Transcript WHAT IS AVIONICS? A Presentation at the WAMEA Meeting 21

WHAT IS AVIONICS?
A Presentation at the WAMEA Meeting
Jock McTavish - 23 Mar 2007
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The Vanishing Specialty - 1
• Aviation technology has developed over the
last few decades into a family of specialized
technologies and trades and companies –
leading to our current rules for AMEs and
AMOs.
• Indeed the CARs replaced the older system
partly because of the emergence of the new
and inter-related trades.
• Change is again disturbing this equilibrium.
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Some Avionics History
Here are some cockpits that tell the story.
• Once there were no avionics.
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Then a little avionics showed up.
Then avionics filled up the available space.
Then avionics started getting smaller.
Presently, avionics is integrated into most of
the aircraft systems.
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The Glass Cockpit
• A revolution in cockpit display concepts
has occurred. Designers have blended
ideas from airline flight decks and the
computer industry.
• What's unique is the integration of
virtually all aircraft functions, including
non-avionics systems … funneled
through the glass displays.
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Definitions of Avionics
• Surprisingly there isn’t a clear definition.
Just various sensible attempts to describe
present applications of electronics to
aviation.
• Before we consider the Canadian situation,
let’s see what some authorities say.
- FAA, EASA, EIA, NASA, and
Wikipedia.
- and a practical definition from
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BAAE.
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Electronic Industries
Association
• Avionics is not defined by EIA, but
“System” is, and systems are a basic
consideration in the engineering of
aviation.
• A System is the composite of equipment,
material, computer software, personnel,
facilities and information/procedural data
that satisfies a user need.
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Wikipedia
• Avionics literally means aviation electronics. It
comprises all electronic systems designed for
use on an aircraft.
• This includes communications, navigation
and the display and management of multiple
systems.
• It also includes systems as various as a
search light for a police helicopter to a tactical
system for an Airborne Early Warning.
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BAAE Avionics Repair
Centre - Cardiff
• Avionics is broadly defined now.
• In addition to the usual flight deck systems for
navigation, communication, collision and
terrain avoidance, and instrumentation, it now
includes equipment for the galley and cabin,
including passenger entertainment systems
and test equipment, headsets, defibrillators,
cabin sales computers and lights.
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FAA
• Avionics and electrical systems cover a broad
discipline of engineering that represents
dramatic advances in modern science and
technology.
• Navigation systems that operate on satellite
signals, enhanced and synthetic vision that is
completely constructed from electrical and
infrared sensors, and aircraft performance
controlled by digital electronics are examples.
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NASA
Avionics Generic Architecture Definition
Faced with the pervasive nature of avionics,
NASA decided avionics was the primary
engineering perspective for control systems
and subsystems but would exclude sensors,
effectors and hardware systems outside a
given boundary in a given situation. The next
slide is a graphic of this boundary method of
definition.
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Electronic Change Rate
• Avionics changes simply because
electronics changes not even at a linear but
a logarithmic rate.
• “Moore’s Law” has become the expression of
this rapid change.
“Each 18 months, electronics becomes
twice as capable and half as expensive.”
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Accelerating Change
• Ray Kurzweil is a futurist and respected inventor
(Scanners and OCR). He points out to us that
biology evolves and technology changes at an
exponential rate. This is very counter-intuitive, for
we exist in, and think in, linear time.
• This is precisely the difficulty between planners
and regulators (linear thinkers the lot) on the one
hand and those living with technical realities of
accelerating change.
• Here then are some graphs from Kurzweil to
illustrate the log/linear nature of change.
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The smallest transistor
University of Manchester scientists have made a
transistor of carbon 1 atom thick that switches
one electron. But Isn’t carbon a Structures thing?
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TCCA - CAR 571.10
Maintenance Release
5. No person shall sign a
maintenance release in respect of
specialized maintenance unless the
requirements of section 571.04
have been met.
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TCCA - CAR 571.04
Specialized Maintenance
No person shall perform the
specialized maintenance set out in
Schedule II … except IAW an MPM
of an approved AMO.
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TCCA - CAR 571
Schedule II
Specialized Maintenance
• Here are listed the definitions for all the
specialties including avionics.
• They are definitions by exceptions, and so
confusing and easily outdated.
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Avionics Is & Isn’t
1. The repair of avionics components and
systems is avionics specialized
maintenance, except for:
a. repairs of wiring and connectors;
replacement of:
b. connectors and electrical components;
c. antennas
d. integral fuses and lighting components
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Avionics Isn’t
e. replacement of an avionics LRU
provided that any testing required can
be done using standard test equipment,
built-in test equipment (BITE) or
equipment specified in the aircraft
manufacturer’s instructions for
continuing airworthiness;
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Avionics Isn’t
f. on-site management of passenger
entertainment systems performed in
accordance with the applicable
instructions in the maintenance manual
of the aircraft or systems manufacturer
or the manufacturer’s instructions for
continuing airworthiness; and
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Avionics Isn’t
g. routine maintenance that is described
in the aircraft manufacturer’s
maintenance manual or instructions for
continuing airworthiness or performed in
accordance with currently recognized
industry practices for service in the field.
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Avionics Is
2. Any avionics system installation or
modification is avionics specialized
maintenance except for:
(a few odd things befitting small aircraft)
Whether STC or LSTC or SB or AMM.
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Non-Required Avionics
• Now there's a strange term.
• It’s wiggle room for new technologies not
involved directly in support of the aircraft.
• Things not essential. Optional helps.
• Items with enough purpose to be in the aircraft
but not so much as to concern the regulators.
• Includes computers, Electronic Flight Bags,
Radios for other than aircraft nav/com,
entertainment, customer or mission electronics.
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The Vanishing Specialty - 2
• Electronics is now pervasive in every field of
engineering.
• Avionics is a specialty that is dissolving at its
traditional boundaries.
• Technically avionics maintenance is becoming
associated with every aircraft system.
• Regulation wise, avionics is disappearing, as a
clear distinct act of maintenance.
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Practical Example
• Avionics clearly MEANS to include Air Data
and Transponder Testing and Recertification.
• Under the CARs, on older aircraft like Malibu,
Dash 8 or Falcon 20, such work IS avionics.
Because the task IS NOT described in the
aircraft continuing airworthiness data.
• Yet, on newer aircraft like Meridian, CRJ or
Falcon 700, such work IS NOT avionics
because the task IS described in the aircraft
CAW data.
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Where Now?
• When specialties were recognized in aviation
it was primarily to make the person who did
the work responsible for the work and the
AMO he/she worked for, responsible for the
release of that work.
• It breaks the chain of accountability for
Specialty AMO’s not to be accountable for
release of their workers.
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What is Avionics?
• Avionics is the acquisition,
communication, processing,
storage and display of data; and
the interface and control of aviation
systems.
• It is that work of maintenance and
modification and also it’s release.
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