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Warning: The new FAA repair station in Phoenix has a policy I can't get behind
I was there yesterday for a certification check and saw they have a rule that all avionics bench tests must be done with the unit fully installed in a mock-up airframe section. They say it's for 'real world conditions', but it adds at least 2 hours to every single bench check. I mean, idk, maybe it's just me, but for a known-good unit swap or a basic LRU check, that's overkill and kills shop efficiency. It feels like a solution looking for a problem when a solid bench test on proper gear has worked fine for decades. Has anyone else run into this kind of rule at a newer facility?
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lisar141mo ago
Wow, I used to think that was overkill too, but a buddy's story about a weird ground loop issue that only showed up in a mock-up totally changed my mind.
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jana_davis9024d ago
No way, they're actually doing a full mock-up for a simple bench test? That's insane. I mean, I've heard of over-engineering but that's next level. @jade271, you're totally right on this one. A mock-up is for checking the wiring harness and the physical fit, not for finding ground loops on a single unit. You'd be chasing ghosts all day with that setup. Like, what are they even hoping to learn from the extra work? Seems like a massive waste of time and material. How do they expect to isolate the unit's performance from the plane's own electrical noise that way?
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Wait, are they making you do a full mock-up install even for a simple bench test to confirm a unit works? That seems backwards... the whole point of a bench test is to isolate the unit from the plane's wiring to check it by itself. A mock-up is for after you know the box is good, to check the install and aircraft wiring. Mixing those up adds time without making things safer.
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