. 9, 1998 flight, from Zurich to Washington DC, was forced to execute an emergency landing at London’s Heathrow airport because of a food chiller unit improperly installed in the electronic and equipment bay. A jagged edge on the chiller scraped wire insulation as the chiller was pushed into position […] Read more

Frozen circuit breakers and EWIS reliability

October 1, 2004 Lectromec Team

Frozen circuit breakers can have an impact on EWIS reliability. Like aircraft wiring insulation that ages over time, breakers can corrode. We use breakers as switches. This frequent use accelerates wear and further degrades their reliability. During maintenance, breakers also can be fouled by swarf (drilling particles) […] Read more

10 commandments of aircraft wire maintenance

August 1, 2004 Lectromec Team

When it comes to aircraft wire maintenance, consider the basic rule in medicine: “First, do no harm.” But where to find the best guidance to avoid inadvertent maintenance malpractice? Fortunately, for those in need of a quick reference, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has produced a single, well-illustrated document known as the Aircraft Wiring Practices […] Read more

Blog