Avionics - April 2010

FAA issued an airworthiness directive (AD) March 11 requiring operators of the Airbus A320 family to update software in their traffic collision avoidance systems (TCAS) following two near mid-air collisions.

The directive, effective April 15, requires U.S. operators of the estimated 564 aircraft to upgrade their electronic instrument system software to V60, which introduces modifications to the vertical speed indication to further improve legibility in the case of TCAS Resolution Advisory. The modification consists of a change in the needle color and thickness and an increase in width of the TCAS green band. European regulators adopted the same rule in November 2008.

“One of the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) factors was the lack of visibility of relevant information on the Primary Flight Display. This condition, if not corrected, could result in erroneous interpretation of TCAS Resolution Advisories, leading to an increased risk of mid-air collision,” the AD states.

FAA estimates the modification will cost U.S. operators about $8.3 million, or $14,800 per aircraft.

Southwest Software

Teledyne Controls, El Segundo, Calif., will supply its LoadStar Server Enterprise (LSE) software and PMAT 2000 Portable Maintenance Access Terminal to support data distribution and loading across the Southwest Airlines fleet.

Southwest will use the software and
30 PMAT 2000 systems to configure and
distribute Loadable Software Parts (LSP)

on its Boeing 737s at 26 maintenance locations. The deployment of the system was completed in January.

Teledyne’s LSE software manages electronic LSP distribution and data collection to and from data loaders and airborne servers through airline networks, WiFi and cellular links.

When used with PMAT 2000 systems, LSE distributes LSPs to the PMAT 2000

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Maintenance Penalties

FAA in March proposed three civil penalties totaling $787,500 against American Airlines for maintenance violations.

The largest penalty — $625,000 — is for deferred maintenance of a central air data computer (CADC). According to FAA, American Airlines mechanics in April 2008 diagnosed problems with one of two air-data computers on a McDon-nell Douglas MD-82.

“Instead of replacing the computer, mechanics improperly deferred this maintenance under the airline’s DC- 9 Minimum Equipment List (MEL) by noting that the auto-throttles were inoperative. The MEL, however, does not allow deferral of an inoperative CADC,” FAA states.

The airline subsequently flew the
plane on 10 passenger flights before the
computer was replaced, the agency said.

Two other violations relate to an airworthiness directive involving the inspection of rudder components on certain Boeing 757s, and a logbook error following B-check maintenance on a MD-82 that was returned to service. American Airlines was given 30 days from receipt of the civil penalty letter to respond to FAA.