COMPONENT OBSOLESCENCE MANAGEMENT FOR ROTORCRAFT AVIONICS EQUIPMENT

The electronic components obsolescence problem, also called diminished manufacturing sources, components unavailability, or parts obsolescence, is approaching crisis proportions for low volume complex electronics systems manufacturers, which include the military, aerospace and medical industries. Today’s electronic component manufacturers are concentrating on volume-driven electronic products, such as computer, consumer, and telecommunications products, which are primarily designed for office and other benign applications, which generally have shorter design, production, and service lifetimes. The impacts of this phenomenon on the rotorcraft industry, and other sectors of the military and civil aerospace industry as well, are particularly profound and require an immediate and vigorous response. This paper will define the various facets of the problem and will provide some recommended solutions on how to deal with component obsolescence problems in rotorcraft avionics equipment.