Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology

TOPIC 1 :
TYPICAL ELECTRONIC /
DIGITAL AIRCRAFT
SYSTEM
 INTRODUCTION

• The term avionics is a contraction of aviation electronics; digital

avionics is that part of the avionics field concerned with digital,
usually computerized, technology. This is an important field because
modern aircraft use digital avionics extensively for a wide variety of
applications. Modern autopilots, for example, are sophisticated
devices capable of reducing pilot workload dramatically. With a few
rare exceptions, autopilots are completely computerized.

• In practice, most cockpit functions are computerized. In recent

years, computer age technology has largely replaced older, electro-
mechanical approaches. Where once aircraft cockpit displays were
mostly mechanical dials and graphics, these systems have quickly
given way to glass cockpits—ones in which displays are presented
on monitors similar to those found on personal computers.
 Digital Aircraft Systems

• Modern aircraft employs digital electronic technology in their design

to manage and control the aircraft systems and performance
compare by analog systems.
- Greater reliability.
- Faster response.
- Lighter equipment.
- Lower operating costs.

• The impact of computer technology has made analog controls using

mechanical elements being replaced by electronics and digital
controls.

• The fly-by-wire concepts involved electrical signals through

cables/wires controlling the servo movements of various aircraft
control elements rather than control cables and hydraulic systems.
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• Digital aircraft systems also revolutionized the conventional

electromechanical displays with modern CRT or LCD displays in the
cockpit layout.

• Modern autopilots, for example, are sophisticated devices capable

of reducing pilot workload dramatically. With a few rare exceptions,
autopilots are completely computerized.

• The Glass Cockpit environment allows various aircraft systems and

monitoring information being digitally displayed on the LCDs or
CRTs to relieve pilots from scanning through various indicators.
 Basic Computers
• Basic digital computer
provides its outputs by DATA
processing the inputs and/or
data using its executed
programs.

• The advancement in digital INPUTS DIGITAL OUTPUTS

computer technology are now COMPUTER
being applied into various
aircraft avionics systems
through many dedicated
function avionics computer.
PROGRAMS
 Aircraft Computers
Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology

• Aircraft digital computers

perform the same operations
as basic computer.
INPUTS
• Sensors, Radio Signals
• Keypads (Pilot Inputs)
OUTPUTS
• Displays, Indicators
• Control Signals
DATA
• Avionics Data
PROGRAMS
• Specific Purpose
• ACARS, AIDS, TMC,
FCCS
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• PROGRAMS
- Tell the computer what rules to follow to perform its tasks.

• INPUTS DATA
- On tape or via radio provide periodically updated information with
respect to the location of all Navigation Stations, VOR, DME, and
various Flight Path information.

• The first computers used on aircraft was for calculations of AIR DATA from
the Barometric Air Pressure sensors.
- It provide Altitude, Airspeed and Rate of Climb.
- This computer is called the CENTRAL AIR DATA COMPUTER or
CADC.

• Other computers were Mechanical and later Electromechanical, followed by

Electronic Analog Computers and Digital Computers.
Flight Management Computer
Avionics Computers

CMU

DFDAU
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CMU

HF COMM
Boeing 737-6/7/8/9 (NG)
Boeing 747-400
Boeing 777-200
 Boeing 777-200
Capt. Capt. Mode Control Standby Airspeed MFD FO
Attitude Standby FO
Clock EFIS DSP Panel (MCP) Indicator Control Clock
Indicator Altimeter EFIS DSP
(ASI)

Capt. PFD EICAS FO CDU FO PFD

Capt. CDU Upper
EICAS
Capt. ND FO ND
Lower
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Airbus 340
 Airbus 380
Onboard Display Selector Display Selector
Auto Flight Onboard
Information Panel (DSP) Panel (DSP)
System Information
Capt. EFIS F/O EFIS
Terminal (OIT) (AFS Terminal (OIT)
Control Control

Standby
Standby
Integrated
ND
Instrument

Capt. F/O
Side Side
Stick Stick

Capt. Engine / Warning F/O

PFD Radio Mngmt. Display (EWD) PFD
Panel (RMP) ECAM
Capt. Capt. F/O F/O
ND MFD System Display Radio Mngmt. MFD ND
(SD) ECAM Panel (RMP)
Augusta A109-E
Apache Longbow
EC 145
AW 139
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BITE
(Built In Test Equipment)
 General

• BITE is an acronym for Built In Test Equipment.

• ARINC 423 - Guidance For Design and Use of BITE
• The BITE is characterized primarily as a passive fault management
and diagnosis built into airborne systems to support the
maintenance process.

• Similar used acronyms: -

BIST - Build In Self Test
BIT - Built In Test

• When BITE is used in flight, a fault will cause the BITE system to
switch to an alternative mode or equipment that still operates.

• Almost all avionics now incorporate BITE to minimize the aircraft

time on the ground (downtime) needed for repair.
 BITE checks generally occur at three levels:
• Firstly, when power is applied to the system, a check is carried out to test system
integrity.
• Secondly, BITE checks are carried out continuously during operation of the
equipment sometimes called background bite.
• Thirdly, BITE checks may be initiated by maintenance personnel for fault-finding or
other maintenance purposes.

BITE checks can detect the following faults:

• invalid software
• antenna failure
• receiver failure
• corrupt navigation data base
• GPS oscillator drift
• clock failure
• processor failure
• internal communication failure, for example, failure of internal processors to
communicate with each other
• I/O failure
• failure of input data (eg altitude, TAS).
Troubleshooting Digital Circuits
• Logic troubleshooting technique.
- Employs a flowchart of ‘logical’ faults and repairs for a
given system.
- Can be applied to both digital and analog systems.
- YES or NO logical situation question which will direct
towards correct means of repair.
- Use of LRUs with specific computer function in aircraft
design made this technique very useful.

• In digital circuit design, the YES and NO has been translated

into self troubleshooting to detect, isolate faults and to verify
repair.
- Built In Self Test (BIST); or -
BITE
 Purpose

• To assist the user to properly maintaining the

aircraft systems in both fault isolation and
verification of system operation in the most ‘cost
effective manner’.

• Isolate failing LRUs, then removed and repaired

elsewhere.

• This information may also be accessed to assist

with the investigation of an accident or incident.
 Functions
• Fault Detection
- Performed continuously during system operation.

• Fault Isolation
- BITE initiate signals to isolate defective components once defect
is sensed.
- Technician may access the BITE and identify the faulty
components.

• Verification
- Operational check run through by the system after repair.
- Monitor and verify correct operation after properly repaired.
 Test Programs
• Operational Test
- Operational checks the systems upon initialization of the
systems. (Power Up)
- BITE programs performed check of input signals, protection and
control circuitry.
- In normal operation, BITE monitors and detects hardware faults or
excessive signal distortion which may cause faults.
- Once failure detected, BITE perform isolation of the components,
and initiates warning, caution or advisory.
- BITE shall records these faults in its non-volatile memory.

• Maintenance Test
- Can access only when the aircraft is on the ground.
- Provides ground maintenance the operational status of the
systems.
- If faults detected, an indication will be provided for further
maintenance actions.
 Automatic BITE

• BITE design that continuously assesses

the health of the system.

• When failure is detected, the BITE

provides a latching type ‘fault indication’
on the front panel of the main LRU.
- Provides indication of which LRU to be
replaced.
 Types of Failure
• Passive Failure
- Failures that are not normally indicated to the flight crew.
- A well designed system should eliminate all potential passive
failures.
• Active Failure
- Failures that are directly indicated to either the flight crew or the
maintenance/ground crew.
Hard Failure
- Failures that actually result in a performance change of
the operating systems.
- LRU component failures, aircraft wiring failure, or related
systems failure.
Soft Failure
-Failures that may be found by the flight crew or
maintenance crew as system or LRU failures but cause
no immediate changes in system performance.
-- BITE faults, non-essential component failures.
 BITE v/s Failure Warning
• BITE
- BITE is a line maintenance function, in which the technician
needs to determine which LRU to replace and to verify the
serviceability of the system.
- BITE often provides the line maintenance technician with more
detailed information than the flight crew needs or can effectively
use.

• Failure Warning
- Failure warning is part of monitoring functions intended to alert
the flight crew when a failure has been detected in an aircraft
system during actual flight operations.
- This is a cockpit function primarily to identify when a system or
function is not serviceable.
 BITE v/s Failure Warning

• Many times, the BITE and Failure Warning share the

same logic complexity and use the same circuitry for the
fault isolation and system verification functions.

• BITE can make greater use of test signals for exercising

the aircraft systems on the ground.

• BITE also has control interlocks as a positive safeguard

to insure that operation of such circuitry should not occur
inadvertently during flight.
 ADVANTAGES

• As primary purpose of BITE is to assist

maintenance on such system in cost
effective manner, it provides benefits in
the following area.
 Improvements in the quality of maintenance.
 Reduction in the overall cost of maintenance.
 Simplification of procedures and training for
maintenance.
 A reduction in the unconfirmed removal
rate.
Minimize on airplane maintenance time.
 Application of BITE

• Line Maintenance
- Ground maintenance BITE specifically designed for the line
maintenance functions.
• Fault detection and isolation down to the LRU.
• Verification of proper systems operation after maintenance
action before release to service.

• Line and Shop Maintenance

- Secondary function of BITE as to store information concerning
detected failure.
- Some systems employ in-flight continuous monitoring/
maintenance monitoring.
- The stored data can be used by maintenance for isolating
difficult in-flight problems.
- The non-volatile storage allow the maintenance shop to expedite
the testing and repair of the LRU.
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To initiate BITE tests, maintenance personnel will go to the maintenance index

page and line select RETURN TO SERVICE. Figure shows the page will be
displayed indicating the BITE test is running.
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Figure below shows the results if the system passes the BITE test
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• Failures will be displayed to the flight crew or maintenance

personnel: for example, Figure shows a BITE history page, listing
faults found.