INTEGRATION OF AVIONICS TROUBLESHOOTING SYSTEM WITH INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC TECHNICAL MANUALS

This paper describes the integration of the Avionics Troubleshooting System (ATS) with Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs). The two systems are advanced hardware/software systems, developed for the purpose of enhancing the process of producing and maintaining sophisticated air vehicle systems. The ATS is a hardware and software system used to fault isolate integrated avionic systems. IETMs are electronic maintenance manuals used on computers, that allow for access to all required technical information for helicopter systems. Each system was first developed independently. In late 1992, the effort to integrate the two systems began. The purpose of the integration is to provide shop and field maintenance technicians the ability to run interactive avionic systems tests, and to have access to all required technical information. This combination will allow for a dramatic reduction in the effort required to test and troubleshoot avionic system faults and fewer false removals of expensive avionics assets. The integrated ATS/IETM will be fielded as early as 1993 on a Personal Computer system. It will be used both in the factory and in the field at the aircraft by technicians as a valuable troubleshooting tool.