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This issue of FAST marks the end of an era - it is the last FAST which will be produced under the guidance of our editor Denis Dempster. Denis, who isretiring in the summer, has been FAST editor almost since the beginning, takingover from the third issue. His first issue of FAST was in 1984, when Airbus hadonly the A300 and A310 aircraft in service. Since then, the A320 and A330/A340aircraft families have gone into service, with a resulting increase of articlescovering their advanced technology. Denis has seen FAST through the expansionof the Airbus family and the ups and downs of our industry. He has unfailinglyproduced excellent, informative and well received articles, which is confirmedby the results of the survey enclosed in FAST 33. These results give very highscores for the level of content, readability, attractiveness and quality of FAST.Denis brought exceptional abilities, patience and humour to FAST and he will be sorely missed, but after 49 years in the industry, his retirement is well earned,so my colleagues and I here in Airbus would like to thank him for hisexceptional work and wish him well in his retirement. I feel confident that you,the readers of his work over the past 20 years, will feel the same and thereforewe will wish him well on your behalf.

We are fortunate that Agnès Massol-Lacombe, who is the art director of FASTand has worked on it since the beginning, will carry on with us to providecontinuity in the future with our new editor. Agnès provides the artisticorganisation, which makes FAST the attractive magazine it is, confirmed by thesurvey mentioned above.

Our new FAST editor is Kenneth Johnson. Kenneth has wide and longexperience of the commercial aircraft industry from propjet airliners, throughConcorde to the fly-by-wire airliners of today. He has over 20 years experiencewith Airbus aircraft, having been involved with all of them from the A300 to theA340, both in France and Germany. His experience covers various technical andindustry areas including structural, cabin, electrical and avionic systems and hehas spent the last 17 years here in Toulouse involved in the production oftechnical, communication and marketing documents for Airbus CustomerServices. He, Denis and Agnès have worked together in the production of thisFAST to ensure a smooth handover and Kenneth will take over as FAST editorfor future issues.

I and my colleagues welcome Kenneth to the Airbus Customer ServicesCommunications team and wish him well in his new task.

Bruno Piquet,FAST Publisher

Denis Dempster,Agnès Massol-Lacombeand Kenneth Johnson

This issue of FAST has been printed on paperproduced without using chlorine, to reducewaste and help conserve natural resources.Every little helps!

Publisher: Bruno PiquetEditors: Denis Dempster & Kenneth Johnson

Graphic designer: Agnès Massol-Lacombe assisted by Cécile Lahaye - Sonovision

Customer Services Communication Tel: +33 (0)5 61 93 43 88

Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 47 73 E-mail: fast.digest@airbus.com

Printer Escourbiac

FAST may be read on Internet http://www.airbus.comunder Customer Services/Publications

ISSN 1293-5476

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Aging aircraft electrical systems investigationAirbus recommendations to enhance the design &maintenance of aircraft electrical wiring systemsDominique Chevant

Electrical protection devices Avoiding overheatingJean-Luc BarréPatrick Scudier

How to tackle bleed air leaksImproving durability of seals on hot air ductsPatrick Grave

Customised Spares LogisticsA new Airbus concept based on supply chainexperiencesHelmut DiekhoffAndreas Teufel

Aircraft Systems Maintenance Aidsavailable from Airbus

A380 accommodation at airports

Airbus Customer Services events

From the archives... 100 years ago

Customer ServicesAround the clock… Around the world

Airbus Customer Services

© AIRBUS 2004. All rights reservedThe articles herein may be reprinted without permission except where

copyright source is indicated, but with acknowledgement to Airbus. Articles which may be subject to ongoing review must have their accuracy verified

prior to reprint. The statements made herein do not constitute an offer. They arebased on the assumptions shown and are expressed in good faith. Where the

supporting grounds for these statements are not shown, the Company will be pleased to explain the basis thereof.

F L I G H T

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Photo cover © Airbus - Computer graphic by I3MPhotographs by Hervé Bérenger, Hervé Goussé and Philippe Masclet

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BACKGROUND

The investigation into a fatal acci-dent on 17 July 1996 resulted in aheightened awareness of the impor-tance of maintaining the integrityof aircraft and, in February 1997,the US White House Commissionon Aviation Safety and Security(WHCSS) recommended to theFederal Aviation Administration(FAA) to work in cooperationwith airlines and manufacturersto expand the FAA’s AgingAirplane Programme to includenon-structural components.

In July 1998, the FAA issued theAging Transport Non-StructuralSystems Plan to address theWHCSS recommendation. TheAging Systems Plan focussedspecifically on wiring systems.

To help fulfil the actions specifiedin this Aging Systems Plan, theFAA set-up an Aging TransportSystems Rulemaking AdvisoryCommittee (ATSRAC), which iscomposed of key members of theaviation industry, to give recom-mendations on aircraft safetyissues and propose enhancementsto current procedures.

ATSRAC PHASE 1

ATSRAC focused its efforts on jettransport category aircraft whosetype certificates were at least 20years old and in 1998 was givenfive major tasks. They includedcollecting data on aging electricalwiring systems through aircraftinspections, reviewing aircraftmanufacturer’s fleet service history,reviewing operator’s maintenancecriteria, standard practices for elec-trical wiring and repair trainingprogrammes.

To accomplish these tasksATSRAC chose to establish fiveseparate working groups com-posed of ATSRAC members andindustry representatives, to providetechnical support in conductinganalyses and developing recom-mendations.

TASK 1SAMPLING INSPECTION OF THEFLEET

The first working group conductedan in-depth survey of the condi-tion of the electrical wiring in anaging aircraft fleet. This samplingprogram included a non-intrusiveinspection of the electrical wiringon 81 in-service aircraft (eight air-craft types selected: B727, B737,B747, DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, A300and L1011) and an intrusive evalua-tion of the electrical wiringremoved from six decommissionedaircraft, with additional laboratoryanalysis of wiring samples.

A total of 3,372 notable items werefound during the survey, most ofthem were related to maintenanceactivity, passage of personnel, lackof housekeeping and/or inadequateprotection. Fluid or chemical cont-amination, significant dust, lintand metal shavings were seen onmost aircraft.

None of the observed items weredetermined to be issues affectingaircraft or personnel safety and noimmediate airworthiness issueswere noted. However, for reasonsof repeat occurrences in the samegeneral area, 182 items werethought to be “Significant”.Additional engineering analysiswas conducted to propose solu-tions as necessary via eithermaintenance enhanced inspectionguidelines and processes and/orService Bulletins (SBs).

The result of this analysis withregard to five fixes for the A300,and the availability status for each,is provided in table 1.

The evaluation of the surveyresults and findings indicated thatin many cases, the current design,maintenance and modificationprocedures could identify existingor potential electrical wiringproblems. However, the surveyconfirmed that these inspectionprocedures could not always pre-vent an actual or potential wiring

Aircraft systems, including electrical wiring systems,are becoming more and more complex and electricalwires and their associated components are becomingincreasingly important with respect to aircraftsystems that are necessary for safe flight. There hasbeen, and continues to be, events associated with wirefailures, and aging wiring has become a key issuethat transcends individual federal agencies.

As a logical follow-on to a 1997 recommendation bythe White House Commission on Aviation Safety and

Security, chaired by Vice President Gore, the US Federal Aviation Administration and industryrepresentatives are working together to determinewhether existing design and maintenance practicesmay be improved to ensure the continuedairworthiness of older aircraft.

This is being done under the “Aging Transport System Rule making Advisory Committee”(ATSRAC) activities.

Airbus recommendations to enhance the design & maintenance of

aircraft electrical wiring systems

Aging aircraft electrical systems

investigation

Dominique ChevantAircraft Aging Systems ManagerCustomer Services Engineering

Wire failures are knownto be contributory factorsin some aircraft incidentsand wire related failurescan be attributed tomultiple factors. Theseinclude, but are notlimited to: localised heatdamage, breached wireinsulation, embrittlement,chafing, arcing, reducedinsulation resistance,defective or brokenconnectors. Nevertheless,problems associated withsystems on aging aircraftare not completely relatedto the degradation of wireover time. Wire systemdegradation could alsoresult from inadequatedesign, installation,maintenance andmodification practices.

Airbus recommendations to enhance the design & maintenance of

aircraft electrical wiring systems

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problem from occurring. Specificrecommendations included enhan-cement of scheduled maintenanceprogrammes, improved trainingprogrammes, and enhanced pro-cedures for wiring protection,cleaning and routing.

TASK 2REVIEW OF FLEET SERVICE HISTORY

This second task was to reviewexisting service data, such as manu-facturer’s Service Bulletins, manu-facturer’s Service InformationLetters, All-Operators Telexes,Operator Information Telexes, andthe fleet history relating to aircraftelectrical wiring.

Each aircraft manufacturerreviewed thousands of documentsto determine the need for specificrecommendation, or upgrade ofcompliance. As far as Airbus air-craft are concerned, three A300 SBswere proposed for compliancechange, from “Recommended” to“Mandatory” (see Table 2).

In addition five A300 SBs wereissued with a “recommended”compliance instead of “Desirable”or “Optional”. When applicable,the A300 recommendations werevalidated on A310/A300-600 air-craft (see Table 2).

TASK 3IMPROVEMENT OF MAINTENANCECRITERIA

Using knowledge gained fromTask 1, the third working groupaddressed maintenance practicesand the effectiveness of maintenanceprogrammes. Recommendationswere developed to enhance generalpractices concerning in-servicehandling of electrical wiring.These included guidance on theminimisation of contaminationduring repairs/servicing and anenhancement of inspection crite-ria, particularly with respect toimproving the effectiveness ofGeneral Visual Inspections(GVIs).

In order to ensure that wiring systemsare adequately addressed duringdevelopment of a maintenance pro-gramme, the team developed anEnhanced Zonal Analysis Procedure(EZAP) that complements existingprocedures used to develop ZonalInspection Programmes. The logicprocess assesses each aircraft zonethat contains wiring and, through aseries of questions, determines theneed for tasks to minimize thepresence of combustible material(cleaning tasks), and the need foreither stand alone GVI’s or dedicatedDetailed Inspections of specificwiring installations in addition toGVI’s performed as part of zonalinspections.

TASK 4STANDARD PRACTICES FORELECTRICAL WIRING

The task of this working group wasto review any documentation relatedto wiring standard practices, whichis used to inspect or repair aircraftwiring, and to identify areas forpossible improvement.

The main working group recom-mendations were to all aircraftmanufacturers to adopt a commondocument format including thesame standard practices for careand maintenance of wiring systems.

TASK 5INSPECTION AND REPAIR TRAINING

The fifth task consisted of reviewingairline and repair station trainingprogrammes for inspection andrepair of non-structural systems, toensure that they adequately coveredaging wiring system components.The working group confirmed thattraining programmes should beenhanced in the area of wiringmaintenance practices and deliver astandardised training curriculumcontaining a series of recommended,detailed lesson plans covering addi-tional training for aging systems. Thecontent would be adjusted for anymodel of aircraft and student skilllevel.

Significant item Status References

1. Clamp slippage on rod

ISB 24-0094dated 21-Feb-03ESPM 20-52-13

- Inspection Service Bulletin (ISB) issued 21-Feb-03 with compliance recommended to assess clamp

- ESPM 20 Repair section provides enhanced technical process for improved gripping of the clampingattachment when found loose.

..

2. Bundle sagging MPD-IntroESPM 20-52-13

- Enhanced inspection guidelines as per Task 3 report will be introduced in MPD section Introduction.- ESPM 20 Repair section provides enhanced inspection criteria for bundle sagging and technical processfor repair as necessary

3. Conduit clampingat conduit end

MPD-IntroESPM 20-52-13

- Enhanced inspection guidelines as per Task 3 report will be introduced in MPD section Introduction.- ESPM 20 Repair section provides grommet clamps alternative to metal clamps at the end of convolutedconduits.

4. Bundle atpanel 811VU

MSB 24-0096dated 15-Jan-03(IPC 31-16-12)

- Modification Service Bulletin (MSB) (Mod. 12432/D21880) issued 15-Jan-03 with compliancerecommended, to introduce additional bundle protection and attachment.- Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) will reflect the latest installation configuration as per MOD/SB embodiment& reporting process for IPC revision.

5. Bracket unstuckat panel 800VU

MSB 24-0097dated 15-Jan-03(IPC 31-16-11)

- Mod SB (Mod 12431/D21879) issued 15-Jan-03 with compliance recommended, to introduce rivetedbrackets.- Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) reflects the latest installation configuration as per MOD/SB embodiment& reporting process for IPC revision.

SB reference Issue date Title References ofA310 and A300-600 SB

24-0053Rev 7

14-Apr-8131-Jul-02

Electrical power - Pylon - Inspection of feeder cables 24-2021 Rev 7: 31-Jul-0224-6011 Rev 6: 31-Jul-02

24-0079Rev 3

15-Mar-9325-Feb-03

Improve tightening of APU starter feeder terminal blocks 24-2045 Rev 6: 25-Feb-0324-6034 Rev 4: 25-Feb-03

24-0083Rev 4

25-Feb-9431-Jul-02

Inspect and repair wiring looms in wing/pylon inter face area 24-2052 Rev 5: 31-Jul-02-024-6039 Rev 8: 31-Jul-02

SB reference Issue date Title References ofA310 and A300-600 SB

Service Bulletins upgraded from "Desirable" or "Optional" to "Recommended"

24-0085Rev 5

12-Dec-9406-Mar-01

Improve strength of the electrical bundles at flap screw jack 24-6043 Rev 4issued 06-Mar-01

25-0119Rev 6

22-Dec-7813-Nov-00

Improvement of wire bundle protection in FWD cargo compartment N/A

27-0100Rev 4

26-Jun-7813-Nov-00

Rerouting of wire assembly 813 VB between FR 84 V - strut and variable leverarm unit

N/A

28-0057Rev 2

21-Jun-7808-Jan-01

Installation of thermo shrinkable tube for protection of fuel pump feeders N/A

53-0046Rev 2

29-Jun-7813-Nov-00

Improve wiring installation between FR 25 and FR 31 in the cargo compartment N/A

Table 2 - Service Bulletins upgraded from “Recommended” to “Mandatory”

Table 1- A300 inspection and modification status

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wiring systems, and to combinethese current regulations into onesection.

The product for this workinggroup was the creation of a newFAR/JAR Part 25 Subpart H thatcontains all existing Part 25requirements, including the cre-ation of new requirements forwire system safety assessment,wire separation and wire identifi-cation. An Advisory Circular wasdeveloped to support these new/proposed regulations.

TASK 7 ADDRESS THE NEED FOR ANELECTRICAL STANDARD WIRINGPRACTICES MANUAL

At the conclusion of the Task 4report, the working group statedthat the current presentation and

arrangement of Standard WiringPractices make it difficult to locateand extract pertinent data neces-sary for electrical repairs. The teamtherefore defined a standard for-mat and minimum content of theElectrical Standard WiringPractices Manual (ESWPM) sothat aircraft maintenance techni-cians can easily use manuals fromdifferent manufacturers.

In addition, the working group pro-posed that paper-based legacy doc-uments be upgraded to reflect for-mat and content. Nevertheless,documents created and used inelectronic form, and because of thesearchable nature of the electronicdocument, need not implement astandardized format. The structureof these electronically-based docu-ments is in fact transparent to theuser.

ATSRAC PHASE 2

The results and recommendationsfrom the above initial tasking indi-cated that problems associatedwith wiring systems on aging air-craft were not completely relatedto the degradation over time ofwiring systems. The review ofthese systems also found inade-quate installation and mainte-nance practices could lead to whatis commonly referred to an “agingsystem” problem. Therefore thescope of ATSRAC is not limitedsolely to age-related issues, butalso involves improving the con-tinued airworthiness of aircraftsystems, and in particular wiringsystems.

The FAA accepted the ATSRACrecommendations from the first

five tasks and subsequentlyassigned four additional tasks toATSRAC in January 2001. Thesenew tasks were intended to facili-tate implementation of earlier rec-ommendations. As a result, fournew working groups were estab-lished.

TASK 6ADDRESS THE NEED FOR NEWWIRE SYSTEM CERTIFICATIONREQUIREMENTS

Specifically, Task 6 was formed toaddress wire related certificationissues. The working group wastherefore tasked to review all pre-vious recommendations in theCode of Federal AirworthinessRegulations (FAR) 14 Part 25, inJoint Airworthiness Regulations(JAR) Part 25 and ATSRAC, toidentify all requirements related to

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TASK 8ENHANCED TRAININGPROGRAMME FOR ELECTRICALWIRING SYSTEMS

Previous tasking to ATSRACresulted in recommendationsregarding the need for develop-ment of an enhanced training programme addressing wiring sys-tems. In continuity with these pre-vious recommendations, a wiringmaintenance training programmewas developed including wire sys-tem practices and documentation,inspection, applicable repairschemes, wiring modifications andwiring repairs. This training is cus-tomised for different target groupsand could be used for initial andrefresher training.

TASK 9IMPLEMENT AN ENHANCED MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMEFOR WIRING SYSTEMS

This working group was tasked topropose regulatory text and sup-porting advisory material toreflect the recommendations pro-vided in the earlier Task 3 report.

In its original concept, theEnhanced Zonal AnalysisProcedure (EZAP) envisioned ananalysis of all wiring installed inzones in which combustible mate-rials may be present. The logicwould identify where additionalrepetitive tasks in these zoneswould minimise accumulation ofthese materials and/or wouldimprove the likelihood that wiringsystem degradation, including agerelated issues, will be identifiedand corrected in a timely manner.

Analysing all wiring retrofittedinto the aircraft underSupplemental Type Certificate(STC) modifications, was deemednot cost beneficial when com-bined with the recommendedtraining for technicians.Mandatory implementation ofboth EZAP and Electrical WiringTraining is therefore still underdiscussion within the FAA and is

part now of a new ATSRAC task.However, it is likely that aircraftmanufacturers will have to developEZAP within 24 months after therule goes into effect. Then, opera-tors are likely to be required toincorporate the EZAP tasks intotheir maintenance programmeswithin one year after EZAPdevelopment.

FAA ACTION PLAN

The ATSRAC efforts are part of anoverarching plan developed by theFAA. This Enhanced Air-worthiness Programme forAircraft Systems (EAPAS) out-lines the recommendations of theATSRAC but is also intended tofocus on all aircraft systems,including mechanical systems,which will undergo detailed evalu-ation after wiring systems. Thecurrent focus of this programmeresolves around aging wiring sys-tems and provides strategies forhow the FAA and industry willwork to improve the airworthinessof wire systems through near-termand long-term actions, with theintent to disseminate the productsthorough the industry.

The EAPAS also includes anextensive Aging Electrical SystemResearch Programme. This pro-gramme is intended to conductresearch into aging wiring systemsto determine mechanisms thatdrive the aging process, developtools to better inspect and maintainwiring, and develop technologiesthat mitigate the hazards associatedwith wiring failure.

The FAA is now considering theATSRAC recommendations on thesecond set of tasks forwarded inNovember 2002. The FAA recog-nized the benefits that ATSRACprovided through previous taskingand therefore requested that com-mittee’s assistance throughout theEAPAS rulemaking process.Therefore, the FAA requestedATSRAC in April 2003 to manageadditional tasks and ATSRACformed two new working groups

to provide technical support todevelop recommendations onthese tasks:

• Assemble technical andeconomic information andalternatives to the previousrecommended actions, identifythe minimum set of training tosupport EZAP and providerecommendations on theextension of EZAP applicabilityto STC installations.

• Review and developimplementation plans for viable tools and methodsresulting from ongoing FAAresearch programme.

Completion of the above tasks isexpected by January 2005. Never-theless, the overall FAA AgingAircraft programme encompassesnumerous rulemaking programmes(Fuel Tank Safety Operational Rules,Aging Systems, Aging Structure,Widespread Fatigue Damage,Corrosion Prevention ControlProgramme), which may result inseveral rulemakings that require per-formance of non-scheduled mainte-nance checks. The FAA therefore setup a “Tiger Team” to review imple-mentation methods and compliancetimes with the objectives to developan integrated plan to align all rule-making programmes and to priori-tize rules if necessary. The “TigerTeam” results are not yet availablebut publication of the Notice ofProposed Rulemaking and AdvisoryCirculars is not expected before mid2005.

AIRBUS ACTION

Airbus has supported ATSRACsince 1998 through active partici-pation within the ATSRAC com-mittees and various workinggroups and has already initiated thefollowing actions:

ELECTRICAL STANDARDPRACTICES MANUALTo anticipate ATSRAC Tasks 4 and7 recommendations, Airbus decid-ed to develop a new electricalstandard wiring practices manual

to take over from the AMMChapter 20. A generic ElectricalStandard Practices Manual (ESPM)was launched in April 2001. Thisnew manual encompasses the oldChapter 20 and new chapters likestandard inspection tasks, cleaningtasks, electrical component repairand replacement procedures, etc, tomake easier the application ofwiring inspection. This manual waslately updated to improve recom-mendations regarding wiring instal-lation and protection and to addguidelines on wiring separation.

ELECTRICAL WIRINGINTERCONNECTION SYSTEMSCOURSEAirbus Training Division hasdeveloped a wiring training coursebased on the ATSRAC Task 5 and 8recommendations. This trainingcalled “Electrical Wiring Inter-connection Systems” course is tohelp operators better understandand maintain their aircraft electri-cal installation. This course is cus-tomised to cover all Airbus aircraftand incorporates practical andhands-on sessions to teach techni-cians how to adequately evaluatethe wiring system and effectivelyuse the applicable aircraft wiringpractices documentation.

AIRBUS EZAP POLICY AND PROCEDURESAirbus has initiated the process ofdeveloping EZAP for all their aircraft types. Airbus is currentlytesting application of the EZAP on a sample of aircraft includ-ing A300/A310, A320 andA330/A340 families. TheAirbus EZAP policy and proce-dures have been presented toand accepted by all IndustrySteering Committees and withthe exception of the A300, will be applied to all Airbus typesthrough the Maintenance ReviewBoard (MRB) process. Dependingon the aircraft type, final validationof EZAP procedures are scheduledfrom mid 2004 till mid 2005.

For the A300, new and modifiedtasks that are recommended to be

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In spite of the precautions taken in the selection ofaircraft electrical cables and their installation,unforeseen overheating may occur. Overheating mayalso be due to an abnormal electrical load on a piece ofequipment. This could then result in the total or partialde-activation of the electrical installation owing to ashort circuit, so electrical installations must beprotected against this hazard. To this end, electricalcircuit protection devices achieve this function.

This article presents three families of electricalprotection devices:

• Thermal Circuit Breakers (CB), widely used to date,

• Arc Fault Circuit Breakers (AFCB), under development,

• Solid State Power Controller (SSPC), introduced with A380.

Jean-Luc BarréAircraft Electrical Installation and Standard Items

Customer Services Engineering

Patrick ScudierAircraft Electrical Installation and Standard Items

Customer Services Engineering

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added to operator's programs will bepromulgated by an SB expected mid2005. All new recommendationswill be included in the MPD revi-sion following publication of the SB(for A300) and revised MRBReports (for all other types).

ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONMATURITY REVIEW In addition to the above actions, andto anticipate ATSRAC futurerequirements, Airbus decided in2000 to launch an electrical installa-tion survey programme on earlyA320s, called Electrical InstallationMaturity Review (EIMR).

In fact, Airbus initiated its ownAging Aircraft Electrical Installa-tion Survey programme in 1992with the A300 (See “Aging – TheElectrical Connection”, FASTn°14 Feb 93 and FAST n°18 Jun95). As well as for the A300, theA320 EIMR programme consistsof wiring inspections of a sampleof in-service aircraft to ascertainthe condition of the completewiring installation, and to collectand use data with the intent to:

• confirm the wiring installationdesign principle and improve ifnecessary the present electricaldesign,

• confirm the material selection,• confirm the predicted

performance of the completeelectrical wiring installation andto update if necessary theinspection and repair processes.

All inspections confirmed therobustness of both A300 andA320 family electrical installationbut also provided valuable infor-mation in respect to technologywith regards to certain electricalcomponents, wiring installationand operators’ maintenance prac-tices. They also confirmed theneed for increased awarenessamong electrical maintenancepersonnel of the importance ofwiring installation (and specifi-cally wiring segregation on fly-by-wire aircraft) and to improveESPM for wiring installation andseparation guidelines.

Both studies also highlighted theneed to do this type of review onother Airbus aircraft types.Inspection of the A310 andA300-600 aircraft has beenrecently initiated and otherAirbus aircraft types will followin sequence.

The FAA has launched animportant programme on aircraftsystems aging to enhance thecurrent aircraft systemsairworthiness programmes and ATSRAC was requestedto develop, co-ordinate and follow-up the implementation ofthe enhancements related to thedesign and maintenance ofaircraft electrical systems andassociated documentation andtraining.

Airbus is fully participating and supporting the FAA advisorycommittee tasks and follow-upefforts. In addition, aircraftmanufacturers are coordinatingto ensure a continuing consistentprogramme support andcommunication to theircustomers.

ConclusionCONTACT DETAILS

Dominique ChevantAircraft Aging Systems ManagerCustomer Services EngineeringTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 29 28Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 25dominique.chevant@airbus.com

ELECTRICAL PROTECTION DEVICES

Electrical protection devices

It is widely recognized in the electrical industry that wiring has to be protected against overheating.

Aircraft electrical circuits are no exception, as this article explains.

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50AMP CBsON A300/A310 FAMILY AIRCRAFTRef. Documents:

AOT 24-08, OIT 999.0077/99, SIL 24-045,

TFU 92.00.00.006

On Airbus A300/A310 familyoperators have reported 50AmpCBs tripping or being overheated.Investigations revealed the fol-lowing causes:

• possible high load in certainconfigurations,

• temperatures up to 180°C atcircuit breaker terminal stripscausing burn marks on thecasing,

• variation of circuit breakertripping characteristics due tomalfunction of thetemperature compensationfunction,

• insufficient tightening ofattachment screws causingcircuit breaker temperatureincrease.

A high number of the overheatsexperienced on 50Amp CBs werefound to be due to insufficienttightening of attachment screwsleading to loose connections. Thewire terminals should be tightenedto the correct torque value given inthe AMM (Aircraft MaintenanceManual) chapter 20-21-12 or ESPM(Electrical Standard PracticesManual) chapter 20-46-10.

The high number of reports of50Amp CBs tripping has resultedin a number of corrective improve-ments and inspections such as:

• decrease of electrical load ofsome AC (alternating current)Bus bars (Mods 8648 & 11134),

• installation of a larger wiregauge on some CBs(Mod 11332),

• inspection of the most heavilyloaded 50Amp CBs,

• replacement of the existing50Amp CBs by improvedones.

The latest standard is part num-ber NSA931323-501Amendment B.

TRIPPED CB REENGAGEMENTRef. Document: OIT/FOT 999.0172/99

The likely cause for CB tripping isan abnormality in the electricalload or in the associated wiring.Consequently, reengagement of atripped CB may aggravate any

One topic of the FAA AgingElectrical Systems ResearchProgram (refer to the “Aging aircraftelectrical systems” article page 2 to10) focused on aging circuit break-ers. In November 2002 the FAAissued a report ref. DOT/FFF/AR-01/118 that provides technicaldata for a series of tests on circuitbreakers removed from severalretired large transport aircraft.

The results of the study indicated thatcircuit breakers installed in aircraftwith extended service life will con-tinue to protect the electrical wireprovided there is a more controlledevaluation of circuit breaker aging.The report makes several recommen-dations aimed at improving the relia-bility of circuit breakers, and reduc-ing maintenance related problems,including:

• periodic cycling of circuitbreakers,

• inspection of circuit breakerpanels for loose or brokenhardware, incorrect wireattachment, overheating andelectrical arcing.

The FAA is now considering theserecommendations and is expected toprovide guidance material that rec-ommends the above.

It is also Airbus’ intent to issue aService Information Letter that rec-ommends operators to perform aninitial manual cycling of all thermalcircuit breakers on and off under nopower within an initial 24 monthperiod and thereafter at intervals notto exceed 36 months.

The Airbus Enhanced Zonal AnalysisProcedure will also consider circuitbreaker panels to permit visualinspection of circuit breakers.

Overheated 50Amp CB

THERMAL CIRCUITBREAKER

A thermal CB will cause the circuitto open when a predetermined cur-rent is detected. The circuit open-ing is achieved by a thermal sens-ing element (e.g. bi-metal) whosecharacteristics are dependent on thecurrent.

These CBs are selected accordingto their:

• tripping time with respect tothe current intensity,

• compensation with respect tothe ambient temperature.

These characteristics are specific toeach CB and are given in theAirbus Standards Manual.

The CBs can be of three poles(115VAC three-phase) or singlepole (28VDC or 115VAC single-phase). In addition to the main con-tacts (used in a power circuit), cir-cuit breakers may have auxiliarycontacts that are used to make apermanent check of the main con-tact position.

CB MONITORING

On A330/A340 Family aircraft theCBs are located in the avionicscompartment underneath the

cockpit and in the bulk cargo com-partment. This is why monitoringmeans are required to enable thecrew to check CB status. TheCBMU (Circuit Breaker Monito-ring Unit) linked to each circuitbreaker auxiliary contact allowsmonitoring of individual circuitbreakers. The principal functionsof the CBMU are:

• acquisition of the circuitbreaker position,

• monitoring of the circuitbreaker,

• circuit breaker identification andtransmission to the ECAM(Electronic Centralised AircraftMonitor) to build CB pagedisplay,

• proper functioning of the built-in-test-equipment (BITE).

In the event a circuit breaker trips(disconnects), a warning signal isgenerated on the ECAM and EWD(Engine/Warning Display). Thecrew can then call up the circuitbreaker tripped list on the SD(System Display).

For other aircraft types (A300/A310and A320 family aircraft) most ofthe CBs are located in the cockpit.However, monitoring of some CBsis performed via various methods ofCB status acquisition depending onaircraft type.

One pole CB

Three pole CB

Not monitored Monitored

ELECTRICAL DEVICES PROTECTION ELECTRICAL DEVICES PROTECTIONELECTRICAL DEVICES PROTECTIONFA

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Arc Fault Circuit Breaker (AFCB)technology has been already intro-duced into housing and industrialmarkets over the past 10 years.Adapting the technology for use inaircraft will improve safety byreducing arcing occurrences andtheir consequences, and willreduce costs by limiting damage toboth electrical wiring and the sur-rounding area.

AIRBUS ACTION

Due to the specifics of circuitbreakers installed on Airbus aircraft(in terms of specifications and over-all dimensions), Airbus decided in2000 to launch its own AFCB pro-gramme, similar to that of the FAA.

The first feasibility phase of such aprogramme defined single poleand three pole AFCBs that, in addi-tion to the functions provided bytraditional circuit breakers, havethe ability to detect complex current-time waveforms that are charac-teristic of wiring anomalies/arcingin an aircraft environment. Otherchallenges were to develop prod-ucts likely to replace current circuitbreakers at competitive prices withinthe 1-50Amp range, and to solve themain issues of reliability and overalldimensions.

Only AFCB implementation on a115VAC aircraft electrical networkwas considered in the first phase ofthe programme. A prototype testprogramme has been defined withsuppliers and AFCB prototypeshave been tested on an electricallaboratory test bench, then duringan aircraft test flight. The next stepis now to conduct an evaluation ofthe AFCB end-component maturityon aircraft during a six month periodto be completed by the end of 2004.

After having demonstrated goodmaturity, an industrial productqualification will proceed andAirbus may then determine whichsystems the AFCB will be used on.

SOLID STATE POWERCONTROLLER

The electrical power distributionsystem in the A380 introduces a bigjump forward for the protectionfunction by using the Solid StatePower Controller (SSPC).

The SSPC module is a conjunctionof electronic and semiconductordevices in the same electronic card.Unlike the conventional thermal CBor AFCB that are considered electri-cal standard items, the SSPC

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Protection and commutation devices

Additional benefits of SSPC technology

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ELECTRICAL DEVICES PROTECTION

electrical damage by propagatingit, with possible risk of affectingother equipment. It may evenresult in a temperature increaseand smoke emission in the areaconcerned.

Airbus recommendations withregard to the reengagement of atripped CB in flight and on theground are as follows:

• In flight, Airbus does notauthorise a pilot to reengage aCB which tripped by itself,unless the Captain, usinghis/her emergency authority,judges it necessary for safecontinuation of the flight. Inthis emergency case, only onereengagement should beattempted.

• On the ground, the pilot mayreengage the CB provided theaction is coordinated with themaintenance team and thecause of the CB tripping isidentified.

These recommendations are alsodetailed in the applicable chaptersof the FCOM (Flight CrewOperating Manual) and TSM(Trouble Shooting Manual).

ARC FAULT CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Research into new technologies toimprove wiring safety is a key issuefor individual federal agencies andindustry. To this end, the FederalAviation Agency (FAA) haslaunched an extensive AgingElectrical System Research Pro-gram (refer to the “Aging aircraftelectrical systems” article page 2 to10). This programme is intended toconduct research into aging wiringsystems to determine mechanismsthat drive the aging process, developtools to better inspect and maintainwiring, and develop technologiesthat mitigate the hazards associatedwith wiring failure.

As part of this programme, theFAA, in partnership with theOffice of Naval Research, initiateda study of arc-fault circuit interrup-tion technology, which promises toovercome some of the issuescaused by wiring degradation.

PRINCIPLE

The Arc Fault Circuit Breakersprovide additional protectionagainst arcing conditions in additionto the thermal overload protectionprovided by thermal CBs. ArcFault Circuit Interruption (AFCI)technology monitors the electricalcircuit for arcing events that areindicative of potential wiringissues that could result in a shortcircuit. In essence, the devicekeeps a count of each momentaryinsulation breakdown and breaksthe circuit when the count of theseexceeds a predefined number. Theheating caused by these intermit-tent contacts may be below thenormal rating of a thermal CB.

Arc Fault Circuit Breaker

14

system for dispatch under MELcriteria. So, PDMI can be consid-ered as a virtual Circuit BreakerPanel.

Some PDMI Functions are:

• provide manual overrideON/OFF control of eachSSPC channel,

• secure the open state of SSPCchannels (flag or lock-out),

• provide manual reengagementto tripped channels,

• review configuration statusand load assignment,

• display Built-In-Test Status,• summary of tripped channels

and manually opened channels• sort by ATA chapter,• sort by Power Bus and/or

MMEL,• maintenance status (e.g. name

of operator, maintenanceduration, reason for lock-out).

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The electrical devices protectionsuch as thermal CB, AFCB, orSSPC have the same main basicfunction: ensure protection of aircraftelectrical installations. Whatever thetechnology used, tripped electricaldevices protection should only bereengaged once, if at all, asdescribed above and in theappropriate manuals such as theAMM and TSM.

A relatively new technology –Arc Fault Circuit Interruption (AFCI)technology – has been developed toimprove the overall level of aircraftwiring protection. This newtechnology that is predictive innature, will reduce arcingoccurrences and possible collateraldamage.

At the time of writing the FAA hadnot mandated installation of AFCBsand even though the FAA stronglysupports activities to define Arc FaultDetection CBs, it is expected thatreplacement of conventional circuitbreakers by AFCBs will be up to theairlines.

The sheer size of the A380 andthe significantly greater electricalinstallation has meant thatconventional circuit protectiondevices would take up far too muchspace and be excessively heavy.This has led to the development ofthe Solid State Power Controller,which provides the necessaryprotection, a user-friendly man-machine interface, and severalpossibilities of customisation.

ConclusionCONTACT DETAILS

Jean-Luc BarréAircraft Electrical Installation and Standard ItemsCustomer Services Engineering Tel: +33 (0)5 62 11 82 52Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 25jean-luc.barre@airbus.com

Patrick ScudierAircraft Electrical Installation and Standard ItemsCustomer Services Engineering Tel: +33 (0)5 62 11 06 71Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 25patrick.scudier@airbus.com

3. Tag the CB

4. Warning message when CB has been tagged

Module is part of the electricalpower centre, and is considered asequipment.

The SSPC Module works primarilyas a protection device for the aircraftwiring against overload, and as asystem power supply switch fortechnical operation and load man-agement.

The SSPC has the same function asa circuit breaker, but by using acomparison of a triggering curverather than the traditional mechani-cal tripping function.

So, basically, the SSPC technologycombines the functions of the cir-cuit breaker and relay in classicalelectromechanical technology.

With this new technology, the tripthreshold of the device protection isprogrammable. It also allowsswitching ON/OFF of the loads,and controls and monitors theswitch status.

SSPC cards are customisable forthe cabin loads. For each SSPCchannel, two current ratings areavailable: 3A to 5A and 7.5A to15A with in-between software pro-gramming capability.

Due to the large number of circuitsto protect, it would have been nec-essary to have a huge panel andspace available if classicalelectromechanical technologywere used. This new technologyallows reduction of the man-machine interface whilst savingweight.

POWER DISTRIBUTIONMAINTENANCE INTERFACE (PDMI)

The new SSPC technology allowsa newer maintenance man-machineinterface. One of the functions ofthe Power Distribution Mainte-nance Interface (PDMI) is to allowthe engineer to control the SSPC asa conventional circuit breaker.They may be tripped and tagged topermit maintenance, or to isolate a

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1. Search by CBs in fuel system

2. Select a CB

Example of SSPC maintenance status

4 examples of screen pages displaying the maintenancestatus of the SSPC

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HOW TO TACKLE BLEED AIR LEAKS

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QUALIFICATION TESTING

Two types of qualification testing,(dynamic and static) were imposed:

HOW TO TACKLE BLEED AIR LEAKSHOW TO TACKLE BLEED AIR LEAKS

Patrick GraveGroup Manager

Pneumatics, Ice and Fire ProtectionCustomer Services Engineering

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Leaks from bleed air ducts cause approximately one third of ATA36 operational interruptions. A high proportion of these leaks can be attributed toprevious generation seals. These seals are fitted atnumerous locations in the bleed (ATA36), anti-ice(ATA30) and air conditioning (ATA21) systems.Consequently, the need for a reliable seal is of theutmost importance to the efficient operation of anaircraft.

At the beginning of Airbus operations, bleed air ductswere equipped with a pair of seals with part numbers(PN) NSA8054-08 and PN NSA8054-09, being usedtogether. This type of seal was, at that time, the onlyone available on the market.

Later, as the technology evolved, different seals were proposed. Each were to the latest technology,but never providing the durability desired. The latestin the series was ABS 0737.

To cater for this situation Airbus introduced a periodicseal replacement in the MPD (Maintenance PlanningDocument) to avoid operational interruptions. Inparallel a call for tender was launched with variousseal manufacturers. The primary goal was to find anew seal able to withstand the new qualificationprocess called “accelerated aging test”. This test beinga combination of endurance, temperature and pressureconditions more demanding than those used previouslyand adapted to the latest materials.

Improving durability of seals on hot air ducts

Dynamic qualification testing

Static qualification testing

How to tackle bleed air leaks

DYNAMIC TESTING• Total of 240,000 movement cycles at 24 cycles/minute.• Combination of ±10 mm (0.4 inch) linear and ±3° angular

displacement to simulate wing bending.• 200,000 cycles at 215°C (420°F) and 40,000 cycles at 260°C

(500°F) representing aircraft operation (see illustration below).• One pressure cycle for every two movement cycles, ambient to

4.2bar (61psi) (see illustration above).

STATIC TESTING• Proof pressure 6.2bar (90psi) at 215°C (420°F) for 1 minute.• Burst pressure 13.2bar (190psi) at 215°C (420°F) for 1 minute.

QUALIFICATION RESULT

At the end of this qualification test-ing, only one seal satisfied thequalification criteria (seal A on theillustration Qualification test benchon page 21). That seal being identi-fied as PN ABS1040 is manufac-tured by Advanced Products.

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA• Static leak rate at 4.2bar

(61psi) in cold and hot statewell below maximumallowed.

• No extrusion tendencies.• Minimal wear.• No cracks, extrusion or

deformation after proof andburst test.

The PN ABS1040 seal is made ofPTFE (polytetrafluorethylene), intwo parts:

• the seal is equipped with aspring to keep it expanded,

• a filler ring to reduce the volume of the recess.

PERFORMANCE COMPARISON

Following the qualification test,another test programme was per-formed to compare the performanceof the ABS1040 seals to theABS0737 seals (“back to backtesting”). For that purpose, a specif-ic “back to back” test bench wasdeveloped in order to be able tocompare the performance of thetwo types of seal in real time and insimilar conditions.

Seals were installed on productionducts during the pressure and tem-perature cycles.

Qualification test benches

Leakage per cycle (grams/second)

Leakage

Cycles

Seal A

Seal B

Seal C

Seal D

0.3

0.2

0.1

0

0000

000

0.1

00

0.10

000

0.1

0.10.30

0.1

000

0.1

00.10.10.3

00.30

0.1

00.10

0.1

00.10

0.1

00.20

0.1

00.20

0.1

0.10.30.10.2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

Test performances show:

• the ABS1040 seals provide significant reduction in bleed air leakage compared to theABS0737 seals.

• the ABS1040 seals continueto provide excellent long-term performance while theABS0737 seals degrade over time resulting in steadily deteriorating performance.

IN-SERVICE EVALUATION

Also, before making this new sealavailable for general airline use, itwas decided to perform an in-serviceevaluation to confirm that the testsreflected the real life environment.This evaluation was performed withfive different airlines operating indifferent environmental conditions(Cathay Pacific, Air Macau,Lufthansa, MyTravel and AustrianAirlines) and on two aircraft types(two A330/A340 Family and fourA320 Family).

This evaluation has accumulatedmore than 26,000 flight hours and12,500 flight cycles without anyseal failure or detection of anybleed air leaks, demonstrating thegood behavior of seal ABS1040during aircraft operation

ABS1040 sealsABS1040 seals

ABS0737 sealsABS0737 seals

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ABS1040 sealsABS1040 seals

ABS0737 sealsABS0737 seals

Following the test, the ABS0737 seal showed significant deterioration and erosionwhile the ABS1040 seal remained in excellent condition

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Back to back test bench

ABS0737 ABS1040

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During the life cycle of an aircraft, time, location and requirement of spare parts are notusually plannable.

Therefore on-time delivery of spare parts requiresintegration and management of flexible supply chainsbetween the vendor’s activities and customer’srequirements. The physical distribution of parts,qualified communication and sophisticated

information technology (IT) based monitoringsystems are all key elements involved in harmonisingthe spares related processes, resulting in cost savingsand high transparency. Following these requirementsAirbus Spares Support and Services in Hamburg, asthe headquarters for world-wide spares supply forAirbus aircraft, has developed Customised SparesLogistics (CSL).

CUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICS

CustomisedSpares Logistics

A new Airbus concept basedon supply chain experiences

Andreas TeufelDirector Spares MarketingSpares Support & Services

Helmut DiekhoffManager Customised Spares Logistics

Spares Support & Services

It is clearly evident that Bleed AirLeaks caused by inadequate sealinghave been a continuous cause ofconcern over a number of years.Despite some improvements intechnology standards, seals stillfailed to meet the desired level ofperformance. However, upon thehighly successful completion of the“accelerated aging test”, having theresults of the “back to back test”with the previous bleed sealstandard, and the in-serviceevaluation, it was agreed to selectthe ABS1040 seal for in-service andproduction aircraft.

The new bleed seal incorporatessignificant design improvements dueto both the material change and thenew shape. The seal is made fromTeflon, superseding the traditionalsilicon and the innovative new shapeincorporates a two-part designfeature. As explained in this article,the Teflon material and therevamped design perform

adequately to satisfy therequirements set by the investigationprocess. Airbus now uses theABS1040 seals on new productionaircraft bleed air systems.

Furthermore, it should be noted thatafter installation of the ABS1040seals (mod number in table above)the preventive seal replacementrecommended in the MaintenancePlanning Document (MPD) will becancelled and only the leak checkwill remain. The periodicity of theleak check will be reviewed uponfeedback of in-service experience.

The incorporation of this modificationis highly recommended by Airbussince it is now well demonstratedthat the ABS1040 seal willdramatically improve bleed airsystem performance, bring asignificant reduction in maintenancecosts, and improve aircraft dispatchreliability.

ConclusionCONTACT DETAILS

Patrick GraveGroup Manager, Pneumatics,Ice and Fire ProtectionCustomer Services EngineeringTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 43 13Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 38patrick.grave@airbus.com

RESULTS

From the investigation, it is clearthat seal ABS1040 will bring abouta much-wanted decrease in bleedair leaks.

A Detection Leak LocalisationSystem (DLLS) has been installedon the A340-500, -600 series. It isdedicated to maintenance and sim-plifies troubleshooting so reducingthe amount of time the aircraft isdelayed on the ground. A combina-tion of the DLLS and new sealsshould have a significant impact

and a direct benefit on theOperational Interruption rate.

A direct consequence of the reduc-tion in Operational Interruptions isthe positive effect it will have onthe Direct Maintenance Costs of anaircraft. A reduction in this area isof major importance to airlines andalways sought after. This will bebrought about as a result of theintroduction of ABS1040 seals andby the reduction in the number oftimes the aircraft is grounded dueto bleed leaks.

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This situation causes considerableuncertainty so an increased effort oftracking and tracing of shipments isrequired, particularly for prioritycustomer requests such as AOG(Aircraft on Ground) orders.

Aircraft operators, aware of thesupply chain and delivery risks, areforced to compensate with eitherincreased manpower for trackingand tracing efforts, or increasedand costly spares provisioning andinventory levels.

OBJECTIVE OF CUSTOMISEDSPARES LOGISTICS

The objective of the CustomisedSpares Logistics scheme is to addressthe tracking and tracing problemsdescribed above and bring relief tocustomers by providing updatedinformation about the shipment atany time, and supplied by one singlesource. The customer can then restassured that the shipment will arriveon time with a guaranteed deliveryperformance of 98%.

The performance level is assuredthrough continuous performancemeasurement by Airbus. CustomisedSpares Logistics is focussed on a bal-ance of optimal cost and service, cor-responding to the three strategic goals- safety, aircraft operational reliabilityand reduction of operating costs.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CSL

• Airbus as Single Point of Contactfor the entire supply chain.

• Competitive freight rates due toAirbus and European AeronauticDefense and Space Company(EADS) volume discounts.

• On-line Tracking and Tracingtransparency.

• Customisation of the supplychain, covering all steps frompick up to customs clearance,considering service freightrestrictions, special clauses andexceptions, and defininghandover interfaces.

• Reduction of interfaces throughout the supply chain.

SERVICE SCOPE

Airbus manages dedicated approvedforwarders, negotiating freight rates,steering the complete supply chainup to the point of demand. Priorityshipments like AOG and WSP(Work Stoppage) are monitored ontheir way to the customer. Routine(RTN) shipments are consolidatedto further reduce customers’ costs.Delivery is performed to the agreedlocation and within the agreed time-frame.

ADVANCED TRACKINGAND TRACING ABILITIES

The management of transport isperformed by Airbus and all ship-ments are actively monitored.Additionally the customer has thepossibility to get advanced, mile-stone based, tracking data via theInternet based Airbus Spares Portal,http://spares.airbus.com.

By integrating the web-sites of for-warders and integrators, customersreceive 24h on-line real-time track-ing and tracing information throughthe Airbus Spares Portal. In addi-tion, Airbus monitors each priorityshipment until it arrives at the cus-tomer’s specified final destination,taking into account the specialaerospace logistics requirements.

CUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICSCUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICSCUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICS

SUPPLY CHAIN DRIVINGFORCES

Based on 30 years of experience insupply chain management andlogistics, Airbus Spares is clearlyaware of some weaknesses in theconventional supply chain. The eyeopener was during an Airbus sym-posium when the customers com-plained of a delivery performanceof 66% versus Airbus’ reporteddelivery performance of 98%.

It appears that 30% of the perfor-mance gets lost within the supplychain between the supplier and thecustomer’s final location. The fol-lowing describes what occurs with-in the conventional supply chain:

• Suppliers prepare the shipmentsfor dispatch and hand them overto the customer appointedforwarders. With this hand-over,the shipment passes the socalled “yellow line” of thesuppliers warehouse or airport;this means the supplier is nolonger responsible for theshipment.

• The forwarder who picks up theshipment, is conventionallysubcontracted by the finalcustomer and acts therefore onbehalf of the customer. At this

point the achieved deliveryperformance very muchdepends on the ability of thissubcontracted forwarder toeffectively transport theshipments to the customer.

Here the challenge starts. For eco-nomic and process-related reasonsforwarders tend to consolidateshipments, route them through dis-tribution hubs, subcontract secondor third tier service providers andintegrators, or are requested toconsider service freight for ship-ping customer goods.

This fragmentation of the supplychain in respect to shipmentresponsibility and actual handling,causes the challenges to perfor-mance which customers experi-ence. Each change in responsibili-ty, each hand-over, each interfacewithin the supply chain inherits acertain amount of risk causingshipment delay, transport ineffi-ciency and loss of transparency.

The supplier at the start of the sup-ply chain, as well as the customerat the other end, can lose track ofthe shipment and no longer be ableto determine the current locationof, or estimated arrival of, the ship-ment.

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The “Customised SparesLogistics” concept is theresult of the long-termexperience in aviationlogistics focused oncustomer requirements andthe transport logisticscapability of Airbus SparesSupport and Services.

http://spares.airbus.com

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information on the currentshipment status and location.

• They also experience a reductionin hidden costs, be it throughsavings for not having to investtime and capacity in trackingand tracing of shipments, or be itfor not having to keep extrainventory to compensate forpotential lack of spares due toshipment delays.

• Customers further profit fromthe economies of scale obtainedby Airbus. These economies ofscale lead to competitive freight

rates. The rates are passeddirectly on to customers, leadingto reduced transport costs.

• Since Airbus is responsible forthe delivery of spares and toolsright to customer’s doorstep,there is one single contact forthe entire supply chain, resultingin a continuous increase insupply chain efficiency.

• The whole service is backed-upby regular benchmark studiesand continuous performancemeasurements to ensureoptimised operations.

CUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICS

Customised Spares Logistics (CSL)provides benefits for the entire supplychain. Not only do customers benefit, butalso the suppliers and forwarders are ableto achieve their promised deliveryperformance. The result is leaner supplychains, meaning higher efficiency andless wastage for the entire system.

That can only be of benefit to all!

ConclusionCONTACT DETAILS

Andreas TeufelDirector Spares MarketingSpares Support & Services Tel: +49 (40) 5076 2320Fax: +49 (40) 5076 2155andreas.teufel@airbus.com

Helmut Diekhoff Manager Customised Spares LogisticsSpares Support & Services Tel: +49 (40) 5076 2577Fax: +49 (40) 5076 2626helmut.diekhoff@airbus.com

MATERIAL SCOPE

Customised Spares Logistics canbe used for transportation of anyspares purchased from Airbus. Thisincludes Proprietary Parts, GroundSupport Equipment, tools, andsupplier parts. It also covers deliv-eries from Hamburg as well asdrop-shipments.

LEAD TIME BASEDPRICING CONCEPT

According to geographical zonesdefined by IATA (map below) apriority based lead time and pric-ing concept is applied for theAirbus Customised SparesLogistics concept. Table belowshows the different lead times forshipments ex-Europe to the speci-fied IATA zones.

To get a clear view of the yearlycosts, individual business cases canbe prepared according to the ship-ment structure of each customer.The customer will then receive anindividual commercial proposalbefore entering into the agreement.All invoicing shall be consolidatedand provided on monthly basis.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CSL PROCESS

Initially the current supply chainfor shipments from Airbus andsuppliers to the final customer des-tination will be analysed. Next, acustomised Standard OperationProcedure will be prepared togeth-er with a CSL proposal. This willensure the performance will matchthe agreed lead times, ensure safeprocesses and cost-efficient sparestransport. It includes general con-tractual items and all necessaryoperational details such as respon-sibilities, information requiredregarding customs issues etc. Afteran initial period of operation, usuallybetween three to six months, allrelevant business figures will bereviewed by Airbus together withthe customer.

CUSTOMER ADVANTAGESFROM CSL

Customers benefit from using CSLin various ways:

• They can rely on scheduled delivery times with the addedconvenience of on-line, real-time

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“As far as we are concerned we only see advantages [of using CustomisedSpares Logistics]. Our freight costs arelower, leading to economic benefits.Additionally, Airbus manages thecomplete supply chain in cooperationwith the forwarder, which includes thephysical handling of the shipments aswell as the electronic shipment trackingand coordination. Therefore we do notneed to pay attention to the actual supplyand dispatch of the required spare parts.As a consequence, we have been able todecrease our administrative costs. Weonly notify Airbus Spares Support andServices when we require particularspare parts - that’s all we need to do!”

Martin SchmidtDirector Material & Logistics Austrian Airlines Technik(translated from LOGISTIK inside 17/2003)

CUSTOMER QUOTE

CUSTOMISED SPARES LOGISTICS

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AIRCRAFT SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AIDS AVAILABLE FROM AIRBUSAIRCRAFT SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AIDS AVAILABLE FROM AIRBUS

AIRCRAFT TYPEA330/A340 (all)

A330/A340 (all)

A330/A340-200 & -300

A330/A340-200 & -300

A330/A340 (all)

A330/A340-200 & -300

A330/A340 (all)

A330 (PW/RR)

A330 (GE)

A340-200 & -300

A330/A340-200 & -300

TITLEIDG (Integrated Drive Generator) Servicing Procedure

NBPT Simulation Tool (No Break Power Transfer)

Cargo Loading System (CLS) Operation / Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Cargo Hold Maintenance

Slat / Flap System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Refuel System - Description & Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Hydraulic System Maintenance Practices

Engine Bleed Air System - Operation/Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Engine Bleed Air System - Operation/Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Engine Bleed Air System - Operation/Trouble Shooting Tips

Doors & Escape Slide Control System - Operation/Trouble Shooting Guidelines

ATA24

24

25

25

27

28

29

36

36

36

52

ISSUEJAN 01

2003

2003

SEP 00

FRB 97

JUN 99

2002

APR 02

JUN 02

JUN 99

JAN 04

REFERENCESEE51/953.0616/01

GDCOS-SL343/03

SEE24/949.4902/03

AI/SR S064//00

SEE41/952.0832/97

SEE31/951.1398/99

SEE34/951.2403/02

SEE/949.2963/00

SEE/949.2966/00

SEE23/949.2725/99

SEE23/949.5096/96

A330/A340 Family

TITLELeak Prevention on Hydraulic Tube Fitting

Hydraulic Systems Maintenance Practices

Fuel Tank Maintenance Practices (except A340-500 & -600)

ATA29

29

57

ISSUE2004

APR 02

2002

REFERENCEGDCOS A002/04(sets of 5)

SEE34 951.3026/99

SEA22/943.1409/02

All Aircraft Families

Fleet sizeQuantity supplied

Delivery conditions for pocket size booklets/brochures/leaflets & posters (posters: by set of 5)

1-3

10

4-10

20

11-20

30

21-30

40

31-40

45

41-50

50

> 50

50

Free of charge (beyond these figures, the requested quantities will be delivered upon receipt of a purchase order)

AIRCRAFT TYPEA300-600/A310

A300

A300/A300-600

A300-600

A300

A300

A310

A310

A310

A300-600

A300-600

A310-300/A300-600R

A300/A310/A300-600

A310/A300-600

A310/A300-600

A300B2/B4

TITLEAutoflight System Operation / Troubleshooting Guidelines

Flap System Trouble Shooting Procedure

Flap System / Flap Jamming Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Slat / Flap System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Slat System Jam Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Flap System Jam Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Slat / Flap System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Spoiler Control Computers Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Spoiler Control Computers Trouble Shooting Guidelines (for FEDEX only)

Spoiler Control Computers Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Spoiler Control Computers Trouble Shooting Guidelines (for FEDEX only)

Trim Tank System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Hydraulic System Maintenance Practices

Engine Bleed System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Engine Bleed System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Engine Bleed System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

ATA22

27

27

27

27

27

27

27

27

27

27

28

29

36

36

36

ISSUEAPR 03

DEC 88

MAY 89

FEB 97

FEB 97

FEB 97

MAR 98

AUG 98

AUG 98

AUG 98

AUG 98

NOV 90

MAR 99

APR 90

JUL 02

JUN 02

REFERENCESEE43/952.2636/03

No reference

ST34/0001/89

SEE41-952.0834/97

SEE41-952.0835/97

SEE41-952.0836/97

SEE53-953.1907/98

SEE53-953.4553/98

SEE53/953.6135/98

SEE53-953.4556/98

SEE53-953.6134/98

ST22-948.1341/90

SEE34-951.0684/99

ST23/0002/90

SEE23-949.4691/95

SEE23-949.5177/96

A300/A310 Family

AIRCRAFT TYPEA319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A319

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321*

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

A320

A318/A319/A320/A321

A319/A320/A321

A320

A319/A320/A321

A319/A320/A321

A318/A319/A320/A321

TITLEAir Conditioning Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Avionics Equipment Ventilation Trouble Shooting Guidelines

CIDS (Cabin Intercommunication Display System) Trouble Shooting Guidelines

IDG (Integrated Drive Generator) Servicing Procedure

Slide / Slide Raft Arming / Disarming Procedures (for EASY JET only)

Slide / Slide Raft Arming / Disarming Procedures

Slat / Flap System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Slat / Flap System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Slat / Flap System - System Evolution

Procedure for Re-greasing A320 Flap Actuators

A320 Family Flight Control System - Elevator Rigging

Shark Fin Tool for Easy Flap Adjustment

Hydraulic System Maintenance Practices

AIDS Trouble Shooting Guidelines (for TELEDYNE DMU only)

CFDS - Guidelines for Trouble Shooting using Centralized Fault Display System

Braking and Steering System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Braking and Steering System Trouble Shooting Guidelines(for IAC only)

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ISSUE2002

2002

JAN 99

JAN 01

SEP 03

OCT 03

JAN 90

FEB 97

MAY 97

FEB 98

APR 03

JAN 00

MAY 99

JUN 89

FEB 96

FEB 03

DEC 97

JUN 02

APR. 03

MAY 02

REFERENCESEE22/949.8283/97

SEE22/949.7305/99

SEE41/952.0797/99

SEE51/953.0616/01

SEE21/949.7706/03

SEE21/949.9098/03

ST34/993.396/89

SEE41/952.0831/97

SEE41/952.2528/97

No reference

GDCOS-S097/03 Issue 2004

SEE5959.0073/00

SEE34/951.1497/99

ST33/0004/89

SE54/953.1211/96

SEE32/957.0519/03Twin gear

SEE32/957.4606/97Bogie gear

SEE23/949.0229/95

SEE21/949.3269/03

SEE5 956.0214/02

A320 Family

Engine Bleed Air System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Vacuum Toilet System Trouble Shooting Guidelines

Passenger Door Operation & Maintenance

1 Videotape/1 CD is free of charge for each company.CDs are sold by set of 3 irrespective of fleet size.

Aircraft System Maintenance Aids available from Airbus

(*) In addition to this document, the "SLAT/FLAP SYSTEM – EVOLUTION" brochure is distributed to detail the component and part number

evolution versus modification embodiment.

Free of charge quanties are provided in accordancewith fleet size. Additional quanties are at pricesreflected in the “Airbus Customer Services Catalog”(Session 2, paragraph 2.1.2 - “Maintenance andEngineering”).A purchase order form is provided in the Catalog.

Requests and associated purchase order are to besent to the following address:

Fabienne BaronAIRBUS S.A.S.Engineering Services - SEE5 Department1, rond-point Maurice-Bellonte31707 BLAGNAC CedexFranceTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 47 40Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 25fabienne.baron@airbus.com

Brochure

Video

CD

Poster

This information is taken from SIL00-032 dated march 2004.In the event of any conflict the text of the SIL applies

In May 2003, the International CivilAviation Organization (ICAO)Council initiated a twofold Action

Plan for the introduction of New Large Aircraft (NLA) into international

civil aviation service.

The first step was to publish a Circular on NLAoperations at existing airports to provide States with information concerning airports facilities andservices, air traffic management and flightoperations, which should be considered foraccommodating NLA operations at existing airports.Secondly, a review will be undertaken of the currentAnnex 14, Aerodromes Volume I, code F provisions,including their underlying basis, considering theresults of studies within and outside ICAO.

Most States which are willing to accommodate A380 operations at their airports, and noticeablyStates having potential alternate airports, may lack the background information and internationalworking relationship which seems necessary for theapplication of the ICAO Circular on NLA operations. In line with the ICAO decision, an NLA InformationForum website (below) has been created, hosted bythe European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC).The aim of the website is to provide an easy, time-saving and informative access to all thedocumentation relevant to NLA. It will facilitate the exchange of information between States’administrations, international organisations, airports,airlines, research organisations and industry.

A380 ACCOMMODATION AT AIRPORTSFA

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This website will be further developed and kept up to date on a continuous basis:

http://www.ecac-ceac.org/nla-forum.

A380 accommodation at airports

AIRBUS CUSTOMER SERVICES EVENTS

SUPPLIER SUPPORT SYMPOSIUMToulouse, France, 2-3 March

The event brought together 160 representatives fromengine manufacturers, major suppliers, BFE suppliers,small suppliers and distributors. It generated much interest amongst the supplier support community, whothanked Airbus for organising such an event to sharewith them details of Airbus recent developments, expec-tations from them and vision for the future.

A330/A340 TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUMAthens, Greece, 14-18 June

Working sessions began on Monday morning and continued through Friday midday. The sessions, as usual,comprised presentations based on actual service issuesaffecting the A330/A340 programmes as well as subjectsof more general interest. Awards for operational excel-lence were made to Lufthansa, Lan Chile, Korean Airlines and Srilankan Airlines.

3RD SPARES LOGISTICS CONFERENCEHamburg, Germany, 15-16 June

This event was the traditional gathering of Airbus customers, suppliers, forwarders and representatives ofother industries to discuss expert views and concepts,plus share experience on supply chain logistics.Amongst a wide spectrum of logistical aspects, the eventfocused on the Airbus service of Customised SparesLogistics, CSL.

HUMAN FACTORS SYMPOSIUMNew Delhi, India, 14-16 SeptemberSeoul, Korea, 23-25 November

Airbus will continue the dialogue with its operators atthis forum, discussing human factors aspects with prac-tical and operational perspectives.

AIRBUS SPARES & SUPPLIER SERVICES REGIONAL SYMPOSIUMPuerto Vallarta, Mexico, 25-28 October

This event focuses on the latest developments related tospares support and services for all Airbus customers ofthe Americas. The conference follows the theme“Reducing cost through supply chain partnerships”.

WARRANTY CONFERENCEToulouse, France, 30 November-2 December

This event will be the second concerning Airbus warranty processes. A significant number of suppliersare expected to participate to address open issues andpositively exchange ideas for the benefit of all partiesinvolved.

7TH TRAINING SYMPOSIUMBangkok, Thailand, 6-10 December

This event will continue with the two separate eventsspecific to Maintenance Training and Flight CrewTraining introduced with the 6th symposium, withwhich, generally speaking, attendees were highly satisfied and both events were perceived as beneficialand well organised.

Just happened

Coming soon

Customer Services events

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FROM THE ARCHIVES 100 YEARS AGO...

100 years ago, on 20 September 1904, the Wright brothers made the firsthuman flight of more than one kilometre.

Only 25 years later Maitland and Hegenberger made the first successfulflight from San Francisco to Hawaii in a Fokker F-VII trimotor. Their flightcovered 3890km.

The following year, the Australian, Charles Kingsford-Smith, also in aFokker F-VIIb with three Wright 230hp engines, made the first crossing ofthe Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Brisbane and then on to Sydney.A flight of some 12,000km in three legs via Hawaii and Suva.

The “Southern Cross” on arrival in Hawaï on 1st June 1928

Captain Charles Kingsford-Smithwith his fellow crew members.

From left to right, J.W. Warner, radio operator, First Officer Ulm and navigator H.W. Lyons.

Three months later he made the first flight from Australiato New Zealand.

In the following two years,Kingsford-Smith continued tomake the first round the worldflight via India, London andNew York arriving back at San Francisco in the sameFokker VIIb. A round trip ofsome 54,000km.

Fokker at this time was thelargest aircraft manufacturer in the world with factories inEurope and the USA. Howeverthe success did not last.Fokker was overtaken byDouglas Aircraft Companywho had more modernproducts. However DouglasAircraft became insolvent in1967. Fokker were declaredbankrupt in 1996 and thecompany was finally woundup in May 2004.

Customer Support CentresTraining centresSpares centres / Regional warehousesResident Customer Support Managers (RCSM)

ARTICLE

RCSM location Country

Macau S.A.R. ChinaMadrid SpainManchester United KingdomManila PhilippinesMauritius MauritiusMemphis United States of AmericaMexico City MexicoMilan ItalyMinneapolis United States of AmericaMonastir TunisiaMontreal CanadaMoscow RussiaMumbai IndiaNanchang ChinaNanjing ChinaNew Castle AustraliaNew York United States of AmericaNingbo ChinaNoumea New CaledoniaPalma de Mallorca SpainParis FrancePhiladelphia United States of AmericaPhoenix United States of AmericaPittsburgh United States of AmericaPort of Spain Trinidad and TobagoQingdao ChinaQuito EcuadorRome ItalySan Francisco United States of AmericaSan Salvador El SalvadorSantiago ChileSao Paulo BrazilSeoul South KoreaShanghai ChinaSharjah United Arab EmiratesShenzhen ChinaShenyang ChinaSingapore SingaporeSydney AustraliaTaipei TaiwanTashkent UzbekistanTehran IranTokyo JapanToronto CanadaTulsa United States of AmericaTunis TunisiaValetta MaltaVentiane LaosVerona ItalyVienna AustriaWashington United States of AmericaXi'an ChinaZurich Switzerland

CUSTOMER SUPPORT AROUND THE CLOCK... AROUND THE WORLD

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Customer support

RCSM location Country

Abu Dhabi United Arab EmiratesAlgiers AlgeriaAmman JordanAmsterdam NetherlandsAthens GreeceAuckland New ZealandBandar Seri Begawan BruneiBangalore IndiaBangkok ThailandBeirut LebanonBrussels BelgiumBuenos Aires ArgentinaCairo EgyptCasablanca MoroccoCharlotte United States of AmericaChengdu ChinaColombo Sri LankaCopenhagen DenmarkDalian ChinaDamascus SyriaDelhi IndiaDenver United States of AmericaDerby United KingdomDetroit United States of AmericaDhaka BangladeshDoha QatarDubai United Arab EmiratesDublin IrelandDuluth United States of AmericaDusseldorf GermanyFrankfurt GermanyFlorence ItalyGuangzhou ChinaHangzhou ChinaHanoi VietnamHelsinki FinlandHong Kong S.A.R. ChinaIndianapolis United States of AmericaIstanbul TurkeyJakarta IndonesiaJinan ChinaJohannesburg South AfricaKarachi PakistanKatowice PolandKuala Lumpur MalaysiaKuwait city KuwaitLanzhou ChinaLarnaca CyprusLisbon PortugalLondon United KingdomLouisville United States of AmericaLos Angeles United States of AmericaLuton United Kingdom

WORLDWIDEJean-Daniel Leroy VP Customer SupportTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 35 04Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 41 01

USA/CANADAPhilippe BordesSenior Director Customer SupportTel: +1 (703) 834 3506Fax: +1 (703) 834 3464

CHINARon BollekampDirector Customer SupportTel: +86 10 804 86161Fax: +86 10 804 86162 / 63

RESIDENT CUSTOMER SUPPORT ADMINISTRATIONJean-Philippe GuillonDirector Resident Customer Support AdministrationTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 31 02 Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 49 64

TECHNICAL, SPARES, TRAININGAirbus has its main Spares centre in Hamburg, and regional warehouses in Frankfurt, Washington D.C., Beijing and Singapore.

Airbus operates 24 hours a day every day.AOG Technical and Spares calls in North America should be addressed to: Tel: +1 (703) 729 9000Fax: +1 (703) 729 4373

AOG Technical and Spares calls outside North America should be addressed to:Tel: +49 (40) 50 76 3001/3002/3003Fax: +49 (40) 50 76 3011/3012/3013

Airbus Training centre Toulouse, FranceTel: +33 (0)5 61 93 33 33Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 20 94

Airbus Training subsidiariesMiami, USA - FloridaTel: +1 (305) 871 36 55Fax: +1 (305) 871 46 49Beijing, ChinaTel: +86 10 80 48 63 40 Fax: +86 10 80 48 65 76

AIRBUS TECHNICAL AOG CENTER (AIRTAC)Tel: +33 (0)5 61 93 34 00Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 35 00support.airtac@airbus.com

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