E D I T O R I A L

Dear FAST reader,

FAST rarely has an editorial, but I felt that, in view of the dramatic happenings in our industry,that this FAST would be a good vehicle to share some information with you.

Safety in the cockpit has been a major consideration since September 11th. Airbus’ engineers inDesign and Customer Services have been working on a responses to several demands.

The major challenge has been to design a door that meets many conflicting demands such asthe need to resist an attack and still behave correctly in case of depressurisation.

We are now finalising the design for the Phase 2 door, which has to meet both the existing andnew Airworthiness Authorities requirements for certification. Service Bulletins are beingprepared together with the associated kits with the aim to release them in the spring of 2002 tomeet the FAA’s probable embodiment deadlines. Our approach, for all our models, has been tomeet this demand via a minimum cost approach by absorbing the design costs and producingthe kits at a minimum price.

We are also looking at other demands:- Video camera installations - Here we have many differing demands and will be

responding with a standard basic installation that airlines can use with a choice of two equipment suppliers.

- Transponder - We are completing the design work for this modification to be ready to respond to the rules and airlines’ individual demands

- Cockpit to Cabin Communications - The formal regulations are not yet finalised but we have started detail design work. What is certain is that it will need to be tailored to each model/airline. We will handle this through individual modifications.

All of these modifications, which history imposes on us, will be competitively priced to minimisetheir cost to you, the operator.

You have my assurance of Airbus’ will to help you through this period.

I wish you all, together with your families, a 2002 that is good for you personally.Professionally, I also wish that it brings the signs of industrial recovery that we all need.

Sincerely,

Patrick GAVINExecutive Vice President Customer Services

1

This issue of FAST has been printed on paperproduced without using chlorine, to reduce wasteand help conserve natural resources.Every little helps.

AIRMAN®

Simplifying and optimising aircraftmaintenanceChristian FrémontChristian Callay

The A318: Enhancing the A320 familyMartin Woods

Bar Coding on Airbus aircraft partsBenefitting airlines, maintenance providers,suppliers and manufacturersAchim Krapp

Servicing of the Integrated Drive GeneratorPascal Chabriel

Airbus Service Bulletins: What has changed with computerisation?Annick PedronJacques Pasdeloup

Aviation 100 years agoMen with a vision...

Worldwide Airbus Customer Services

In a nutshell...

Cover illustration:Integrated Drive Generator on A340

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14

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24

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© AIRBUS 2001The articles herein may be reprinted without permission

acknowledgement to Airbus. Articles which may be subject to ongoingreview must have their accuracy verified prior to reprint. The statements

made herein do not constitute an offer. They are based on theassumptions shown and are expressed in good faith. Where the

supporting grounds for these statements are not shown, the Company will be pleased to explain the basis thereof.

Editor: Denis Dempster, Product MarketingGraphic design: Agnès Massol-Lacombe

Alain FauréSylvie Lagré

Customer Services Marketing Telephone: +33 (0)5 61 93 39 29

E-mail: fast.digest@airbus.frTelex: AIRBU 530526F

Telefax: +33 (0)5 61 93 27 67 Printer: Escourbiac

FAST may be read on Internet http://www.airbus.com

FAST / NUMBER 29

D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 1

A I R B U S T E C H N I C A L D I G E S T

F L I G H T A I R W O R T H I N E S S S U P P O R T T E C H N O L O G Y

FAST / NUMBER 29 3

AIRMAN® concept:e-trouble shootingThe Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft

are all equipped with data record-ing features such as:◗ Fault monitoring and diagnostics

undertaken by the Built In TestEquipment (BITE) of each sys-tem.

◗ ACMS (Aircraft ConditioningMonitoring System) reports.All this data can be downloaded

in real time via data-link (ATSU,ACARS) to the ground. Much ofthe information related to mainte-nance is also available on theground, such as:◗ Aircraft documentation: Trouble

Shooting Manual, AircraftMaintenance Manual, etc…)

◗ Airline technical notes◗ Logbook data◗ Aircraft delays◗ Shop data◗ Airbus information: Service

Information Letter (SIL),Technical Follow Up (TFU).By analysing and linking all

maintenance data related tounscheduled aircraft events,

AIRMAN® provides the following:◗ Real time aircraft technical follow up◗ Preventive maintenance actions

(trend monitoring concept)◗ Analysed maintenance data avail-

able for engineering to optimiseaircraft technical follow upprocesses.These features further improve

aircraft dispatch, simplify aircraftmaintenance and cut down mainte-nance costs.

AIRMAN®

developmentprocess

Step by step approachThe scope of AIRMAN® is large.

The first step has been the develop-ment of AIRMAN® 2000, which hasbeen defined with Air France andSabena and tested and validated inthe operational environment withthese airlines and JetBlue.

The Airbus objective has been,and will be, to continuouslyinvolve the airlines in the definitionof AIRMAN® modules. In thisframework, the first "AIRMAN®

FAST / NUMBER 292

The Airbus aircraft technology opensthe door for innovation in the mainte-nance area. Indeed, the A320 Familyand long range A330/A340 fleet areall basically equipped with systemsrecording maintenance data to beused by maintenance personnel,such as ECAM warnings displayed tothe crew, fault messages recordedby the computers, engines and APUreports coming from the DataManagement Unit (digital recorder).All this data can be transmitted inreal time from the aircraft to aground station. This data is consid-ered as high value information relat-ed to aircraft maintenance.Use of new electronic data process-ing (EDP) tools, capable of analysingthis large volume of data comingfrom entire fleets, helps the airlines tomanage and anticipate unsched-uled aircraft events. Their use hasraised high interest in aircraft line

maintenance since non-routineevents are very penalising factors indaily aircraft operation.Engine reports directly transmittedfrom the aircraft (down-linked) arealready used by many airlines tomonitor their engine parts. In the lastfew years, to further improve their linemaintenance and engineering effi-ciency, they have begun to down-load ECAM warning and fault mes-sages. The trend is quite clear that,due to the advance of technologyon board the aircraft, to furtherenhance the maintenance efficien-cy there is a need for an on-groundmaintenance software aid.Airbus, in very close cooperation withselected airline maintenance organi-sations, and using in-house mainte-nance expertise, has developed itsown ground based maintenancesoftware aid: AIRMAN® (AIRcraftMaintenance ANalysis).

Simplifying and optimising aircraft maintenance

in collaboration withChristian CallayMaintenance Software DevelopmentAirbus Customer Services

By Christian Fremont

Maintenance and Trouble ShootingSystem Engineering

Airbus Customer Services

On-ground data:Shop data, logbook, aircraft delays, Technical Follow Up,Technical notes...

AIRMAN is a registered trade mark of AIRBUS.

®

FAST / NUMBER 29 5

Predictive maintenancefunction

(Hangar maintenance)Using algorithms based on statisti-cal analysis, a selected fault mes-sage from the aircraft is recordedin the job list and classified as "new today", "still open" or "longlasting" item.

This feature allows the mainte-nance operator to set up the appro-priate trouble-shooting actionbefore the failure message leads toa malfunctioning of a system thatmay be reported by the crew in thelogbook. By anticipating mainte-nance actions, pilot reports (Pireps)are reduced and thus aircraftdelays. In addition, the mainte-nance action can be plannedaccording to the aircraft’s schedule(see Figure 6).

Data analysisfeature

AIRMAN® 2000 is able to processthe OMS data in order to supportthe maintenance teams. The resultscome under the form of high value-added information such as aircraftfailure event concept and fault his-tory tracking. With this feature, theoperator is able to take the mostappropriate action related to an air-craft event, saving time and reduc-ing the cost of “No Fault Found”(NFF) by providing systematically"AIRMAN® post flight reports(PFR)" to justify componentremovals.

FAST / NUMBER 294

users club" workshop will be set upduring the first half of 2002. Thisstep-by-step approach allows theairlines to take the benefit immedi-ately of features offered by AIRMAN® 2000 and to define futuremodules to meet their needs.

Development of the complete setof AIRMAN® applications has beenestimated to take four to five years.Airbus will provide AIRMAN® cus-tomers with yearly releases. Figure 1shows an example of future AIR-MAN® modules that could poten-tially be connected to AIRMAN®

2000.

AIRMAN® 2000Features

AIRMAN® 2000 provides the fol-lowing features based on the On-board Maintenance System (OMS)data analysis.

Gate maintenance functionWhether the aircraft is at the gate,

on the runway or in flight, the AIR-MAN® 2000 software gives theoperator direct access from a PC onthe ground (see Figure 2), to infor-mation on the Current Leg Reportor the Post Flight Report, at anytime (see Figure 3).

AIRMAN® provides centralisedaccess to information related to anaircraft event (see Figure 4). Once afault message has been analysed,the AIRMAN® 2000 system pro-vides the line maintenance operatorwith a direct link to the relevanttroubleshooting task in the TroubleShooting Manual(see Figure 5).Furthermore, the operator getsaccess to the Airbus TechnicalFollow-Up (TFUs) and ServiceInformation Letter (SIL 00-028/38/41) and also to any of theairline selected documentationsuch as Technical notes andEngineering Bulletins.

Figure 6Hangar maintenance“Scheduled maintenance actions" related to unscheduled events

Figure 1Standard interface to plug in Airbus or non Airbus modules

Figure 5

Figure 3Hyperlink

withnecessary

aircraftdocumentation

Figure 4

Figure 2Fleet statusin real time

Operators who wish to have information on AIRMAN are

invited to contact Gérard Darteyre

Marketing Director Airbus Customer Services

Phone number:+33 (0)5 61 93 11 39

E-mail:gerard.darteyre@airbus.fr

or

David GrezesAIRMAN

Marketing Manager Airbus Customer Services

Phone number: +33 (0)5 61 93 11 47

E-mail:david.grezes@airbus.fr

allow the reduction of a largeamount of data coming fromentire fleets to the bare essentials. The Client/Server architecture

will move in the coming months toa more open architecture based onweb technology. Then, main func-tions of AIRMAN® could be a newservice available through theAirbus portal “Airbus On LineServices”.

Savings from

AIRMAN® 2000 A first estimation of savings

brought by the use of the currentAIRMAN® 2000 release was con-ducted in 1998 with Air France. In1999, a second study using datacoming from Sabena was per-formed. Both investigations led tosimilar results. The gain was esti-

mated (conservative calculation) toapproximately 4$US per flighthour: 2$ coming form the gatemaintenance function and 2$ fromthe predictive maintenance func-tion. The following main areas ofbenefit have been identified:◗ Gate maintenance function

- Direct access to technical docu-mentation (TSM, TFU, airlinetechnical notes)

- Maintenance actions can beprepared on the ground whilethe aircraft is still in flight;

- Failure confirmation based onAIRMAN® 2000 analysis.

◗ Predictive maintenance- Cut down the number of air-

craft delays;- Reduction of pilot defect

reports;- Cut down line maintenance

actions.

FAST / NUMBER 29 7

Engineering"transparency"

The generation of automaticreports on analysed data andrecords gives the airline’s engineer-ing department a clear picture ofthe technical status of the wholefleet at any time (see Figure 7). Thefeedback, from the users to Airbusin an analysed form (AIRMAN®

2000 reports), accelerates theprocess of continuous aircraft prod-uct improvement such as monitor-ing the upgrading of computers.

Customizedfeatures/Fleet update

The AIRMAN® 2000 system con-tains a broad range of useful infor-

mation for the line maintenance, the engineering and the MaintenanceControl Centre (MCC).

The user package can be cus-tomized according to the user pro-files and needs. This allows AIR-MAN® 2000 to be fully integratedinto the aircraft trouble shootingprocess in place in the airlines.Whenever the aircraft fleetchanges, the AIRMAN® 2000 pack-age can be electronically up-datedquite easily.

System architectureAIRMAN® 2000 is a Client/Server

application. The software is divid-ed into three main parts:◗ The real time acquisition module

(AIRMAN® 2000 RTA).This mod-ule acquires in real time OMSdata transmitted by the aircraftthrough an on-ground serviceprovider.

◗ The database (Oracle®). Thestructure and content of the datarepresent years of collectiveexperience of aircraft mainte-nance experts. In this databaseare stored data that are used bythe AIRMAN® 2000 core software.

◗ The core software (AIRMAN®

2000.exe). Algorithms based onadvanced technology such as"data mining" methodology,

FAST / NUMBER 296

Conclusion

AIRMAN® 2000 was officially presented in December 2000 to A320operators during the Airbus A320 Technical Symposium. During theLe Bourget Air Show in June 2001, Air France, Finnair and JetBluesigned a contract to get AIRMAN® 2000. They have since been joinedby Austrian Airlines and Emirates. Discussions are currently run-ning with other airlines.The Airbus aircraft technology of today andits evolution tomorrow, opens the door for AIRMAN® 2000.◗ Simplifying and optimising aircraft maintenance,◗ Reducing aircraft ground time,◗ Launching preventive maintenance.◗ Reducing the maintenance cost.■

Figure 7

Technical requirements for A320/A330/A340

Hardware requirements

Software requirements

A318 MaximumCommonality

By Martin WoodsMarketing AnalystA320 FamilyAirbus Customer Services

The A318 is the newest member of the highly successfulAirbus single-aisle A320 Family. Due to fly for the first timein January 2002, the A318 will herald the introduction ofa number of product enhancements that will be intro-duced across the entire A320 Family. This article will lookin depth into these developments.The A318 is designed as a minimum change reducedcapacity version of the A319. Its design was based onretaining the maximum commonality with the other air-craft in the A320 Family. As a result there are only four sig-nificant physical changes to the aircraft.

The most obvious physicalchange is the reduction in fuselagelength that is a result of four and ahalf frames being removed from theA319 design. This has resulted inan overall fuselage length of31.44m (103ft 2in) compared to33.84m (111ft) on the A319.

The second most obvious changeis the fin tip extension introduced inorder to counteract the reducedmoment of the vertical stabiliser.As a result, the height of the A318has increased by 0.75m (2ft 5in).

The A318 is offered with a choiceof engines, either the Pratt andWhitney PW6000 or the CFMInternational CFM56-5B. ThePW6000 has been designed specif-ically for the A318 and its missions.It will offer the benefit of lowengine maintenance costs and own-ership costs. The CFM engine willoffer the benefits of low fuel burnand even greater commonality withthe other members of the A320Family.

Finally, the least obvious changeis the reduction in the width of thecargo doors. This was done in orderto reduce weight and maintainclearance between the doors andthe engines. The new doors are thesame height as those on other mem-bers of the A320 Family and utilisethe same opening mechanisms.They are wider than those on all theB737 series and offer over 0.2 m2

more bulk loading access area.

Systemsdevelopments

Within the aircraft there havebeen a number of new develop-ments in terms of systems that willbe highlighted in this article. Thesedevelopments are due to be imple-mented throughout the A320Family. The aim of these systemsimprovements is to introduce thebenefits of new technology, withlower costs in terms of operationsand maintenance.

CabinIntercommunication

Data SystemIn the A318 cabin a new Cabin

Intercommunication Data System(CIDS) based on that installed onthe A340-500/-600 is being fitted.The new CIDS will consist of three

primary units, the CIDS Directors,the Forward Attendant Panel(FAP), and Decoder/ Encoder Units(DEU)s.

The new system will include anew generation FAP that will havean easy-to-clean 15 inch touch-sen-sitive screen rather than the tradi-tional push button interface. It willhave a user-friendly graphicalinterface and has the capability tobe used as a remote control for In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) equip-ment and the potential for a serverfor the IFE.

The new FAP will integrate theProgramming and Test Panel (PTP)and the Cabin Assignment Module(CAM) functions that were previ-ously separate units in the CIDS.The cabin staff will therefore beable to control all cabin relatedtasks from the FAP.

The CIDS Directors will alsoincorporate a number of functionsthat have previously required theuse of separate control units. Theywill replace two control units – theVacuum System Control (VSC)unit for the lavatories and theSmoke Detector Control Unit(SDCU).

The new system will include halfthe number of DEU type As, theinterface between the PassengerService Units (PSUs) and the direc-tors, of the old system. This willfurther reduce the spares and main-tenance cost for these components.

LED Reading Lights

In the cabin the traditional bulbsused in the Passenger Service Unitreading lights are to be replaced byLight Emitting Diode (LED) light-ing. The new LED reading lightswill have over thirty times the lifeof traditional light bulbs. LEDlighting is more power efficient,creates less heat and will cost lessto maintain.

Pre Mod Post ModEquipment Quantity QuantityDirector 2 2PTP 1 0FAP 1 1CAM 1 1DEU-A 20 10DEU-B 3 3Reading light 100 100Ballast unit 80 80SDCU 1 0VSC 1 0PRAM 1 0

As can be seen from the table, thenew CIDS will eliminate therequirement for many separateunits, simplifying spares require-ments, speeding fault rectificationand reducing costs.

LCD Display Units

The A318 flight deck will incor-porate the new 7.25 x 7.25 inchLCD Display Units that are to befitted throughout the Airbus “fly-by-wire” product range and thesewill supplant the previous standardCathode Ray Tube (CRT) units.They will provide greater flexibili-ty for future developments as theyfeature new open architecture soft-ware, they will have improvedgraphical representation, they willbe more reliable and haveimproved readability in adverseconditions. The LCD screens repre-sent the latest standard technologyand their use in the A320 Familywill further enhance the family’sreputation for representing the stateof the art in the single-aisle market.These LCD screens will also becommon with those being installedon the Airbus long-range widebody family.

Integrated StandbyInstrument System

Integrated Standby InstrumentSystem (ISIS) will also be standardon the A318 and the A320 Family.

The ISIS will replace the analoguestandby instrumentation – theStandby Horizon Indicator, StandbyAltimeter and the Standby AirspeedIndicator. These three separate unitswill be replaced with a single LCDdisplay unit that will provide all thestandby displays. ISIS will have theadvantage of replacing three lessreliable mechanical units with a sin-gle more reliable line replaceableunit, it will be easier to maintain andhas an integrated ILS display. As aresult ISIS will have maintenancecosts of approximately a fifth of thetotal of the three units it replaces.

FAST / NUMBER 29 11FAST / NUMBER 2910

New touch screenFlight Attendant

Panel (FAP)

Display unitsLCD displays

ISIS technicalpresentation

CIDS maintenance features

CIDS cabin crew features

Hardware conceptTouch screen FAP

New user interface

Flight Data InterfaceManagement Unit

The Flight Data InterfaceManagement Unit will integrate thefunctions previously carried out bythe Flight Data Interface Unit(FDIU) and the Data ManagementUnit (DMU). The DMU is the heartof the Aircraft Integrated DataSystem (AIDS) and collects andprocesses data from the various air-craft systems. These functions willbe combined with those of theFDIU that supplies the Flight DataRecorder (FDR) with critical flightparameters and system data, toform the Aircraft Reporting andMonitoring System (ARMS).

Alternate BrakingSystem – Brake By

Wire

Another innovation on the A318will be the introduction of a newalternate braking system. This willreplace a traditional low-pressurehydraulically operated system withan electronically controlled one. AnAlternate Braking Control Unit(ABCU) will be installed in the air-

craft. This will result in the deletionof a number of units associatedwith the current system such as themaster-cylinders, reservoir, brakedual distribution valve and auto-matic selector valve. In addition,servo valves used in the currentsystem will be replaced by DirectDrive Valves (DDV) that will havea leakage rate ten times lower.

The ABCU will offer more effi-cient alternate braking control. Thealternate braking system will besegregated from the normal brak-ing circuit, braking pressure will belimited in order to avoid tyre burst,and the ABCU will be capable ofmonitoring and selftesting.

Enhanced ElectricalPower Generation

System

The A318 will be the first aircraftin the A320 Family to offer the newEnhanced Electrical PowerGeneration System (EEPGS) asstandard equipment. The EEPGSentails a new control system,Integrated Drive Generator (IDG)and Quick Attach/ Detach Adaptor(QAD).

The control system for theEEPGS will be streamlined fromsix control boxes to just three units.This will see the integration of theAuxiliary Power Unit GeneratorControl Unit (APU GCU) and theGround Power Control Unit(GPCU) into a single unit, theGround and Auxiliary PowerControl Unit (GAPCU). In additionthe Electrical Generator InterfaceUnits (EGIU) and GeneratorControl Unit (GCU) will be inte-grated into two GCUs. The sixunits of the previous generationcontrol system will be integratedinto a system employing only thethree control units - two GCUs andone GAPCU.

FAST / NUMBER 29 13FAST / NUMBER 2912

Enhanced ElectricalPower Generation System

A320 Familyvalues maintained

A318 ARMS (AIDS + FDR)

Pre ModEGIU1 GCU1 APU GCU GPCU GCU2 EGIU2

Post ModGCU1 GAPCU GCU2

The A318 and subsequently, theA320 Family, will have an inter-changeable EEPGS control systemwith the A340-500/-600. TheIntegrated Drive Generator will befully interchangeable between boththe PW6000 and the CFM56engines of the A318. There will betwo specific QADs, one for theA320 Family with CFM56 enginesand another for A320 Family withIAE or PW6000 engines or A340with CFM56 or Trent 500 engines.

The new units in the EEPGS willcost less than the current units andwill be more reliable thereforedelivering a direct maintenancecost benefit of at least 10% to theairlines.

Conclusion

The A318 will be the latest addi-tion to the successful A320 Familyand will continue the Airbus tradi-tion of continuous product devel-opment and enhancement withinthe A320 Family. As with theA319, A320 and A321, the A318will offer airlines the benefits ofthe:● most comfortable single aislecabin ● latest technology● richest standard specification ● commonality● best operational capability● high residual values● lowest operating cost.

The A318 will be the vehicle forintroducing a number of systemenhancements that will be intro-duced in the other members of thefamily and these will offer the air-lines greater capability with betterreliability at lower cost – a steptowards the Airbus goal of Settingthe Standard in offering the cus-tomer more.■

Why bar codes?Bar codes are used today by a

large variety of industries such aswarehouses, automotive and phar-maceutical industries. Their bene-fits are obvious: they identify anarticle and provide selected infor-mation such as origin, propertiesand price.

This information is coded inorder to provide a maximum ofdata on a small surface and make itmachine-readable.

Bar codes in aviation

Apart from shipping and receiv-ing labels, the aviation industrymakes very little use of the barcode. Even today, the majority ofairlines are still not using the bene-fits of its application for proper partidentification and automated datarecording. The various steps forpart tracking and traceability arestill managed by manual datarecording.

If we look at the maintenancedomain and take the processing

steps of a component removaltag as an example, then the

shortcomings

of manual marking and recordingare obvious:◗ At component removal, the data

plate has to be read. Here alreadyis the risk of incorrect data tran-scription due to the poor legibili-ty of the data, which are some-times stamped, vibro-engraved,and in the worst case hand-written!

◗ Next step is the manual tran-scription of the data to theremoval tag. Here again po-tential errors due to the in-dividual hand writing (is ita “1” or a “7”, is it a “5” or a“S”?), not to mention the usualomissions of zeros and dashes.

◗ Collection of removal tags, transport to a typist in theTechnical Record Departmentwith a certain delay.

◗ Manual keying in of the data into the database with a delay ofseveral days, even without theweek ends! Keying in of data rep-resents an additional source oferrors. Industry experience re-veals that on average 20% of thekeyed-in data sets do not corre-spond with the origin part identi-fication and necessitates a labourintensive investigation toreestablish the propertraceability.

FAST / NUMBER 29FAST / NUMBER 2914

Airbus decided in 1998 to implement bar coding on aircraft parts inaccordance with ATA Spec. 2000, Chapter 9, “Permanent Bar CodeParts Identification” (PBCPI). This in a first step on all LineReplaceable Units (LRUs) in the new A340-500/-600 and A318s andall LRUs in A320s, A330s and A340s in production. Parts suppliersand engine manufacturers have beenrequested for their commitment and sup-port of this initiative. The introduction willbe done progressively, beginning mainlywith avionics computers.

The final goal is to barcode all the aircraftequipment except wheretechnically impractical.

By Achim KrappReliability

Engineering SupportAirbus Customer Services

15

Handwritten label

Stamped label

MTBUR

* 2000FH

Illegible part numbers...An industry-wide problem!

FAST / NUMBER 29 17FAST / NUMBER 2916

Bar code capture is virtually errorfree! Concerning the labour cost ofautomated data capture, it can bereduced by over 90% when com-pared to manual recording andkeying!

Similar examples can be found inany manual data transactionprocess across the maintenance ormaterial domain and each showsthe amount of time, labour andmoney wasted just to get incorrectdata with an unacceptably longwait.

However, a few airlines decidedsome years ago to use the bar codetechnology in a similar way to theother industries. They marked air-craft parts with bar codes incorpo-rating customized information, alsothe bar code types (symbology)were chosen independantly.Nevertheless, the part identificationbecame machine-readable avoid-ing the shortcomings as explainedabove.

But in recent years, the businessenvironment of airline maintenance

and material manage-ment changed. Thereis more and moresubcontracting forrepair, pooling ofspares, outsourcingof maintenance, etc.As a consequence,the other businesspartners could notprocess the cus-

tomised bar codes, thusthe benefits of the codeapplication were limit-ed. This led the airlinesto ask the ATA to devel-op an international barcode standard in order topermanently mark air-

craft parts for betteridentification. TheATA accepted thischallenging task andformed a Bar CodeTask Force with rep-resentatives from air-lines, part manufac-turers and airframem a n u f a c t u r e r s ,including Airbus.

The outcome resulted in theSpec.2000, chapter 9 PERMANENT

BAR CODE PARTS IDENTIFICATION

(PBCPI).

ATA Specification 2000Chapter 9 - PBCPI

This industry standard with itslatest revision (Issue 2001.1, 9thRevision) fulfills the specific partmarking requirements of the aviationindustry:◗ Identification of a part from

cradle to grave” by a “uniqueidentity” concept.

◗ Use of linear bar code (128 or 39symbology), mainly for data label or plate marking.

◗ Use of a two-dimensional matrixcode, mainly for direct markingfor parts with limited markingspace.

◗ Applicability for new and in-service parts, serialized and non-serialized.To identify a new serialized part,

the specification recommends tobar code three major data elements:1. Manufacturer Cage Code (MFR)2. Part Serial Number (SER)3. Part Number (PNR)

A fourth data element is condi-tional and required by Airbus, theDate of Manufacture (DMF).

In fact, the “unique identity” isformed by the combination of theMFR and the SER.

The SER has to be unique withinthe manufacturers cage code, andthis is an important prerequisite tocomply with the specification.This is because the industry tradi-tionally used the PNR/SER combi-nation to uniquely identify a part.However, whenever a modificationaffecting form, fit or function isapplied, the authorities require anew PNR to be assigned. Thisbreaks the PNR/SER relationship,thereby presenting problems for theowners, users, and repairers totrack and trace the part. TheMFR/SER combination has toremain constant during the life ofthe part and therefore both ele-ments should be marked on onecommon label or data plate affixedto the component for its entire life.

But what about the PNR? It maybe on a second label to easily allowchanges. In this way, the “uniqueidentity” (MFR/SER) is not affect-ed (see photo above).

The specification. also providesstandardized marking solutions forin-service parts. So, the owner of a

The two-dimensional (2D)matrix, an example ofstandardized markingsolutions

ABD and Spec. 2000 compliant bar code application fornew parts

part, say an airline, can mark theparts they have in their inventory orwhich are installed in the aircraft oftheir fleet.

The two-dimensional (2D) matrixcode represents one of the latestmarking technologies and wasincluded in the specification in1999. Here the data are condensedinto a small matrix of dark and lightcells containing binary codes anderror correction capabilities. Thismakes the coded data redundantand ensures readability even ifscratches have damaged the matrixsurface.

Further significant advantages are:◗ 100 times more information than

linear bar codes in the samespace.

◗ Readable from any angle.◗ Only requires 20% contrast

(good on shiny or dirty surfaces,linear bar code needs 80% and more).

◗ Scaleable, square or rectangle.◗ Marking by any type of print

device (Inkjet, thermal transfer,chemical etch, etc).

◗ Direct marking of parts in harsh environment by dot peen or laser etch (see turbine blade right).

It should be emphasized that theATA PBCPI standard is not onlyrecognized and applied by Airbus,but also by Boeing. Both compa-nies have frequent consultationswith each other to ensure that theirbar coding requirements towardsthe suppliers are identical.

6mm

Illegible part numbers...An industry-wide problem!

Airbus requirements

The complete bar code require-ments of Airbus from suppliers,concerning the data label layoutand its bar-coded information arestipulated in the ABD100. 2.9,“Configuration Management”.Cross references are given in theGeneral Conditions of Purchase(GCP) 2000.

Benefits for airlines and

maintenanceproviders

Airlines requested Airbus toimplement the PBCPI on aircraftparts in order to benefit from theseadvantages.

Accurate data and their timelyavailability will improve the quali-ty of key functions in the materialand maintenance domain such as:◗ Component tracking and pooling,◗ Configuration control,◗ Reliability performance moni-

toring,◗ Trouble shooting,◗ Spare parts ordering.

Furthermore, improved life cycletraceability will reduce the numberof parts which are out of service

because the certifyingdocumentation does notmatch the part (Suspec-ted unapproved parts).

However, to profitfrom the bar code appli-cation, some prepara-tions for its utilizationhave to be done.Systematic scanning ofdata should be includedin the maintenance andmaterial processes.Software should beadapted to allow realtime data monitoringand management. Thefuture user should keepin mind: Bar Codes donot track parts, comput-er programs track parts!

Furthermore, on theairframe and engineparts, the two markingtechnologies as recom-mended by the Spec.

2000 will be applied. Thus, partsare marked either with the linear orthe two-dimensional Matrix code.The point here is that the linear barcode readers used today are not ableto read the two-dimensional Matrixcode.

On the other hand, a two-dimen-sional reader is able to read both,the linear and the two-dimensionalMatrix. This should be taken intoconsideration when new equipmenthas to be purchased.

Benefits formaintenance

The permanent bar code on partsshould be considered as just oneelement in a chain of bar codedarticles. An “overall bar code con-cept” as operated by some airlinesincludes data capture of all theimportant transactions in the main-tenance domain. This starts at thebeginning of the job with the oper-ator’s ID badge, uses task and find-ing cards, captures the aircraft zonewhere the job is done, registers thetools used and the parts replaced aswell as the consumption of hard-ware, and monitors the aircraft con-figuration.

Captured data are transmittedwireless via Local Area Network(LAN) and downloaded in almostreal-time into the databases. Themanagement programs on the com-puter screen display the chronolog-ical sequence of actions as well asthe status of the maintenancecheck, time and labor costs spentby aircraft system, the jobs still todo and the real inventory of thestock.

FAST / NUMBER 2918

Benefits for suppliersand manufacturersEngine manufacturers, in particu-

lar Rolls Royce and Pratt &Whitney committed to the require-ments of Airbus and started theimplementation of the two-dimensional and linear codes tomark LRUs and internal engineparts such as small turbine blades.

CFMI/SNECMA and MTU pio-neered the development of qualitystandards for the Direct PartMarking technology, a sensitiveissue for highly stressed enginecomponents, refer to: “IAQG -Data Matrix Coding QualityRequirements for Part Marking”.

According to the manufacturers,the benefits of the application arenot only on the maintenance and

overhaul side, but also at pro-duction where they help toimprove the quality process-es. At the automated partmarking, the part identifica-tion is recorded instantly bythe relevant software, whichgenerates an error-free pro-duction document. Thus, thecases where the productiondocumentation does notmatch the final product (pro-duction escapes) are substan-tially reduced.

The labour cost of the mark-ing process itself is reduced by afactor of up to 20 when comparedto manual marking. This is easilyunderstandable when looking atmanually marked parts (see photoabove right).

FAST / NUMBER 29 19

1-D linear bar code

2-D data matrix

→ ON/OFF aircraft LRUs

→ ID badge

→ Consumable bins

→ Aircraft kits

→ Technical logs,Shop Finding Reports

→ Task cards

O V E R A L L B A R C O D E C O N C E P T I N M A I N T E N A N C E

Spec. 2000 compliant bar codeapplication for in-service parts

ABD and Spec. 2000 compliant barcode application for new parts

ConclusionAirbus listened to the requirements of their airline customers and

implemented a standard machine-readable part identification in closecorporation with the ATA and other manufacturers. This initiative rep-resents a further step towards the application of automated processesand thus contributes to reduction in labour costs and time while increas-ing quality. ■

FAST / NUMBER 29 21FAST / NUMBER 2920

Airbus in-serviceexperience indicates

that the IntegratedDrive Generator

servicing proceduremay not always be

strictly followed. Thissituation can lead to

incorrect oil levelsettings, subsequent

equipment damage and electrical systemmalfunction.Because things are done better when theyare fully understood,this article serves as areminder of how theIDG oil system is filledduring the servicing.

By Pascal ChabrielElectrical Power Generation SystemEngineeringAirbus Customer Services

The IDG servicing procedures of theAMM give some precautions ensuringthe cleanliness of the oil

Never use a can that has been alreadyopened when servicng the IDG!

Oil The key component

of the of IDGThe IDG provides electrical

power to all aircraft systems, andtherefore its reliability is of theutmost importance. It consists of agenerator and a constant speeddrive (CSD). The CSD converts thevariable input speed of the engineinto a fixed rotation speed for thegenerator. Thus the generator isable to provide a fixed frequency tothe aircraft electrical network.

Like blood in a human body theoil is the key component of theIDG. It is used for cooling andlubrication but it is also a hydraulicfluid used by the CSD to mechani-cally regulate the rotation speed ofthe generator. The reliability of theIDG and its efficiency depends onthe cleanliness and the correctquantity of oil.

Servicing procedureKeep the oil clean

The IDG servicing procedures ofthe Aircraft Maintenance Manual(AMM) give some precautionsensuring the cleanliness of the oil.

The contamination of oil withwater, chlorinated solvent or dustcan cause premature filter clog-ging, excessive wear of the IDGand overheating conditions.

Excessive water in the oil willaccelerate hydrolytic degradationwith resultant increase in acid con-tent that attacks the magnesium/dichromate housing and forms agel that invisibly plugs filters. Oilcontamination with water canoccur during storage or during theservicing of the IDG. Oil contain-ers, pumps, funnels and other dis-pensing equipment should be keptin a clean and dry environment.Also it is preferable to use a newcan of oil when servicing the IDG.

Excessive Chlorine in the oil willincrease the acid content. With asmall amount of water in the oil, itcan hydrolyze to form a corrosiveacid, which will attack magnesiumand copper within the IDG. Careshould be taken to prevent entry ofchemical solvents into the IDG. Forexample pressurized solventsshould not be directed on the ventor check valves of the IDG.Disposable filter elements shouldnot be cleaned as filter media willretain solvent. Also the externalIDG oil cooler should not be

Like blood in a human body the oil is the key component of the IDG

flushed on the aircraft as solventresidue will be trapped in thecooler.

Expel air pocketsDuring servicing the oil is

pumped through the IDG pressurefill port. It goes through the IDGfilter and exits the IDG into theexternal circuit, circulates into thecooler, flows through the externalcircuit again and comes back intothe IDG case. Once the oil levelexceeds the top of the overflowstand pipe it flows outside the IDGthrough the overflow drain port.

The servicing procedure isdesigned to fill all the cavities ofthe circuit with oil, expelling airpockets and thus setting the opti-mum oil level.

Set up the optimum oil level

The oil level is controlled via thesight glass. The optimum oil level isat or near the top of the green band.

IDGs have an overflow stand pipe

that drains oil during the servicingto establish proper oil level. The topof the overflow standpipe corre-sponds to the top of the green bandof the sight glass

If there is too much oil in the IDGthe operating temperature increases.This equipment is more affected byoverfilling due to a high-speed gen-erator rotating in the case. Hightemperatures are reached fasteralong with reduced IDG reliabilityand potential IDG disconnection inflight.

A low quantity of oil may be atthe origin of low oil pressure andelectrical frequency fluctuations.The use of the generator may be lostin flight. Underfilling has othereffects such as accessory gear wearand reduced IDG reliability.

On the A330/A340 there is a sen-sor that monitors the IDG oil levelthus avoiding the requirements of aregular oil level check. If the oillevel is near the bottom of the greenband, low oil level detection may begenerated during aircraft ground

operation due to the aircraft pitchangle variations (e.g when the air-craft is loaded or towed with thenose gear lifted) leading to addi-tional burdens for the maintenanceand flight crews.

Check the oil levelafter servicing

When the servicing is completethe engine must be dry motored orrun at idle for at least two minutesto allow the oil to circulate throughthe system and ensure that everycavity of the oil system is properlyfilled with oil.

After the motoring the oil levelmust be allowed to settle down forfive minutes. Then the oil levelsight glass must be checked againto ensure that the oil level is at ornear the top of the green band.

The oil level may be slightlyabove the top of the green band dueto thermal expansion. In this casethe acceptable level is within theyellow band above the green one.

However the oil level may havedropped due to the presence of airin the system before the motoring.In this case the servicing should beresumed.

FAST / NUMBER 29 23FAST / NUMBER 2922

The top ofthe overflowstand pipecorrespondsto the top ofthe greenband of thesight glass

The optimum oil level is at or near the top of the green band.

The oil circulates outside the IDG,into the cooler...

... and comes back into the IDG.

Cooler

IDG

Airbus has produced a film thatillustrates in a user-friendly mannerhow the oil system is filled duringthe servicing. In addition to thecurrent Aircraft MaintenanceManual (AMM) procedure, the filmprovides an overview of the IDG oildistribution and explains, using 3Danimation, how the oil level is setinside the IDG. The film is availableon a CD-ROM with an interactivemode, allowing easy navigationinside the IDG servicingpresentation. It also contains a“Virtual Servicing“ section whichallows the viewer to fullyunderstand what is happeninginside the IDG system duringreplenishment of the oil.

For procurement detailsof the CD-Rom “IDG SERVICING”Ref 953.0616/01refer to SIL 00-032.

ConclusionThe AMM procedure must be strictly followed to ensure proper servic-

ing. This is a key factor in ensuring a smooth and long IDG operating life.It contributes to the operational reliability of the aircraft, removes unnec-essary workload and reduces maintenance costs. ■

Check theoil levelafterservicing

FAST / NUMBER 29 25

AUTOMATIONThe full chain of the SB produc-

tion process has been automated upto the dispatching to customers(with digital media), including on-line access. Actually, SB COMPprovides digital services (SB underPDF and SGML formats) to AOLS(Airbus on-line services) for Airbuscustomers.

Every year the applicationbrought major improvements to theSB process.

1993: SB writing automation onthe basis of SGML andDTD standards.

1995: SB life-cycle follow-up ina centralized database fromlaunching to dispatching.

1996: SB on-line consultation forall Airbus users involved inthe process.

1997: Automation of paper andfloppy production. It wasthe first time that digitizedSB were proposed byAirbus to its customers.

1998: SB validity (expressed inMSN, also called “effectiv-ity”) computation, provid-ing adequate follow-up ofvalidity changes and giv-ing the right information atthe right time. The numberof SB revisions for “effec-tivity” changes has drasti-cally decreased.

1999: Automatic interface imple-mented between SBCOMP and AOLS to pro-vide SB as a digital productand on-line access to thecustomers.

2000: Automation of SB valida-tion and approval withinAirbus. This module co-ordinates actions by thedifferent participants inthis process, saving timewhile improving the over-all quality of this validationand approval.

THE FUTURE What will come next?Very soon, Airbus will introduce

a kit revision indicator within thekit part number reference. Thisindicator will be quoted every-where along with the kit reference,within the SB document. This will

allow the customer to order the lat-est kit revision.

In case a kit already deliveredexperiences a revision, only theadditional parts will be suppliedthrough a supplemental kit .

Last but not least, Airbus ispreparing the SBs for the future.Several technologies based on theuse of photographs have been test-ed to introduce some improve-ments in a medium term (withintwo years). The objectives of thisnew SB will be to reduce text andincrease illustrations so as to givean easier and more accuratedescription of the part of the air-craft to be modified or inspected. Aprototype presented during theA320 Family Technical Sympo-sium in Seville in November 2000was well received by the audience(see figure 1).

FAST / NUMBER 28FAST / NUMBER 2924

By Annick PedronSB Method, Process and Quality

Group Managerand

Jacques PasdeloupSB Department Manager

Airbus Customer Services

Some years ago, in FAST number13, an article presented a project ofService Bulletin (SB) digitalisationwith the introduction of SGML at theSB author’s workstation. The inten-tion at that time was to reduce theproduction time, standardize the SBformat, further improve the qualityand prepare for the future. Lookingat past achievements, the SBComputerisation (SB COMP) appli-cation, built “step by step”, hasallowed the implementation ofmore than just the initial basicobjectives. It anticipated to a cer-tain extent, the evolution of tech-nology.

Figure 1A340 SB on hydraulic systems (SB A340-29-4054) “Modification of the blue system pipework between FR44 and FR46” Current illustration completed with a setof photos describing access, step bystep, to the area concerned by themodification.

FAST / NUMBER 29 27FAST / NUMBER 2926

SB quality and technology is thesubject of continuous improvementwithin Airbus, in order to makethem easy to understand and to use.

The SBs dispatched during theweek are entered in AOLS the fol-lowing Monday. Access to thesedocuments is through research cri-teria such as: MSN, Program, ATAchapter, text. AOLS also providesthe list of associated documents,with the possibility to move backand forth between them (see figuresleft).

In future versions of AOLS,hyperlinks with Vendor ServiceBulletins and other Tech Pub docu-ments will be included in the SB.

Having access to the documenton-line, facilitates specific tasks,such as job card preparation byallowing copying and pasting oftext and illustrations. It also givesthe possibility to download the fileinto a portable PC and to use itdirectly on the work site.

In the longer term, for the A380,the digitalised computer aideddesign (CAD) drawings will beused in the next-generation multi-media Service Bulletin. The digitaldrawings will provide 3-D views ofthe areas concerned by the modifi-cation or the inspection (see figure 5).

ConclusionThe continuous development of the Airbus SB system has come

from listening to customer comments and requests, and by makinguse of technological benefits as they are developed. This is an on-going process.■

Figure 5On screen digital view of a cleat at

stringer 32 (SB A320-53-1046) with rivets to be installed

(Snap shot from a film)

Figure 4Clicking on 27-4023 gives access to

related SB under HTML format

Figure 2AOLS – Performing a search to

retrieve Modification SB on ATA 27 foraircraft type A340 with compliance

“mandatory”

Figure 3Search results listing SBs

answering to selected criteria.

FAST / NUMBER 29 29FAST / NUMBER 2928

Orville and Wilbur Wrightwere well into their research pro-gramme into the theory andmechanics of flight. They hadbuilt and flown bi-plane kites,which made over 1000 flights.Stability was carefully studied andmeasurements were made of liftand drag. The kite made in 1901with spruce and ash spars andribs carried a pilot lying horizon-tally. It flew 50 metres. All ofwhich led to eventual success withpowered flight two years later.

Perhaps the mostinteresting and mostadvanced was the flyingboat built in Austria byWilhelm Kress. It hadthree wings in paralleland at different heightsso that each one wouldbe in undisturbed air.Their combined surfacearea was 94 squaremetres. The wing ribswere made of wood butall the rest of the struc-ture was of light steeltubing.

The total structure saton two aluminium floatswith keels so that themachine could take offfrom snow or water. Ithad an elevator and tworudders, one of whichwas in the water.

All the surfaces werecontrolled from a singlehorizontal control col-umn by one hand.

Simultaneously in Europesome wonderful men weretrying to get their flyingmachines airborne.

Capt. Ferdinand Ferberjumped off a five metre highscaffolding at Nice inDecember 1901 and flew 24metres. He jumped off thescaffolding a few more timesbut the stability of his kitewas “a bit uncertain” so healso built a bi-plane kite,made of bamboo.

Two propellers were supposed to be powered by a 40hpmotor weighing 200kg. However when the engine arrived itweighed 380kg and gave only 30hp.

In spite of this severe handicap Herr Kress tried out hisflying machine on a lake. The power was enough to raisethe floats significantly in the water. Unfortunately after asharp turn the machine capsized. Herr Kress spent 20 min-utes in the water, and the rest of his money rebuilding hiswonderful machine.

He was then 66 years old, and broke, so he didn’t try tofly again. He died in 1913.

The end of a glide by one of the Wright brothers

First flight of Capt. Ferber on his glider no. 4 at Nice

Profile of the flying boat W. Kress tried in 1901

Kress’s flying boat in Austria

FAST / NUMBER 29 31FAST / NUMBER 2930 FAST / NUMBER 29

RCSM Location Country

Abu Dhabi United Arab EmiratesAlgiers AlgeriaAmman JordanAthens GreeceBangkok ThailandBeirut LebanonBerlin GermanyBrussels BelgiumBuenos Aires ArgentinaCairo EgyptCharlotte USA (North Carolina)Chengdu ChinaSantiago ChileCincinnati USA (Ohio)Colombo Sri LankaCopenhagen DenmarkDakar SenegalDamascus SyriaDelhi IndiaDenver USA (Colorado)Derby United KingdomDetroit USA (Michigan)Dhaka BangladeshDoha QatarDubai United Arab EmiratesDublin IrelandDuluth USA (Minnesota)Düsseldorf GermanyFrankfurt GermanyGuangzhou ChinaHangzhou ChinaHanoi VietnamHelsinki FinlandHong Kong SAR China

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

USA/CANADA

Gérard RAYNAUD, Senior Director Customer SupportTel:+1 (703) 834 3506Fax:+1 (703) 834 3464

CHINA

Emmanuel PERAUD, Director Customer SupportTel:+86 10 6456 7720

Fax:+86 10 6456 76942 /3 /4

REST OF THE WORLD

Jean-Daniel LEROY, Vice President Customer Support

Tel:+33 (0)5 61 93 35 04Fax:+33 (0)5 61 93 41 01

RESIDENT CUSTOMER SUPPORT ADMINISTRATION

Philippe BORDES, Director Resident Customer Representation Administration

Tel:+33 (0)5 61 93 31 02 Fax:+33 (0)5 61 93 49 64

TECHNICAL, SPARES, TRAINING

Airbus has its main spares store in Hamburg, and subsidiary stores at Frankfurt, Washington D.C.,

Beijing and Singapore.

Airbus operates 24 hours a day every day.AOG technical and spares calls in North America

should be addressed to Tel:+1 (703) 729 9000Fax:+1 (703) 729 4373

AOG technical and spares calls outside North America should be addressed toTel: +49 (40) 50 76 3001/3002/3003Fax:+49 (40) 50 76 3011/3012/3013

Airbus training centre Toulouse, FranceTel:+33 (0)5 61 93 33 33Fax:+33 (0)5 61 93 46 65

Airbus training subsidiaries:Miami, Florida

Tel: +1 (305) 871 36 55Fax:+1 (305) 871 46 49

Beijing, ChinaTel:+86 10 64 57 33 40 Fax:+86 10 64 57 09 64

Indianapolis USA (Indiana)Istanbul TurkeyJakarta IndonesiaJinan ChinaKingston JamaicaKuala Lumpur MalaysiaKuwait City KuwaitLanzhou ChinaLarnaca CyprusLisbon PortugalLondon United KingdomLouisville USA (Kentucky)Luton United KingdomMacau SAR ChinaMadrid SpainManchester United KingdomManila PhilippinesMauritius MauritiusMedelin ColumbiaMelbourne AustraliaMemphis USA (Tennessee)Mexico City MexicoMiami USA (Florida)Mineapolis USA (Minnesota)Monastir TunisiaMontreal CanadaMoscow RussiaMumbai IndiaNairobi KenyaNanchang ChinaNanjing ChinaNew York USA (New York)Noumea New CaledoniaNürnberg Germany

Oslo Norway`Palma de Mallorca SpainParis FrancePhiladelphia USA (Missouri)Phoenix USA (Arizona)Pittsburgh USA (Pennsylvania)Qingdao ChinaRome ItalySan Francisco USA (California)San Jose Costa RicaSan Salvador El SalvadorSantiago ChileSao Paulo BrazilSeoul South KoreaShanghai ChinaSharjah United Arab EmiratesShengzhen ChinaShenyang ChinaSingapore SingaporeStockholm SwedenTaipei TaiwanTampa USA (Florida)Tashkent UzbekistanTehran IranTokyo JapanToronto CanadaTulsa USA (Oklahoma)Tunis TunisiaVancouver CanadaVerona ItalyVienna AustriaWinnipeg CanadaXian ChinaZurich Switzerland

RCSM Location CountryRCSM Location Country

WORLDWIDEAIRBUS CUSTOMER SERVICES

32 FAST / NUMBER 29

AIRBUS AIRCRAFT SECURITY CONFERENCES9 October 2001, Washington - 11 October 2001, Paris - 11 December 2001, Paris

Following September 11th, Airbus set up a series of conferences on aircraft security. The objectives were to examine waysto minimize risks related to the threat of terrorism in air transport and propose solutions to respond to these threats. Airbuscontinues to identify and investigate solutions which could be implemented in the very short term.

The main improvements are:- cockpit door reinforcement- installation of a video camera (to make the cabin forward area visible to the pilots)- installation of a specific emergency cockpit/cabin communication system- a modification linked to the ATC transponder, allowing the pilot or co-pilot to transmit a 'hijacking mode' permanentlyto the groundDuring these conferences Airbus presented feasible technical proposals and evaluated operator's priorities. Technical def-

initions will be provided to meet the new FAA requirements linked to Aircraft Security enhancement. ■

1ST AIRBUS FLIGHT OPERATIONSMONITORING CONFERENCE

12-13 March 2002Hong Kong

Organised in cooperation withCathay Pacific Airways

Regulations are becoming moredemanding on monitoring of flightoperations, which is seen as a keymeans for all operators to improvesafety.

The objective of this conference isto share monitoring concepts to helpimprove proactive and reactiveapproaches to safety. The conferencehas therefore been structured toencompass the concept of monitoringof flight operations, the status of reg-ulations and international pro-grammes and presentations of opera-tors’ experience.

The preliminary agenda with the formal invitation will be sent inJanuary 2002. ■

AIRBUS TRAINING & FLIGHTOPERATIONS CONFERENCE

November 2001Sanya, Hainan, China

The Civil Aviation Authority ofChina (CAAC) and Airbus held a suc-cessful Training & Flight Operationsconference in China.

More than 40 senior representativesfrom Chinese Airlines and 20 repre-sentatives from the ChineseAuthorities attended the conference.

The conference covered a widerange of topics, and was seen as “a powerful event to increase air safety awareness in China”. ■

5TH A330/A340 TECHNICAL SYMPOSIUM27-31 May 2002 Montreal, Canada

The next A330/A340 TechnicalSymposium will be held in Montrealfrom 27 to 31 May, 2002.

In changing slightly the sympo-sium format, major issues of the pro-gramme will be elaborated withinputs from A330/A340 operatorsinstead of responding to severalhundred individual technicalqueries. For one of the 'keynote'items Airbus will brief the cus-tomer/operator community about theA340-600 Flight Test and Maturityprogramme prior to its entry intoservice.

As requested at the last sympo-sium by the majority of participants,this time a four and a half day eventhas been scheduled (instead of threeand a half) to avoid parallel sessionsas much as possible.

The preliminary agenda with theformal invitation will be sent inJanuary 2002. ■