Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) www.sassofia.com considers aspects of the Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems (EAPAS).
Introduction
The EAPAS is designed to enhance current airplane systems airworthiness programs at operator facilities, repair stations, and manufacturing plants based on data-driven initiatives developed under the Aging Transport Non-Structural Systems Plan.
The EAPAS implementation plan is organized into six major categories covering design, certification and maintenance of transport airplanes:
- Training
- Maintenance
- Design
- Research and Development
- Wire Reporting
- Information Sharing and Outreach
Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems/Fuel Tank Safety (EAPAS)
In part, it requires DAH to develop Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA).
- Aging Airplane Safety Rule (AASR) ā Requires DAH to develop damage-tolerant inspection instructions for continued airworthiness.
- Fuel Tank Flammability (FRM) ā Requires DAH to develop flammability exposure analyses of the fuel tank.
- High-risk fuel tanks require a new design and ICA.
- Widespread Fatigue Damage (WFD) ā Requires DAH to establish a Limit of Validity of the engineering data that supports the maintenance program.
Background
- During the Late 1980s, wiring safety concerns were raised due to accidents & incidents.
- Investigations found common degrading factors in airplane electrical wiring systems.
- Investigation into wiring issues done by industry, civil aviation authorities, other government agencies.
Aging Wiring & EZAP
- āAgingā wire systems encompasses more than physical and chemical degradation.
- Inadequate maintenance/repair or contamination to particular wiring systems is likely to occur/increase over time.
- What is an EZAP? (Enhanced Zonal Analysis Procedure)
o An analytical procedure required by Part 25, Appendix H, Section H25.5(a)(1) that Identifies the physical & environmental conditions contained in each zone of an airplane,
o Analyzes the effects of these conditions on electrical wiring and components, and
o Assesses the possibilities for smoke and fire.
The end result of the analysis is inspection and restoration tasks in the form of EWIS ICA.
- Details on how an EZAP is done is provided in AC 25-27, āDevelopment of Transport Category Airplane EWIS ICA Using an EZAPā.
Wiring is affected by:
- Design
- Maintenance
- Operation
- Training
- Repair
- Installation
- Environment
- Awareness
- Abuse
- Time
Current Situation & Understanding
- Previous regulations fell short of providing specific wiring-related requirements.
- These specific wiring-related requirements needed to be included in certification and operational regulations.
FAA is ā Treating wiring as a system ā Mandating DAH support of the initiative ā Integrating FAA lines of business: joint AFS/AIR activity; and cooperation with & between DAHs and operators.
EWIS Definition An EWIS is [per new 25.1701(a)]: Any wire, wiring device, or combination of these, including termination devices, installed in any area of the airplane for the purpose of transmitting electrical energy between two or more intended termination points.
Key Point to Remember . . .Ā Wire and associated components now treated as an airplane system.
FAA Part 25 / CS 25
- New part 25 requirements for certification of electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) ā Revises existing EWIS related certification requirements and relocates some of them ā Creates new EWIS certification requirements and places them in a new subpart H.
- New EWIS ICA requirements.
DAH Roles & Responsibilities
Design Approval Holder (DAH) The holder of any design approval, including:
- Type certificate (TC),
- Amended TC,
- Supplemental type certificate (STC),
- Amended STC . . .
DAH Rule Purpose & Scope
Affects continued airworthiness issues and/or safety improvements for transport airplanes addressed via operational rules:
- Supports the ability of operators to comply with the operational rule requirements.
- May apply to TC, STC holders, and certain applicants, as appropriate.
- May Require actions of DAHs, such as:
o Compliance plan,
o Design changes (although not required by EAPAS),
o Instructions for continued airworthiness,
o Distribution of information to affected operators.
FAA / EASA Approval
FAA Approval of Compliance Plan:
- Approval of compliance plan is retained by FAA, following recommendation for approval made by EASA.
- If the proposed plan complies with Ā§ 26.11(e), EASA, on behalf of FAA, will inform DAH of approval.
- If the Proposed Plan is NOT Acceptable EASA, on behalf of the FAA, will:
o Identify deficiencies.
o Notify DAH of deficiencies by letter.
o Work with DAH expeditiously to identify mutually acceptable corrections.
If the revised plan is acceptable, EASA, on behalf of the FAA, will inform DAH of that approval, by letter.
EWIS ICA
EWIS ICA Requirements for Ā§ 26.11:
- Must be developed in accordance with part 25, Appendix H, paragraphs H25.5(a)(1) and (b).
- EWIS ICA developed using an EZAP per H25.5(a)(1).
o Documentation of the EIWS ICA per H25.5(b)
- Appendix H, Paragraph 25.5(b) EWIS ICA must be:
o In document appropriate for information to be provided,
o Easily recognizable as EWIS ICA,
o Document must contain required EWIS ICA or
o Specifically reference other portions of the ICA that contain this information.
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Tags:
DAH, EWIS ICA, EASA Approval, Design Approval Holder (DAH), FAA Part 25 / CS 25, Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems (EAPAS), EAPAS, Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Aeroplanes Systems Considerations (EAPAS), Airworthiness Program, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA), ICA, aviation, FAA Approval, CS 25, SAS blogs, EASA regulatory compliant, Part 21, EZAP, FAA, Airworthiness, EWIS, Electrical Wiring Interconnect Systems (EWIS
