EWIS

EWIS
Electrical Wiring Interconnect System
Not Just Another Acronym!
Technical Committee
Special Project ATSRAC
What is EWIS?
All wiring related components connecting
LRUs such as:
Wiring
Cannon Plugs
Modular Blocks
Clamps
Terminal Strips
Etc.
Why the concerns about EWIS?
History
NTSB, following the TWA 800 accident,
determined that wiring inside a fuel tank
developed a short causing an explosion which
downed the aircraft.
Vice Presidential Committee Gore
Commissioned detailed study be performed on
the health of aircraft wiring in regards to aging of
an aircraft.
Why the concerns about EWIS?
History (cont.)
The FAA in conjunction with regulatory agencies
worldwide and industry developed a focus group to
study the potential problem.
ATSRAC (Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking
Advisory Committee)
Originally formed to perform non-intrusive,
intrusive inspections and develop
recommendations to the FAA for Large
Transport Aircraft. (ADs, SFAR)
After the Payne Stewart incident, NTSB
recommended that all Transport Aircraft be
included in ATSRAC study - STA
ATSRAC HWG10 - STA
WIRING EVALUATIONS - Summary
39 privately owned in-service a/c
No Safety of Flight Concern
2256 discrepancies
73 of them are considered as significant*
items
*Significant items need to be rectified/repaired for
continued airworthiness throughout aircraft operational
life
ATSRAC - STA
WIRING EVALUATIONS (Cont'd)
No aging issue specific to wire insulation and
conductor were detected
29 % of discrepancies are inadequate clearance
with structure, racks, equipments
43 % of discrepancies are bad clamp
conditionning/sizing/spacing
68 % of significant items are due to inadequate
clearance or bad clamp conditionning: sizing /
spacing.
Aircraft Type
Findings Summary AC Model A AC Model B AC Model C AC Model D AC Model E AC Model F AC Model G AC Model H Summary
Number of Aircraft Inspected 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 39
% of the Model Fleet 5.90% 2.90% 0.61% 0.90% 2.10% 2.10% 1.05% 0.80% 0.6% to 6%
Age Range 19 to21 11 to 24 10 to 18 18 to 25 11 to 12 20 to 30 12 to 15 11 to 32 10 to 32
Hour Range 4785 to 7835 4130 to 12001 3258 to 8413 7223 to 12408 4130 to 8083 8770 to 17389 4271 to 5904 3572 to 13014 3258 to 17389
Landing (Cycles) Range 4846 to 5684 3473 to 8558 2682 to 5692 5709 to 9873 2746 to 7498 4843 to 8500 2638 to 3389 3187 to 13252 2638 to 13252
Inspections Performed By WG & OEM WG & OEM WG & OEM WG & OEM WG & OEM WG & OEM OEM WG & OEM WG & OEM
0
73
1.9
2256
58
Evaluation Findings % to Specific Model Totals by Appendix A Categories:
Connectors 3.20% 1.90% 5.40% 3.30% 1.70% 1.80% 0% 2.30% 2.75%
Terminations 2.30% 0.60% 0.30% 6.70% 0 0.40% 0% 5.50% 1.99%
Installations (General) 80% 79.50% 87% 87% 90.50% 86.40% 97.40% 80.70% 84.53%
Wiring Condition 14.40% 18% 7.30% 2.90% 7.80% 11.40% 2.60% 11.50% 10.73%
Significant Items
% of Significant Items (73
Items) to All Model (2256
Items) Evaluation Findings
3.24%
Findings per AC (Avg.)
Immediate Fleet Wide Safety
Total Findings
Significant Items
Significant Items per AC (Avg.)
Damaged Clamp
Zone: 310 Aft equipment
compartment below APU
Oxygen line
Installation inverted
Teflon shim
Disabled system connectors pulled from rack
Tied to environmental system duct
Conduit rubbing on connector hardware
Wires pinched in clamp
Improperly
Installed Clamp
(pinching wire)
Zone: 140 Under floor area above wing box
Chaffed through
Bend Radius
Zone: 220 Flight compartment above floor
behind circuit breaker panel (copilots feet)
Bend radius
Improper installation
Installation deterioration and inadequate clearances
Inadequate clearance
Inadequate Clearance
to Structure
Zone: 114/115 Flight compartment
under floor bottom of fuselage
Damaged Conduit
Zone: 143/144 Main landing
gear wheel well
Outer Jacket of
Power Cable Pulled
Back Wires Exposed
Zone: 310 Aft equipment bay (APU compartment)
Improper
Repair
Zone: 143/144 Main landing gear wheel well
Debris on Power Wires
(Metal Shavings)
Zone: 240/250 Cabin area above floor
Contaminated
Wires
Zone: 250 Cabin area above floor
near luggage compartment door
ATSRAC HWG10
General Comments - From a/c evaluations
Aircraft in good overall condition
Reasons of Discrepancies
Wiring Repair
Training Issues
Lack of use of OAM Standard Practice Manuals
Routing of Modification Wiring
Training Issues
Lack of use of Industry Standard Guidelines (AC 43.13)
and OAM Standard Practice Manuals
ATSRAC HWG10
General Comments (cont'd)
Clamping and Structural Contact
Training Issues
Instructions for Continued Airworthiness Issues
Protect, Clean as you go philosophy
Training Issue
ICA possible no mention
Industry cultural concerns
Aircraft Maintenance Program Philosophy
STA = OEMs Develops and Maintains
Maintenance Programs FAA approves Chapter
4/5 and accepts Mx Manuals (ICAs)
Owner/Operator typically follows OEM
Recommendations
STA = Owner/Operator to # Aircraft - 1 to 1.4
Each Aircraft is Very Unique as each owner
Avionics Packages vary from aircraft to aircraft
Corporate Interiors and the associated wiring vary
from aircraft to aircraft
ATSRAC HWG10
ATSRAC HWG10
Organizational Differences
STA = Smaller Organizations within each
Department
Dispatch
Flight
Maintenance (35%)
STA Owner/Operators tend to be more
interdependent with TC and STC Holders
NBAA Operator Demographics
669
2358
314
362
588
237
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1 2 >2
W/O MX
With MX
Operators
Aircraft Operated
ATSRAC HWG10
Lessons Learned
Before April of 2002 the Majority of the
Working Group was not Aware of EWIS -
Concepts
Based on the review of:
Aircraft Evaluations
Service History/ADs
Intrusive Inspection Report
HWG-6 through HWG-9 Final Reports
ATSRAC HWG10
Lessons Learned
HWG-10 determined areas of need:
Awareness and Training
Installation Guidance (FAA driven
Standardization Issues)
Inspection Criteria
Maintenance Procedures
Enforcement of Current Regulations
HWG-10 Recommended
FAA and industry implement an EWIS
Awareness program to effect cultural
change
Rationale
The aircraft evaluations support the need for TC
and STC holders, approvers, designers,
installers, and technicians to become more aware
of the concepts of EWIS during design,
certification, installation and maintenance.
HWG-10 feels that the current regulations with
slight modifications are adequate if properly
communicated and enforced.
HWG-10 Recommendations
FAA
FAR Part 147 Appendix E is revised to
include the concepts of AC 120-YY
(EWIS, Detailed Inspection (DET),
General Visual Inspection (GVI), and
Special Detailed Inspection (SDI)).
Rationale
To fully effect a culture change, in the
aviation industry, this should include a
ground up approach (e.g. future technicians
are trained from day one on EWIS concepts)
HWG-10 Recommendations
FAA
The following Advisory Circulars be revised
to include EWIS concepts:
43.13
43.204
65-9A
65-11B
65-12A
65-15A
* concepts and language with standardized criteria for
EWIS
HWG-10 Recommendations
Rationale
These Advisory Circulars are the basis for
certification, maintenance, and training of industry
personnel.
EWIS concepts revision would generate
awareness to a large group of existing and future
approvers, designers, installers, and technicians.
Installation Guidelines/Criteria
Standardization - Installation Guidelines must
be FAA/Industry driven
Currently, Installation Guidance is based off of:
AC43.13 Outdated Needs to Be Revised to Latest
Technologies
Current Non-Turbine Powered Aircraft have more technology
than AC can support
ATA Spec 117
ANM-104 Created Confusion throughout ACOs and
subsequently industry
Inspection Criteria
Rationale
There is a lack of Inspection Criteria for
wiring and its subcomponents.
Development of this Criteria will ensure
that inspectors know what is to be
inspected.
Maintenance Procedures
Recommendations
Review existing manufacturer
inspection/maintenance programs and
enhance for EWIS considerations
Manufacturer standards - wiring
practices
pass fail criteria
Training program
Maintenance Procedures
OEMs and STC Holders to enhance the
current Maintenance Procedures
Enhancement doesnt necessarily drive to
EZAP.
Maintenance Program Development
Philosophies of the Various STA OEMs should
be capable of enhancing current programs
incorporating concepts of EWIS
Future Small Transport Aircraft Designs will
most likely follow the version of MSG-3 of that
time period or applicable analytical logic process
of that time period.
ATSRAC - STA
Whats next?
HWG 13 New Tasks - further define and
develop for STA
Criteria for enhanced wiring inspection
procedures
Means of compliance
So now we know
Installation of wiring (EWIS) has not had the
awareness of the Approvers & Maintainers it
requires
Concerns for installation & functionality of
equipment was the priority not wiring
Current practices will not be allowed to
continue as is
Future - demands an EWIS
priority
Communicate through existing
industry venues and forums available
(i.e. AEA, GAMA, PAMA,
NBAA) and through FAA and state
DOT sponsored activities (i.e. D.E.R
renewals, IA renewal)
Future - demands an EWIS
priority
Enhance Maintenance Procedures
Instructions for Continuous Airworthiness
both TC and STC Holders
Enhancement of Advisory Material both
Current and Future Development of EWIS
Installation Guidance
Inspection Criteria Pass/Fail Inspection
Criteria for go/no-go decisions
EWIS Reference Information
Websites
Official ATSRAC Website:
www.mitrecaasd.org/atsrac/index.html
FAA Wiring Training Website:
www.academy.jccbi.gov/AIRDL/wiringcourse
Thank You!
Thank You!
Eli Cotti
Ecotti@nbaa.org
Questions?
Questions?