The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

Meet Gary Harpster: AEA’s New Chairman of the Board

Reproduced with permission from Avionics News, May 2013

At the 2013 Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show, Gary Harpster of Duncan Aviation was elected as the new chair of the AEA board of directors. Recently, Patricia Luebke, Avionics News contributor, spoke with Harpster to learn more about his background and aspirations as AEA’s newest chairman.

What does being AEA’s chair of the board of directors mean to you?

One thing I’ve learned throughout the years is that people assimilate new information in a multitude of different fashions. I’ve always prided myself at being able to listen and not form any opinions until the final person has spoken. I hope I can use this characteristic in this new role. The AEA has been working hard to become a sound resource for accurate aviation information, so when we convey a message to the members, we need to be conscious about how it’s perceived. The AEA has a good track record, and I want to build on that.

Do you have a specific agenda in your new leadership role?

I’m not so sure I have a specific agenda, as much as a desire to contribute 110 percent of whatever is asked of me during this time. There are lots of different avenues a person could delve into, but I want to make sure the board supports a coordinated effort that returns the most benefit to the AEA members. I know one effort will be to introduce members to the various committees the AEA has and encourage more members to find a topic of interest and serve on a related committee. It is vital that we continue to seek opinions, network with each other and become more involved in our industry and its future.

Is there a particular area that interests you as chairman?

Duncan Aviation is the largest privately held MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) facility in the world, so we not only work on a large variety of aircraft on a daily basis, we have worldwide exposure, as well. I’m hoping I can pass on ideas for other facilities to consider as work opportunities and/or solutions. Right now, the AEA has a great relationship with the FAA, so I’d like to get a chance to contribute ideas that would allow our members to do what they enjoy with a less cumbersome bureaucracy and, hopefully, fewer paperwork challenges

What is your background?

I grew up next to Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb. We lived about 3 miles from the airport, so whenever there was an opportunity, my sister and I would ride our bikes by the airfield and wait on the approach end of the runway for aircraft to pass overhead. As soon as they were right on top of us, we would stand up and let the prop blast blow us down the hill. This avionics was in the early 1960s, long before we had the security we have today. We would come home smelling like kerosene that permeated our clothes, so my mother knew right away where we’d been. I still can’t help but look up every time a plane passes overhead.

Click here to read Patricia Luebke’s complete interview with Gary Harpster.

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Does AD 2010-07-02 apply to your Honeywell RNZ-850/851?

Submitted by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep

Last summer I wrote an article about the importance of complying with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2010-07-02 before the deadline of November 3, 2012. This AD is applicable to the Honeywell RNZ-850/851 Integrated Navigation Units (INU) and addresses possible erroneous glide slope or localizer display indications. The deadline has since come and gone, however, at Duncan Aviation we continue to field phone calls from operators who have discovered their AD had been signed off as being complied with, when in fact, it has not. Cessna released CIL-34-02 on March 18, 2013, to address this issue.

Honeywell RNZ-850/851 Data Plates

There are two data plates on the Honeywell RNZ-850/851 INU. One is on the front, the other on the bottom. There is confusion about which data plate should be inspected to determine if your unit is in compliance with AD 2010-07-02. The answer is BOTH. Two conditions must be met in order for the unit to be in compliance.

Condition #1: Front Data Plate Closely inspect the mod data plate on the front of the unit. In order to be compliant, the square with the “AS” must be blocked out.

Condition #2: Bottom Data Plate Next inspect the status of the mod data plate on the bottom of the unit. In order to be compliant, the square “T” must be blocked out.

Important Note

Your unit is only in compliance with AD 2010-07-02, when BOTH of these conditions are met.

Duncan Aviation can perform the modification necessary to comply with AD2010-07-02. Contact a Duncan Aviation Avionics Tech Rep for more information.

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Critical Shipping Procedures For A Business Aircraft Gyroscope

Contributed by Nic Evans, Avionics Team Leader

It wasn’t long ago that I wrote an article about how to properly handle your aircraft’s gyroscope and prevent it from being scrambled. To some, this advice may seem obvious and unnecessary, but it continues to amaze me how little thought and effort is given when a gyroscope is packaged and shipped to Duncan Aviation for repair and overhaul. The gyros that are sent in for repair or overhaul with improper packaging have shown a higher degree of damage as a result.

The following are common squawks that can and do occur when a gyroscope is not prepared properly for shipping.

1. Rocky Bearings – The bearings within a gyro work together to keep the unit balanced. A rocky bearing occurs when a unit is jostled and causes these bearings to misshapen and stick. This can cause your gyro to be slow to slave or slow to erect.
2. Out of balance – A gyro becomes out of balance when the weights within the unit shift or slide.
3. Catastrophic failure – There are stops inside a gyro that are in place to prevent a catastrophic failure of a unit. However, a seemingly innocent drop during shipping can break those stops and render the unit inoperable. Just because the box isn’t damaged doesn’t mean the unit inside isn’t.

The best way to ship a gyro is in the same box and packing material it was received in from the manufacturer. However, if that box is long gone, your efforts to prepare your gyro for shipment should be equal to or better than the manufacturer’s packaging. If you take shortcuts when shipping a gyro, you run the risk of voiding all applicable warranties.

Two Box Shipping Method

When the original packing boxes and materials are long gone, the best way to pack a gyroscope for shipping is to use a two-box method. This will ensure that unit is packed securely and more protected against inappropriate handling during transportation.

Step One: Box #1

Place the gyro in a box that is just large enough to hold the unit and enough Styrofoam or other soft packing material to line all sides, including top and bottom. Be sure to include enough packing material so the gyroscope will not shift in the box during shipping. It is better to use too much than not enough.

Step Two: Box #2

After the box containing the unit has been closed and sealed, pack it into a larger box with additional packing material. Do not skimp on the size of the box #2 or the amount of packing materials. The second box must be large enough to fit Box #1 and still allow for at least two inches of packing material between any point of the box and the inside walls of the carton. Make sure that Box #1 will not shift or the packing material to become compressed during shipment.

I cannot stress enough how fragile and delicate of an instrument a gyroscope is. You invest a lot of money keeping gyros airworthy. Duncan Aviation does not want to see your money and effort wasted because of improper shipping, handling and procedures.

Gyro Overhaul

As an Authorized Honeywell Service Center, Duncan Aviation is able to overhaul most Honeywell gyroscopes. If you ship your gyro directly to Duncan aviation for overhaul, you will receive it back within five days using Duncan Aviation's AOG service.

Duncan Aviation has four Avionics Tech Reps at your service to answer your questions or assist in troubleshooting your avionics units, including the gyro.

Nic Evans is an avionics team leader located at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He leads a team that specializes in the gyroscope. His aviation career began in 1999.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

HF Mysteries solved at AEA in 2013

by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep

Hundreds of customers over the years have relied on Duncan Aviation Avionics Tech Reps as a valuable resource for information and support when it comes to repairing their aircraft avionics systems. When the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) organization asked if we would be part of their training events, it seemed like a natural fit.

This year, Dan Magnus, Duncan Aviation Avionics Tech Rep, and I will conduct training on the first day of the AEA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 25-28, 2013. We will also present at the United States regional meetings, set for September 25-27 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and November 6-8 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dan and I field numerous calls from customers who need assistance in troubleshooting their HF systems when they have a squawk. Most communication systems on aircraft are relatively simple, with a transmitter/receiver, the corresponding antenna and a controller. The HF system is a little more complex as there are additional components needed to get the job done. We hope to put our many years of experience together to assist attendees resolve common HF issues.

Since this will be my first AEA convention, it is difficult to know what to expect. But I hope to expand my knowledge base, not only through the training that we are conducting, but also from the other presenters. I also hope to get as much customer feedback as possible to find out what we are doing well and where we can try to make improvements.

HF MYSTERIES IN TROUBLESHOOTING will cover the basic HF technology and get into the quirks inherent in these systems. Discussion will include tuning, grounding and idiosyncrasies of different systems, including antennas. The session will conclude with a Q&A session and the critical exchange of pilot and crew debriefs.

You can register for any AEA meeting, by visiting https://www.aea.net/events.asp. While there plan on stopping by booth #707 to visit with all of Duncan Aviation’s representatives.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Avoid Sudden Universal FMS Battery Failures

Contributed by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep and Rod Walther, NAV Team Leader

The Universal Avionics Flight Management System (FMS) has two batteries. One is located on the CPU board that supports Flight Plans and Navigation databases. The other is located on the GPS board and supports the GPS Almanac information. It isn’t unusual for these batteries to begin to lose power or fail with minimal warning resulting in a CDU Data Bus Failure message being displayed.

As previously stated, this failure can happen quite suddenly. The crew may get a “Low Battery” message at start-up on the first leg of a flight, but then have a “CDU Data Bus Failure” message on the start-up of the return flight. When this happens, the FMS becomes unusable until the battery is replaced. Depending on your current flight schedule and where you are located, the downtime could be hours or even days. Especially if it becomes necessary to order a rental unit from the OEM while your unit is sent in for battery replacement.

When there is sudden battery failure, you also lose valuable Pilot Data. After this failure is noted, the only way to replace the data is for pilots to manually re-enter the data after the batteries are replaced.

Below are two simple solutions to avoiding the sudden loss of battery power and potentially all of your stored pilot data.

Two-Year Maintenance Program

It is perfectly fine to retain the original Universal Avionics FMS batteries. However, we recommend that you tie the battery replacement to an airframe maintenance event already on a two-year general maintenance program. The original Universal Avionics FMS batteries are still currently available, however could at some point in the future be discontinued. At that time, operators will need to switch to the new Extended-Life battery modification.

New Extended-Life Battery Modification

Universal Avionics has issued a battery modification that considerably extends the useful life of the batteries. More importantly, this new battery appears to have a steadier decline in voltage, prolonging the low battery indication which in turn, could allow the pilot up to three months to schedule maintenance. However, to ensure continuous battery operation, we recommend you put the FMS with the new battery modification, on a four-year general maintenance program for battery replacement, reducing the likelihood of the sudden loss of battery power and pilot data. If you do this on a dual FMS System, you will save hundreds of dollars of maintenance over the life of the battery.

CPU Board Damage

Waiting too long to replace your FMS batteries also increases the probability of CPU board damage due to battery corrosion. Although a battery may have exceeded its life expectancy, the longer battery replacement is put off, the greater the chances the battery will begin to leak and cause corrosion and damage to the CPU board. When this happens, the CPU board must be replaced at a potential cost of more than $3000.

Both the two-year maintenance cycle of the current FMS battery and the new Extended-Life battery modification can be performed at Duncan Aviation. And by using Duncan Aviation's AOG service, turn time can be as little as one day, if scheduled. To discuss your Universal Avionics FMS Battery maintenance options, call Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Tech Reps.

To schedule your next Universal Avionics FMS battery maintenance event, contact Duncan Aviation’s Avionics Customer Account Reps.

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

Rod Walther is an avionics team leader located at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He leads a team that specializes in NAV systems. His aviation career began in 1993.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Don’t Scramble the Gyro on your Business Aircraft!

Contributed by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep and Nic Evans, Gyroscope Team Leader

Gyros are an essential piece of business aircraft avionics equipment and you invest a lot of money to keep them airworthy. They can operate properly for many years or fail in just a few days, whether new in the box or overhauled. It all boils down to the environment in which it is operating and how well you take care of it. When the OEM prints the words “Handle Like Eggs” across every unit, they mean it!

Here are a few things to keep in mind when handling the gyro.

Proper Gyro Handling

1. Allow the aircraft to come to a complete stop and sit for at least 15 minutes minimum before attempting to remove the gyro. This gives the gyro time to completely spool down and stop spinning. The newer and more efficient the unit, the longer the gyro will spin.
2. Handle Like Eggs, seriously! During transportation is when potentially serious problems can occur. You may send in a unit for a simple fix, but if it is not properly packaged and shipped, then you increase the likelihood of it arriving with a more serious problem. To minimize ground turbulence, a gyro should be shipped by air.
3. Do not unplug or plug your gyro in with aircraft power on. Gyros should only be connected or disconnected after they have spooled down completely, minimizing the chance of any excessive vibration from installing or removing the connector to damage the gyro. 
4. Unpack your overhauled gyro at the aircraft to avoid rumbling it across the ramp on a cart. Dropping a gyro from ½” above a hard surface can do significant damage.

When you need to remove the gyro from the aircraft to troubleshoot squawks or gain further access, the same care should be used.

Proper Gyro Storage

1. Anytime a gyro is removed from the aircraft, it should be immediately put into an adequately padded shipping container, if possible.  
2. Store the gyro flat on a shelf resting on padding in a temperature controlled environment.
3. If gyro will be stored for an extended period of time, it should be powered up every six months and allowed to spin for 10-15 minutes. This redistributes the oil or grease throughout the bearings. If left to sit, the oil and grease will pool at the bottom of the unit and cause friction damage of the upper bearings upon the next start-up.

Remember that a gyro is like an egg, unless you want it scrambled, handle accordingly.

Gyro Overhaul

As an Authorized Honeywell Service Center, Duncan Aviation is able to overhaul most Honeywell gyroscopes. If you ship your gyro directly to Duncan aviation for overhaul, you will receive it back within five days using Duncan Aviation's AOG service. Before shipping your gyro to Duncan Aviation for overhaul, please call a Customer Account Rep to get proper packing instructions.

Duncan Aviation has four Avionics Tech Reps at your service to answer your questions or assist in troubleshooting your avionics units, including the gyro.

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

Nic Evans is an avionics team leader located at Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He leads a team that specializes in the gyroscope. His aviation career began in 1999.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

RM-855 RMU Upgrade Pricing Incentives Ending December 2012

Contributed by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep

The pricing incentives for operators to replace their current Honeywell RM-850 Radio Management Unit (RMU) with new RM-855 units at approximately 50% of their regular price will end on December 31, 2012.

Since 2006, there has been no production or support for the Honeywell RM-850 RMU and replacement parts are extinct. Honeywell is offering the RM-855 as a form, fit and function replacement unit for the discontinued RM-850 RMU. It has been manufactured for several years, and offers greater reliability and functionality.

To upgrade the units, the existing RM-850 connector must be adapted to the new 855. Duncan Aviation is able to install these units without the use and expense of an OEM Service Bulletin or STC. Each unit requires very little labor, and Duncan Aviation's engineering and certification members can approve the modifications through the company's Organization Designation Authorization (ODA). Aircraft downtime is less than a day if parts are ordered in advance.

Affected Aircraft

The following aircraft will most likely have the RM-850 RMUs currently installed:

• Lear 45
• Jetstream 41
• Sikorsky S-76B
• Global 5000
• Falcon 2000
• Hawker 800A / XP
• Hawker 900XP
• Hawker 1000
• Citation 560 Ultra and Excel
• Citation 650
• Challenger 601

Duncan Aviation Upgrade Locations

RM-855 upgrades can be performed at any of Duncan Aviation's avionics satellite shops located across the United States. In the case of an RM-850 AOG failure, unit replacement can be performed in the field by an experienced Duncan Aviation avionics technician.

Honeywell Pricing Incentives

Honeywell is offering incentive pricing on the RM-855 with the trade-in of an RM-850, working or not. Each installed RM-855 will be covered by a three-year Honeywell warranty, if installed by an Authorized Honeywell dealer.

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Hawker 800XP: Troubleshooting HF Systems Squawks

Contributed by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep

A Hawker 800XP operator, who was experiencing a squawk on both #1 and #2 HF systems, recently contacted us for support. He was not able to receive transmissions on either system.

Since both systems were exhibiting the same symptoms, the obvious place to begin troubleshooting is by focusing on components that are common between the #1 and #2 HF systems. In this instance: the dual KHF-950 HF system with a shunt antenna. The common components are the KA 162 Dual External Capacitor (or KA 160 Dual Antenna Adapter, if it is a long wire antenna installation) and the HF antenna itself.

Proper Antenna Bonding

The function of the KA 162 Dual External Capacitor is to connect the antenna to the active antenna coupler. Since the HF antenna in this installation is essentially the vertical stabilizer leading edge, the one thing to check with the antenna is proper bonding. Good bonding of the antenna, KAC 952 Power Amplifier/Antenna Coupler and KA 161 External Capacitor or KA 162 Dual Antenna Capacitor is essential for proper operation of the HF system. I cannot count the number of HF squawks that have been remedied by Duncan Aviation avionics technicians simply by going through and cleaning corroded bonding connections at the antenna or antenna coupler.

Tuning faults are also a common squawk for HF systems that have corroded or poor bonding at the antenna or antenna coupler. Bonding at the antenna coupler is done with a bonding strap, and the resistance should not exceed .003 ohms.

So if your aircraft's HF system begins to show signs of intermittent faults, take a few minutes to first check for proper bonding at the antenna and antenna coupler. Many times, this can remedy the problem and save you time and money in the process.

Duncan Aviation is still a Hawker Service Center

In light of the recent changes in the industry for Hawker operators, I want to remind you that Duncan Aviation continues to provide comprehensive Hawker aircraft service and support at all Duncan locations around the world. We are an industry leader in Hawker maintenance, structural repair, landing gear/component overhauls, engine MPIs, avionics upgrades, paint and interior. Our experience and capabilities are second to none.

For more information about Duncan Aviation’s Hawker Services, contact any one of the many Duncan Aviation Hawker experts.

If you have any questions or need assistance when troubleshooting a KHF-950 HF system, contact Duncan Aviation's Avionics Tech Reps, available 24 hours a day, every day.

 

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

For more updates from Duncan Aviation, please follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

200+ Aviation Acronyms in Celebration of Duncan Download's 200th Post

Each industry has their own set of acronyms and abbreviations that often leave outsiders scratching their heads. There are nearly 3,000 identified aviation acronyms. However, in honor of the Duncan Download’s 200^thblog post, I asked our own experts to share 200 aviation-related acronyms that they use most during a normal work day. These overachievers sent me nearly 300.

Do you know them all?

1. (°C) — Degrees Celsius
2. (°F) — Degrees Fahrenheit
3. (A/D) — Analog to Digital Converter
4. (A/I) — Anti-Icing
5. (ac) — Alternating Current
6. (A/C) — Aircraft
7. (ACO) — Administrative Contracting Officer
8. (AD) — Airworthiness Directive
9. (ADC) — Air Data Computer
10. (ADF) — Automatic Direction Finding
11. (ADI) — Attitude Indicator
12. (ADS-B) — Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast
13. (AES) — Automatic Export System
14. (AFIS) — Airborne Flight Information System
15. (AFM) — Aircraft Flight Manual
16. (AGB) — Accessory Gearbox
17. (AGC) — Automatic gain control
18. (AHRS) — Attitude Heading Reference System
19. (ALI) — Airworthiness Limitation Item
20. (AMM) — Aircraft Maintenance Manual
21. (AMS) — Aerospace Material Specification
22. (ANAC) — Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil
23. (AOG) — Aircraft on Ground
24. (APR) — Automatic Power Recovery
25. (APU) — Auxiliary Power Unit
26. (ARINC) — Aeronautical Radio Incorporated
27. (ASAP) — As Soon As Possible
28. (ASNT) — American Society of Nondestructive testing
29. (ASSY) — Assembly
30. (ATA) — Air Transportation Association
31. (ATC) — Air Traffic Control
32. (ATIS) — Automatic Terminal Information Service
33. (ATTCS) — Automatic Take Off Thrust Control System
34. (BAFO) — Best and Final Offer
35. (BER) — Beyond economical repair
36. (BIS) — Bureau of Industry and Security
37. (BIT) — Binary Digit
38. (BITE) — Built-in Test Equipment
39. (BOV) — Bleed-off Valve
40. (C/P) — Chief Pilot
41. (C12) — King Air
42. (C20) — Gulfstream
43. (C21) — Learjet
44. (CA) — Certificate of Airworthiness
45. (CAA) — Civil Aviation Agency
46. (CAC) — Common Access Card
47. (CAM) — Certified Aviation Manager
48. (CAMP) — Computerized Maintenance Program
49. (CANPASS) — Canadian Passenger Accelerated Service System
50. (CASP) — Corporate Aircraft Service Program
51. (CAV) — Commercial Asset Visibility
52. (CBP) — Customs and Border Patrol
53. (cc) — Cubic Centimeters
54. (CCW) — Counterclockwise
55. (CDP) — Compressor Discharge Pressure
56. (CDRL) — Contract Data Requirements List
57. (CDU) — VHF Radio Transceiver
58. (CFR) — Code of Federal Regulations
59. (CG) — Center of Gravity
60. (CIT) — Compressor Inlet Temperature
61. (CL) — Class
62. (CLS) — Contractor Logistics Support
63. (CMR) — Certification Maintenance Requirement
64. (CMS) — Cabin Management System
65. (COC) — Certificate of Calibration
66. (Comm) — Communication
67. (COMSEC) — Communications Security
68. (CONUS) — Continental United States
69. (COO) — Country of Origin
70. (COTR) — Contracting Officer's Technical Representative
71. (CPAR) — Contractors Performance Assessment Reporting System
72. (CPCP) — Corrosion Prevention Control Program
73. (CPDLC) — Controller Pilot Data Link Communication
74. (CPU) — Central Processing Unit
75. (CRM) — Crew Resource Management
76. (CRT) — Cathode Ray Tubes
77. (CSN) — Catalog Sequence Numbers - Cycles Since New
78. (CVR) — Cockpit Voice Recorder
79. (CW) — Clockwise
80. (CZI) — Compressor Zone Inspection
81. (CZR) — Compressor Zone Repair
82. (D/A) — Digital to Analogue Converter
83. (DAR) — Designated Airworthiness Representative
84. (DCAA) — Defense Contract Audit Agency
85. (DCMA) — Defense Contracting Management Agency
86. (DFAR) — Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations
87. (DFDR) — Digital Flight Data Recorder
88. (DH) — Decision Height
89. (DIA) — Diameter
90. (Dim.) — Dimension
91. (DME) — Distance Measuring Equipment
92. (DOD) — Domestic Object Damage
93. (D.O.D.) — Department of Defense
94. (DOM) — Director of Maintenance
95. (DOS) — Department of State
96. (DPHM) — Diagnostics, Prognostics and Health Management
97. (DSS) — Defense Security Service
98. (DUATS) — Direct User Access Terminal Service (weather/flight plan processing)
99. (e-APIS) — Electronic Advanced Passenger Information System
100. (EAR) — Export Administration Regulations
101. (EASA) — European Aviation Safety Agency
102. (ECCN) — Export Commodity Control Number
103. (ECS) — Environment Control System
104. (ECTM) — Engine Condition Trend Monitoring
105. (EDS) — Engine Diagnostic System
106. (EDU) — Engine Diagnostic Unit
107. (EEC) — Electronic Engine Control
108. (EEI) — Electronic Export Information
109. (EERM) — Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory
110. (EFB) — Electronic Flight Bag
111. (EFD) — Electronic Flight Display
112. (EFIS) — Electronic Flight Instrument System
113. (EGWS) — Enhance Ground Proximity Warning System
114. (EGT) — Exhaust Gas Temperature
115. (EICAS) — Engine Indication and Crew Alert
116. (ELT) — Emergency Locator Transmitter
117. (EPR) — Engine Pressure Ratio
118. (ESO) — Electronic Sign Off (somewhat unique to Duncan Aviation)
119. (ESP) — Engine Service Plan
120. (ET) — Eddy Current Testing
121. (ETD/(A)/(E) — Estimated Time of Departure/(Arrival)/(Enroute)
122. (F & C) — Fits and Clearances
123. (FAA) — Federal Aviation Administration
124. (FADEC) — Full Authority Digital Electronic Control
125. (FANS) — Future Air Navigation System
126. (FAR) — Federal Aviation Regulation
127. (FBO) — Fixed Base Operation
128. (FCPA) — Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
129. (FCS) — Flight Control System
130. (FCU) — Fuel Control Unit
131. (FET) — Federal Excise Tax
132. (FI) — Flight Idle
133. (FIR) — Full Indicator Reading
134. (FIS) — Flight Inspection System
135. (FMC) — Flight Management Computer
136. (FMS) — Flight Management System
137. (FOB) — Fuel On Board
138. (FOD) — Foreign Object Damage
139. (FSDO) — Flight Standards District Office
140. (FSO) — Facility Security Officer
141. (FSOV) — Fuel Shut-off Valve
142. (FT) — Function Test
143. (FTR) — Federal Trade Regulations
144. (FWD) — Forward
145. (GBS) — Ground Based Software
146. (GEAE) — GE Aircraft Engines
147. (GFP) — Government Furnished Property
148. (GI) — Ground Idle
149. (GND) — Ground
150. (GOM) — General Operations Manual
151. (GPS) — Global Positioning System
152. (GPWS) — Ground Proximity Warning System
153. (H/W) — Hardware
154. (HIRL) — High Intensity Runway Lighting
155. (HP) — High Pressure
156. (HPT) — High Pressure Turbine
157. (HR.) — Hour
158. (HSD) — High Speed Data
159. (HSI) — Hot Section Inspection
160. (HSI) — Horizontal Situation Indicator
161. (HSR) — Hot Section Refurbishment
162. (HTS) — Harmonized Tariff System
163. (Hz) — Hertz
164. (I) — Incident
165. (IAW) — In Accordance With
166. (ICA) — Instructions for Continued Airworthiness
167. (ICAO) — International Civil Aviation Organization
168. (ID) — Inside Diameter
169. (IDG) — Integrated Drive Generator
170. (IETM) — Interactive Engine Technical Manual
171. (IFR) — Instrument Flight Rules
172. (IGV) — Inlet Guide Vane
173. (ILS) — Instrument Landing System
174. (in.) — Inch
175. (INBD) — Inboard
176. (IPC) — Illustrated Parts Catalog
177. (ISO) — International Standards Organization
178. (ITAR) — International Traffic and Arms Regulations
179. (ITT) — Interturbine Temperature
180. (JAR OPS) — Joint Aviation Requirement for Operation (Europe)
181. (JPAS) — Joint Personnel Adjudication System
182. (JTR) — Joint Travel Regulations
183. (kg.) — Kilogram
184. (kPa) — Kilopascals
185. (L/HIRF) — Lightning/High Intensity Radiated Field
186. (lb.) — Pound
187. (LOI) — Letter of Intent
188. (LPT) — Low Pressure Turbine
189. (LPV) — Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance
190. (LRM) — Line Replaceable Module
191. (LRU) — Line Replaceable Unit
192. (M/N) — Model Number
193. (Max) — Maximum
194. (MDA) — Minimum Descent Altitude
195. (MEL) — Minimum Equipment List
196. (MFC) — Main Fuel Control
197. (MFD) — Multi-Function Display
198. (Min) — Minimum
199. (MLG) — Main Landing Gear
200. (MM) — Maintenance Manual
201. (MOA) — Military Operations Area
202. (MPA) — Maximum Power Assurance
203. (MPD) — Maintenance Planning Document
204. (MPI) — Major Periodic Inspection
205. (MPU) — Multifunction Processor Unit
206. (MRA) — Major Repair/Alteration
207. (MRB-R) — Maintenance Review Board Report
208. (MSG-3) — Maintenance Steering Group 3rd Task Force Aircraft Maintenance Program
209. (MSP) — Maintenance Service Plan
210. (MT) — Magnetic Particle Testing
211. (MU) — Measurement Uncertainty
212. (MUR) — Measurement Uncertainty Ratio
213. (N2 -) — Nitrogen
214. (NAA) — National Aviation Agency
215. (NATO) — North Atlantic Treaty Organization
216. (NAV) — Navigation
217. (NBAA) — National Business Aviation Association
218. (NDB) — Non-Directional Beacon
219. (NDT) — Non-Destructive Testing
220. (NextGen) — Next Generation Air Transportation System
221. (NFF) — No Fault Found
222. (NICAD) — Nickel Cadmium
223. (NIST) — National Institute of Standards & Technology
224. (NLG) — Nose landing gear
225. (NOTAM) — Notice to Airmen
226. (O2) — Oxygen
227. (OC) — On condition
228. (OCONUS) — Outside Continental United States
229. (ODA) — Organization Delegation Authorization
230. (OH) — Overhaul
231. (OIML) — International Organization for Legal Metrology
232. (OOT) — Out of Tolerance
233. (OUTBD) — Outboard
234. (P/N) — Part Number
235. (PAMA) — Professional Aviation Maintenance Association
236. (PAR) — Previous Authorization Required
237. (PCO) — Procuring Contracting Officer
238. (PIC) — Pilot In Command
239. (PIREP) — Pilot Reports
240. (PM) — Program Manager
241. (PMA) — Parts Manufacturer Approval
242. (POA) — Power of Attorney
243. (PSE) — Primary Structural Element
244. (PSU) — Passenger service unit
245. (PT) — Penetrant testing
246. (PWS) — Performance Work Statement
247. (QA) — Quality Assurance 
248. (QAR) — Quality Assurance Representative
249. (QCM) — Quality Control Manual
250. (QT) — Quick Turn
251. (RAAS) — Runway Awareness and Advisory System
252. (RAD) — ALT Radio Altimeter
253. (RAT) — Ram Air Turbine
254. (RFI) — Request for Information
255. (RFM) — Removed From Market
256. (RFQ) — Request for Quote
257. (RNAV) — Area Navigation
258. (RNP) — Required Navigation Performance
259. (ROM) — Rough order of magnitude
260. (RSGOM) — Repair Station General Operating Manual
261. (RSM) — Repair Station Manual
262. (RTS) — Return To Service
263. (RTU) — Radio Tuning Unit
264. (RVSM) — Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums
265. (S/N) — Serial Number
266. (SATCOM) — Satellite Communications
267. (SB) — Service Bulletin
268. (SBB) — Swiftbroadband
269. (SELCAL) — Selective Calling
270. (SHOT) — Since Hot Section Overhaul
271. (SIC) — Second In Command
272. (SMOH) — Since Major Overhaul (Engines)
273. (SMS) — Safety Management System
274. (SOP) — Standard Operating Procedure
275. (SOW) — Statement of Work
276. (STC) — Supplemental Type Certificate
277. (TAF) — Terminal Area Forecast
278. (TAP) — Total Assurance Program
279. (TAR) — Test Accuracy Ratio
280. (TAWS) — Terrain Awareness Warning System
281. (TBO) — Time Between Overhaul
282. (TCAS) — Traffic Collision Avoidance System
283. (TCAS MOPS 7.1) — Minimum Operation Performance Specification 7.1
284. (TCH) — Threshold Crossing Height
285. (TFR) — Temporary Flight Restriction
286. (TSA) — Transportation Security Administration
287. (TSH) — Time Since Hot (Engines)
288. (TSN) — Time Since New
289. (TSO) — Time Since Overhaul
290. (TTSN) — Total Time Since New
291. (TUR) — Test Uncertainty Ratio
292. (UC) — Under Contract
293. (USCG) — United States Coast Guard
294. (UT) — Ultrasonic Testing
295. (VFR) — Visual Flight Rules
296. (VSI) — Vertical Speed Indicator
297. (WAAS) — Wide Area Augmentation System
298. (Wi-Fi) — Wireless Fidelity

Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of government and business operators and other service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit systems, full paint, interior and modification services and pre-owned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Duncan Aviation also has aircraft components and parts solutions experts available 24/7/365 at 800.228.1836 or 402.475.4125 (international) who can handle any aircraft system problem with immediate exchanges, rotables, loaners or avionics/instrument/accessory/propeller repairs and overhauls.

Complete service facilities are located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Battle Creek, Michigan. Additional locations include a maintenance facility in Provo, Utah, more than 20 satellite avionics facilities and eight engine Rapid Response Team launch offices strategically located for worldwide support.   

For more information about any of Duncan Aviation’s services, contact us at 402.475.2611 or 800.228.4277. Or visit us on the web at www.DuncanAviation.aero.

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Squawk Solution: Proper Operation of the KHF-950 HF System

Contributed by Scott McKenzie, Avionics Tech Rep

At Duncan Aviation, we recently have had a number of components sent in for a KHF-950 HF system, with a KFS-594 Miniature Control Unit installed, that have been squawked as being stuck in transmit mode or the frequency is changing on the controller every time a transmit is attempted. After bench testing, it was determined that there were no faults with the suspected units, but a misunderstanding of the proper operation of this system. 

Here’s a quick refresher course.

Direct Frequency Mode

The first thing that technicians should do when testing the KHF-950 HF system is select channel 0 (direct frequency mode) on the HF controller and enter the desired frequency.  (figure 1. Direct Frequency Mode)

This ensures the frequency that is selected via the controller is the frequency that will be both received and transmitted (simplex operation) on when the microphone is keyed. If any other channel is selected (1 through 19), it is possible that the frequency displayed on the controller will change when attempting to transmit. 

 Channel Mode

By selecting a channel (1 through 19), the user can store preset frequencies using the white STO button. To program a preset channel frequency, first select the channel. Next, enter the desired frequency and press the STO button. (figure 2. Channel Mode)

Program Mode

Each channel can also be programmed for duplex operation. Duplex operation is receiving on one frequency, while transmitting on a different frequency. To program a channel for duplex operation, first select the desired channel, then enter the desired receive frequency and press the STO button. The display on the control should now be in program mode. Program mode is annunciated by a flashing dash in the space adjacent to the channel number. (figure 3. Program Mode photo)

Also note that the TX annunciation is in the upper right hand corner. You may now enter the desired transmit frequency, and press the STO button again. The selected channel is now programmed for duplex operation.

STO Button

The STO button can perform a couple of other functions in addition to being used to store preset frequencies. If the STO button pressed while the microphone is keyed, a 1000Hz tone will be transmitted. This is used to break the squelch of some stations. 

Also, pressing the STO button will clear any error conditions, which are annunciated by a flashing "E" being displayed for more than three seconds. If the display shows a TX annunciation upon power up, and you are not able to control the cursor, pressing the STO button three times should clear this indication and allow for full function of the HF controller.

If you have any questions or need assistance when troubleshooting a KHF-950 HF system, contact Duncan Aviation's Avionics Tech Reps, available 24 hours a day, every day.

 

Scott McKenzie is an avionics tech rep located in Duncan Aviation's Lincoln, Nebraska, facility. He specializes in troubleshooting the latest in avionics systems installed on aircraft today. His aviation career began in 1995.

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