FAA Plan Raises "Safety Bar" on Aircraft Wiring

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today
unveiled a broad new initiative designed to enhance the continued
safety of aircraft wiring systems from their design and installation
through their retirement.

The FAA based its Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane
Systems (EAPAS) on results from an intensive data-gathering
effort on aircraft wiring systems done in cooperation with industry.
EAPAS combines a variety of near- and longer-term actions into a
plan to increase awareness of wiring system degradation,
implement improved procedures for wiring maintenance and
design, and spread that information throughout the aviation
community.

The FAA's overall Aging Transport Non-Structural Systems
program, an effort begun in October 1998, is an expansion of the
agency's Aging Aircraft Program. The systems program, modeled
after the very successful aging structures program started more
than a decade ago, looks into wiring systems (i.e., connectors,
wiring harnesses, and cables) and is now reviewing mechanical
systems.

"Thanks to congressional support, the FAA leads the way in
research to raise the safety bar on aircraft systems," said FAA
Administrator Jane F. Garvey. "Our partnership with industry and
the academic community has helped us develop a comprehensive
plan for wire system safety."

In 1999, Administrator Garvey created a formal advisory group
called the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory
Committee (ATSRAC). The committee is made up of
representatives from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, user groups,
aerospace and industry associations, and government agencies.

Under ATSRAC auspices, a series of data-gathering efforts
studied both in-service and retired commercial airliners in the first
systematic effort to look at the state of aircraft wiring. The data
showed that wire degradation and failure could have multiple
causes, and were not solely related to age. ATSRAC synthesized
the data and made recommendations to the FAA last January.
EAPAS is the agency's plan to act on those results and
recommendations while simultaneously implementing the agency's
own strategies for improved wire system safety.

The near-term elements of the EAPAS plan are designed to
accomplish rapid safety improvements based on existing, fully
analyzed data. These actions, which are now mostly complete,
include:

幌ssential corrective actions such as airworthiness directives
感romoting adoption of better wiring maintenance procedures
though a "lessons learned" document from aircraft manufacturers
to operators
意ew training and guidance materials for FAA inspectors and
engineers
惹haring information with industry and worldwide civil aviation
authorities

Longer-term actions in the EAPAS plan are intended to
"institutionalize" management of aircraft wiring systems by
revising existing federal regulations concerning design,
certification, maintenance and continued airworthiness of aircraft
wiring systems. This effort would include:

感roposing a Special Federal Aviation Regulation to mandate the
development of an enhanced inspection program
感roposing regulatory changes to enhance maintenance programs
for systems
嵯eveloping advisory materials that define an aging systems
maintenance and training program
感roposing changes to certification regulations to specifically
address wiring systems

EAPAS' longer-term actions also will improve reporting and
analysis of wire problems and foster research and development in
the areas of arc fault circuit breakers, automated wire inspection
tools, wire separation and wire performance.