Aircraft Onboard Maintenance Systems

M13.
10
On Board Maintenance System
ATA 45
Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 1

13.10 On Board Maintenance Sys
Content
• On Board Maintenance Systems (ATA45)
• Central maintenance computers;
• Data loading system;
• Electronic library system;
• Printing;
• Structure monitoring (damage tolerance monitoring).
• Health Usage Monitoring System
Revision 00 Issue 01
Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 2
• The purpose of an Onboard Maintenance System (OMS)
is to assist in troubleshooting and maintenance of an
integrated digital avionic system on an aircraft.
• There are many different OMS in use on modern
aircraft, ranging from a simple magnetic indicator on an
LRU, to complex systems that allow engineers to
connect laptop computers to download system
parameters and fault data.
• The integrated avionic system incorporates a support
tool known as ’Integrated Maintenance Test’ (IMT). It
provides the test of the system, subsystems, detection
of faults stored in the fault warning computer and
download of fault reports for analysing with special
equipment (analysing software).
• OMS allows troubleshooting of systems and
subsystems, enables testing of systems Integrated
Maintenance Test (IMT), provides fault codes and
provides download functions for fault recordings.
• This System is called Central Maintenance Computing
System (CMCS).
• It collects and stores maintenance data for most of the
airplane systems.
• The Maintenance Access Terminal (MAT) or Portable
Maintenance Access Terminal (PMAT)/Laptop
Maintenance Access Terminal (LMAT) shows the data.
• Menu selections on the MAT give access to
maintenance functions based on type of task.
Old System Test
Revolution of OBMS

MCDU

B777 CMCS
• The CMCS primary functions are fault processing,
Testing and Data loading.
• The CMCS also does the functions of Fault history,
Input monitoring, Configuration reporting, Shop
faults, Engine balancing, Proximity Sensor Electronic
Unit and air/ground rigging and Report generation.
• CMCS also monitors flight deck effect (FDE) activity.
• The CMCS matches, or correlates, applicable FDEs
and maintenance messages.
• Flight deck effects (FDEs) show on the primary
display tell the flight and ground crews the conditions
of a system or function loss which requires repair or
deferral of the airplane system for safe operation.
Flight Deck Effect
• Example of FDE are EICAS messages, PFD flags, ND flags,
EICAS snapshots and Scheduled maintenance tasks.
• The ground crew must find the cause of FDE to find the
corrective action. They use this information along with
Fault Isolation Manual (FIM) and Airplane Maintenance
Manual (AMM) to isolate airplane faults.
• Maintenance messages supply the ground crew with
detailed fault information to help in troubleshooting.
• If an airplane system, systems monitor finds a fault, it will
send maintenance message data to the CMCS
• CMCS has logic that makes a relation between
maintenance messages and FDEs.
• If an airplane system, systems monitor finds a fault, it will send
maintenance message data to the CMCS
• CMCS has logic that makes a relation between maintenance messages
and FDEs.
• When an FDE occurs and the CMCS receives a maintenance message
that has a relation to the FDE, the CMCS correlates the FDE to the
message.
• MAT communicates with the CMCF in the Airplane Information
Management System (AIMS) cabinets through two fibre optic interfaces
which supply a dual connection to the Avionics Local Area Network
(AVLAN).
• These interfaces and the AVLAN are part of the Onboard Local Area
Network (OLAN).
• The MAT connects directly to the AVLAN. The PMAT and it receptacles
connect to a Server Interface Unit (SIU) which performs a network
bridging function.
• The components of the CMCS are the:
– Central maintenance computing function (CMCF) in the AIMS
cabinets
– Maintenance Access Terminal (MAT)
– MAT keyboard
– Portable Maintenance Access Terminal (PMAT) in the Main
Equipment Center (MEC)
– PMAT receptacles
– Ground test switch.
• To operate the CMCS, MAT or a PMAT is used.
• PMAT receptacles permit the use of another PMAT.
• GROUND TEST switch on the ground test panel permits certain
CMCS ground tests, data loads, special functions and provides
power to the PMAT in the MEC.
Central Maintenance Computer Function (CMCF)
• CMCF is software in the CPM/Comm that does many
operations. It divides the software into many sub functions.
• These software sub-functions supplies Redundancy
management, BITE, Power-up configuration checks, Power-
up hardware failure detection, Fault data processing, Fault
and FDE correlation, Data tables, Flight leg and flight phase
calculations, Ground tests, Input monitoring, Special
functions, System configuration, Software controlled
options, Report generation, Data load gateway, Interface
protocol.
• The CMCF software is in each CPM/Comm
• CMCF in the AIMS cabinets monitors systems for failures
and reports these failures as maintenance messages..
Data Loading
• CMCF in the AIMS cabinets supplies data load display
formats that appear on the MAT display unit.
• The data load display formats let the maintenance crew
select the source of the data and the destination of the
data.
• The source of the data is a data file on the hard drive or
on a disk in the disk drive.
• The destination is one of these:
– An ARINC 429 LRU
– An LRU on a systems ARINC 629 bus
– An LRU on a flight controls ARINC 629 bus
– An LRM in the AIMS cabinet.
• When the crew selects the source and the destination,
the MAT sends the data through the Ethernet interface
to the Core Processor Module/Communication
(CPM/COMM) in the left AIMS cabinets.
• The PMAT sends data through the Ethernet interface to
the CPM/COMM in the right AIMS cabinet.
• The CMCF sends the data to the correct Line
Replaceable Unit (LRU) or Line Replaceable Module
(LRM) on a designated data load port through an Input
Output Module (IOM).
Aircraft Field Loadable Software
(FLS) & Database Field Loadable
Data (DFLD)

Aircraft Field Loadable Software
(FLS)
• Software (executable code) that can be loaded without
removing the system or equipment from the aircraft.
• FLS can be loaded onto an aircraft system by a maintenance
mechanic/technician in accordance with defined maintenance
manual procedures.
• It can be configured as a component of target hardware and
thus effect the part number of the target hardware.

Type of FLS
• There are numerous type of FLS, but most can be categorized
as follows:
a) Loadable Software Aircraft Part (LSAP)
– FLS that required to meet a specific airworthiness or operational
requirement
- not considered as a component of target hardware, but is
considered to be part of the aircraft approved design and
therefore, an aircraft part
- requiring formal controlled released documentation (EASA form 1
or FAA 8130-3)

Type of FLS
b) User modifiable Software (UMS) .
– Software declare by the aircraft type Certificate holder’s design organization
as being intended for modification by the aircraft operator
- Usually carried out without review by the CAA, TC/STC holder design
organization, or equipment manufacturer if modified within constraints
established during certification.
- Should seek guidance from those mentioned if need to modify outside the
constraint.
c) Option Selectable Software (OSS).

- LSAP that contains approved and validated components and combinations of
components that may be activated or modified by the aircraft operator within
defined TC.STC holder boundaries

Database Field Loadable Data (DFLD)
• DFLD- Data that is field loadable into target hardware

databases
– Database : Embedded item that resides within the target
hardware and is not, itself field loadable. The process
normally described as ‘loading database’ actually loads a
data file onto the target hardware’s embedded database.
– Data file : A specific file that contains the actual data that
is the object of the database and is field loaded .

Software Level
Failure
Level
condition
A Catastrophic
B Hazardous
C Major
D Minor
E No effect

Software Level
 Catastrophic - Failure may cause a crash.
 Hazardous - Failure has a large negative impact on safety or performance or

reduces the ability of the crew to operate the plane due to physical distress
or a higher workload or causes serious or fatal injuries among the
passengers.
 Major - Failure is significant but has a lesser impact than a Hazardous failure
(for example, leads to passenger discomfort rather than injuries).
 Minor - Failure is noticeable, but has a lesser impact than a Major failure (for
example, causing passenger inconvenience or a routine flight plan change)
 No Effect - Failure has no impact on safety, aircraft operation, or crew

workload.

Category of Defect
• Defect are categories by effect.
– Immediate Effect which should be cleared as soon as
possible.
– Delayed Effect which required require moderately
speedy repair.
– No Effect which can be cleared on the next hangar
schedule visit. Failure
Level
condition
A Catastrophic
B Hazardous
C Major
D Minor
E No effect
Sub – Sub Topic
Maintenance Access Terminal (MAT)
• Maintenance Access Terminal (MAT) gives access to the central
maintenance computing system (CMCS) and the airplane
condition monitoring system (ACMS).
• The components in the MAT are MAT chassis, MAT display, MAT
cursor control device, MAT floppy disk drive, MAT hard disk drive
and MAT flash memory module.
• MAT display is a liquid crystal display (LCD) which provides the
graphical user interface for the maintenance operators to
perform onboard maintenance tasks.
• MAT disk drive enables the user to load software and data into
the airplane systems and download data from the airplane
systems.
• MAT hard disk drive enables the user to store LRU software and
load software into the airplane systems.
• MAT cursor control device (CCD) is the tool the
operator uses to move the cursor on the MAT display
• MAT chassis contains all the MAT components and
gives an interface between the components.
• MAT chassis has a processor that runs the software
to control the MAT user interface which is called the
Maintenance Terminal Function (MTF)
• MAT flash memory module keeps the MTF software.
• MAT is also supplied with keyboard which provide
standard keyboard functions and alternate cursor
control capability.
Portable Maintenance Access Terminal (PMAT)
• Portable Maintenance Access Terminal (PMAT) lets the
operator access the CMCS and the airplane condition
monitoring system (ACMS) from various locations on
the airplane.
• All functions available on the MAT are available on the
PMAT.
• PMAT accesses point are Flight deck, Main equipment
centre, Nose wheel well, Right main wheel well and Jack
screw area.
Printing
• Flight compartment printer supplies high-speed hard
copy of text for Primary display system (PDS), Airplane
condition monitoring system (ACMS) and Central
maintenance computing system (CMCS).
• It receives data from the print driver partition of the data
communication management function (DCMF). The
DCMF is part of the airplane information management
system (AIMS).
• It sends status and error information back to the DCMF.
• DCMF prioritizes data sent to the printer in this order:
– Flight deck communication function (FDCF) of the
DCMS
– Central maintenance computing function of the CMCS
– Airplane condition monitoring function of the ACMS
– Multifunction display (MFD).
Built-In Test Equipment
BITE
ATA 45 –Central Maintenance System
• The latest in BITE technology is when it is moved to a
central location.
• This location became a computer in its own and Boeing
call this computer the Central Maintenance Computer
(CMC) which form the basis for all On-Board
Maintenance Systems
• Which given rise to a new ATA chapter namely “ATA 45 -
CENTRAL MAINTENANCE SYSTEM (CMS)”.
• Airbus has the same philosophy but call the system
“Centralized Fault Display System (CFDS)”.
Built-In Test Equipment (BITE)
• BITE systems is used to monitor and detect faults in a variety
of aircraft systems.
• BITE systems reduces the time-spent for fault finding and
eliminates the need for specialist test equipment.
• BITE continuously tests the various systems and stores all fault
information to be recalled later, either by the flight crew or a
maintenance team.
• Once the appropriate repair has been made, the BITE system
can then be used to reset the system for operation.
• Most BITE systems are capable of isolating system faults with
at least 95% probability of success on the first attempt.
• Most BITE systems perform two types of test that is
Operational Test and Maintenance test
• Operational BITE program is designed to check Input signals,
Protection circuitry, Control circuitry, Output signals and
Operational BITE circuitry.
• During normal system operation, the BITE monitors a
"Watchdog" signal initiated by the BITE program.
• This watchdog routine detects any hardware failure or excessive
signal distortion, which may create an operational fault.
• If the BITE program detects either of these conditions, it
automatically provides isolation of the necessary component,
initiates warnings and records the fault in a Non-volatile
memory.
• Maintenance program of the BITE is entered into only when the
aircraft is on the ground and the "Maintenance Test" routine is
requested.
• BITE can come in one of the three forms:
–Power up (PUBIT)
–Interruptive (IBIT)
–Continuous (CBIT)
Power up BITE (PUBIT)

• Is limited in its ability to detect failures resident in the system.
• During power-up, BITE will check the power supplies are good,
looking for correct phase rotation, frequency and voltage.
• It will carry out checks of the processors and the areas of RAM in
the computer, ensuring all are clear and functioning properly then
through its built in operating system (BIOS) invoke the loading of
the main operating software and any airline modifiable software.
• Then send it status to the aircraft main computer for display or
record.
Interruptive BITE (IBIT)
• Ground crew or the pilots can initiate. In its simplest
form it is a press-to-test, but with on-board
maintenance systems it is usually much more.
• It is done by first disconnecting the inputs and outputs
of the computer electronically.
• Then the BITE starts to systematically inject a signal into
each channel or lane and look for the corresponding
output.
• It will inject signals across the entire design range of the
system and expect a certain predetermine output. If the
output is not within the limit a fault code will be
generated.
• Interruptive BITE is called Ground Test.
Continuous BITE (CBIT)
• It is carried out all the time.
• Inside the Line replacement Unit (LRU), which in this case is
the computer, there are (at least) two channels that work
out the information and provide outputs.
• These two channels are called command and monitor. (If
there are three channels the third is called standby).
• All channels receive the input signals and calculate the
output solution.
• The command channel will output the signal and send it
onto the unit being operated, the monitor channel will use
its output to cross check that the command channel is
functioning correctly.
• If there is an error it will send it status to the aircraft main
computer for display or record.
Status Message
• Is a message that is placed on a status display screen.
• Status message gives the engineers a true indication of system
failure.
• Aircrews do not have immediate access to the status page, but
would look at it when ‘cued’ to do so.
• For an aircraft to be dispatched (ready for flight) you need no
status messages.
Maintenance Message
• Is set by the CMC after it establishes that a fault does exist.
• It indicates the ATA chapter of the fault and is never displayed to
the aircrew as it is only ground engineers that use the
information for aircraft rectification.
Memo Message
• It is displayed for the aircrew to see and gives them reminders
of the systems that are in operation. Eg: APU running, parking
brake set etc.
Maintenance Memo
• It is set if the failure is very insignificant, and there was
sufficient back up which mean the failure could almost be
ignored.
• The aircraft can fly on quite safety until its next scheduled
maintenance when all these minor defects can be rectified
which can keeps maintenance costs down yet does not
compromise safety in any way.
• Airbus used the term as Fault Message.
Fault Code
• It is set by the failed LRU and the CMC will go
through the process of correlating it all together.
• This information is not available to the aircrew,
as it is only engineers that need it for fault
diagnosis reasons.
• To decipher the code engineer required to look
in Fault Isolation Manual (FIM)
Fault Correlation
• Fault correlation is a process for linking together FDE’s and
maintenance messages.
• Ground engineers need to be able to relate a flight crew reported
defect (they will quote the FDE) and link that to a CMC generated
message.
Fault Processing
• CMCF can process up to 5000 fault reports per second. If more than
5000 faults reports per second, it stores the reports and processes
them at a later time.
• The CMCF fault processing also identifies if the fault reports are
correct and the LRUs sending the fault reports are currently active.
During power up or an engine start and shutdown, many failures
could happen so filters is required for these type of failure.
Cascade Effect
• If a key LRU were to fail example the IRS.
• The IRS provides information to virtually all systems on the
aircraft and if the IRS failed, it would induce many failures
in the other user systems.
• These failures would be reported to the CMC but this sub-
routine would detect the cause and reason for the failure
and filter them out.
• The fault data processing sub-function puts fault reports
into groups and relates them to a single maintenance
message.
• The maintenance messages are kept and displayed for
troubleshooting.
Aeroplane Condition Monitoring System
(ACMS)
Aeroplane Condition Monitoring System (ACMS)
• Aeroplane condition monitoring system (ACMS):
– Collects – All system data
– Monitors - Aeroplane and crew performance
– Records – All aircraft abnormal condition and
exceedance
– Distributes aeroplane performance data for detailed
system analysis.
• ACMS reports are used for aeroplane system trend
analysis.
• This trend analysis is used by engineering department to
determine the rate of deterioration of a component
within a monitored system.
• The main component of the aeroplane condition
monitoring system is the data management unit (DMU).
• DMU collects data from various aeroplane systems,
processes this data into a report format and upon a
request, sends these reports to the:
– Quick access recorder (QAR)
– Control display unit (CDU)
– Data loader panel
– Multi-input printer
– ACARS
• Data Management Unit (DMU) is a powerful data processor
system that allows airlines to customize their own ACMS
programs.
• DMU accepts data from a variety of aircraft systems and
airborne computers such as the Flight/Central Management
Computers (FMC/CMC), Air Data Computers (ADC), Fuel,
Navigation, Indicating and recording, Communications, Auto
pilot, Engines, Electrical, Flight controls , etc., to perform
aircraft/engine and flight performance monitoring and analysis.
• DMU is also programmed to monitor critical data and compare
those data values to pre-defined normal operating limits.
• In the event that an engine or an aircraft parameter is out of
those defined limits, an exceedance arises and a report is
triggered.
• The report will capture all the relevant aircraft and engine
information associated with the exceedance, as pre-
defined by the airframe and engine manufacturers, and
the operator
• The DMU works as a central hub, providing data output to
various systems.
• It is capable of channelling reports to:
– Multifunction Control Display Unit (MCDU)
– Cockpit printer
– Airborne Data Loader (ADL)
– Optical/Wireless Quick Access Recorder (OQAR/WQAR)
– ACARS Data-Link system for transmission to the
airline’s ground based maintenance centre.
Standard reports
• Weather/Position, Turbulence, Turbulence Inspection, Wind
Factor, Max Operating
• Engine Start, Engine Aborted Start, In-flight Engine Fail, Engine
Trend, Engine Performance, APU Start, APU Trend, APU Auto-
shutdown, APU Aborted Start, Engine Oil Monitoring, Ground
Run-up. EGT Divergence, N1 Overshoot
• Overweight Inspection, Flight Summary, Maintenance Report
• ETA, Go-around Landing, Take-off, Aborted Take-off, Touch and
Go Landing, Take-off and Stable Cruise
• Flap Speed Exceedance, Gear Down Speed Exceedance, Flight
Control, Flap/Slat at Altitude Exceedance, Altitude
Exceedance, Maximum MACH Exceedance
• Aircraft Stable Frame, Landing Stable Cruise
Health and Usage Monitoring System
HUMS
Health and Usage Monitoring System
• Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) is designed to
improve airworthiness, reliability and effective maintenance
management of helicopter.
• It is done by analysis of detected/diagnosed operating data and
internal/external environmental data collected from the
helicopter.
• It constantly checks the performance of safety-critical
components, providing warnings in advance of potential
equipment failures and collecting valuable data for routine
maintenance of the helicopters.
• This data may be processed onboard the rotorcraft or on a
ground station or both.
• Thus providing the means for the maintenance staff and/or
flight crew for intervention.
Main Function
• Prompt detection of damage area (Rotor, Engine,
Transmission and Gear Box)
• Rotor Track & Balance (RTB)
• Rotor vibration health & monitoring
• Drive train/transmission vibration health &
monitoring
• Engine & airframe vibration monitoring
• Logbook accuracy and improved flight hour
management
• Data analysis and diagnostics/prognosis on ground
after flight
Main components
• DAPU : Data Acquisition and Processing Unit

• CQAR : Card Quick Access Recorder
• PIP: Pilot Interface Panel
• GS : Ground Station (PC)
• PBT: Permanent Blade Tracker
• Sensors
System operation
• The parameters monitored by HUM systems are engine speed,
temperature, pressure, torque, accelerations, vibration levels,
aircraft stress, gearboxes and transmission trains on helicopters.
• The sensor output are conditioned and converted into suitable
digital format and stored in non-volatile memory until
conclusion of the flight.
• The data is then extracted by a suitable "Data Transfer Unit"
(DTU).
• The data from DTU is downloaded to the Ground Station to
analyzed for any maintenance issues.
• Using condition-based system, for example, a degraded
bearing can be detected before scheduled maintenance is due
and promptly corrected prior to a failure.
S92 HUMS
CH53E SUPER STALLION
Sensor
END

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M13.

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 1

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 8

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 9

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 31

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 32

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 33

c) Option Selectable Software (OSS).

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 34

• DFLD- Data that is field loadable into target hardware

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 35

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 36

 Hazardous - Failure has a large negative impact on safety or performance or

 No Effect - Failure has no impact on safety, aircraft operation, or crew

Revision 00 Issue 01 Prepared by : Nor Aina Musa 37

Power up BITE (PUBIT)

• DAPU : Data Acquisition and Processing Unit

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