40 years Old Aircraft Wiring?

December 27, 2018 Michael Traskos

As aircraft age, it is natural to contemplate the aircraft condition as to how much longer the equipment can be maintained. Typically, after the engines, structures, environmental control system (ECS), navigation, landing gear, interiors, flight controls, and fuel system are considered, the question will ultimately appear, “do I need to replace my wires that are 15/20/25/30 years old?” While it would be nice if there were a simple answer, like all engineering, it comes down to the evaluation of the system. Here, we answer this question. Read more

Have we Reached the End of Aging Aircraft Wiring Systems?

October 17, 2018 Michael Traskos

The way some in the aerospace industry maintain their aircraft wiring system can only lead an external observer to reason that aircraft wiring is impervious to damage with a life-span greater than the sun. When considering this thought, the question arose, “It is possible that aircraft wiring reached a point where aging/degradation is a thing of the past?” Read more

Selecting Aircraft for Inspection and Work Unit Codes

July 24, 2018 Michael Traskos

What documents and standards are there for justifying the evaluation of an aircraft’s EWIS? There are actually several. Read more

Shield Grounding and EMI Protection – Part 2

March 20, 2018 Michael Traskos

EMI, the concept of electromagnetic interference, is a relatively simple one to convey: radiated energy from other sources induces a voltage in another circuit. But like many things, the simplicity of its description belies the true complexity of mitigating it. Shielding of signal wires, wire harness shielding, shielding of power wires, induced noise studies are […] Read more

Humidity Test

There are several locations in aircraft where electrical connectors are regularly subject to high humidity conditions. Even without high humidity conditions, thermal cycling can wear down connector seals and create paths for fluid ingress. The system level impact can vary from signal degradation to shorting and electrical arcing. This test examines a connector’s resistance to […] Read more

Selecting the Right Wires and Cables

August 30, 2017 Michael Traskos

In reviewing Lectromec’s articles, one can find over 250 articles covering different segments of aerospace wiring systems and lifecycle. For some, this may be an overload of information. But, if these articles were consolidated to their fundamentals, one can conclude that by selecting the right parts, installing them the right way, and doing the right […] Read more

Does a Connector’s Plating Type Impact Performance?

August 23, 2017 Michael Traskos

Design and installation of an aircraft’s electrical system has been made significantly easier with the adoption of modular harness design. This design pattern allows for discrete wiring sections to be designed and fabricated; this is only possible with the reliable performance of connectors. The connector-ization of harnesses has led some OEMs to build platforms where […] Read more

Signs of an Aging Wiring System

May 1, 2017 Michael Traskos

All components wear out over time, but the rate at which they degrade will vary depending on the quality of the product, how is it handled, and the environmental conditions in which the component is installed. To consider all the potential ways that an EWIS can fail, it can be overwhelming. As a brief list […] Read more

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Top 5 Articles from 2018