Avionics

Part A Khagendra k. yadav

1. What is need of defining various Avionics architecture?
Brought improvements in terms of increased performance, computing power, complexity and
reliability, although all at an increase in cost. Other benefits included a decrease in weight,
volume, power consumption and wiring. The key architectural steps during this time have
been:
Distributed analogue architecture;
Distributed digital architecture;
Federated digital architecture;
Integrated modular architecture; also digital.

2. Why is the open system architecture so popular in the modern avionics

systems?




3. What are the major drivers and needs for Avionics?
Major drivers for avionics are:
Capability
Reliability
Maintainability
Certificability
Survivability(military)
Availability
Susceptibility
vulnerability
Life cycle cost(military) or cost of ownership(civil)
Technical risk
Weight & power
Needs of Avionics:
To detect and process the data about environment inside and
outside the aircraft.
To derive information in a form suitable for crew utilization.
To accept crew inputs and combine with other derived
Information.
To activate controls within the aircraft and simulate the outside
environment as dictated by mission requirements of the system

4. What are the advantages of HMD over HUD?
In HMD the gimbaled sensors enables the pilot to watch critical data in
the helmet in the directions through which he/she moves/looks, thus
facilitating him/her to watch the primary data always.
HMD display formats are very similar to those of HUDs except for the
addition of helmet-pointing azimuth and elevation information and
vectors showing where the last target of interest was prior to looking
down into the cockpit or searching for another target.


5. Define Dead reckoning navigation system.
Dead reckoning (DR) is the process of estimating one's current position based
upon a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position
based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time, and course. While
traditional methods of dead reckoning are no longer considered primary means
of navigation, modern inertial navigation systems, which also depend upon
dead reckoning, are very widely used.
6. Differentiate between MIL and ARINC standard in terms of BUS speed?

7. What is the need for two different speeds in ARINC 429 data bus?
Two different data rates are used in ARINC-429. They are 12-14.5
Kbits/sec(Low speed bus) and 100 Kbits/sec(High speed bus). Low speed bus
is used for general-purpose, low criticality applications. High speed bus is
used for transmitting large quantities of data or flight critical information.

8. Distinguish between pave pace and pave pillar architecture?

Pave pillar- (1987) This architecture is specifically targeted for advanced tactical fighters, and in
general for all military aircraft applications. The PAVE PILLAR Architecture addresses those
functions which could be implemented with common hardware and computer programs to allow
adaptation to either air-to-air or air-to-ground missions.
This programme questioned the black box approach to avionics. Pave Pillar architecture physically
comprised a number of building blocks called common modules. Each module contained the circuitry
to perform a complete digital processing function including interface control and health diagnosis. The
common modules were developed from a limited very high-speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) chip set.
A number of common module types could then be built up from a small family of VHSIC chips.
Pave pace-

9. Name the few types of CFDS?
10. What is BIT?
(Built-in test equipment) The BITE is characterized primarily as a passive fault
management and diagnosis built into airborne systems to support the

maintenance process. Built-in test equipment refers to multimeters, oscilloscopes,

discharge probes, and frequency generators that are provided as part of the
system to enable testing and perform diagnostics.
The term BIT often includes :The detection of the fault.
The accommodation of the fault (how the system actively responds to the fault).
The annunciation or logging of the fault to warn of possible effects and/or aid in
troubleshooting the faulty equipment.

11. What are the advantages of active cooling over passive cooling system?

12. What is fault tree analysis?
This analysis technique uses probability to assess whether a particular system configuration or
architecture will meet the mandated requirements. For example, assume that the total loss of
aircraft electrical power on-board an aircraft has catastrophic failure consequences as
identified by the functional hazard analysis.Then the safety objective quantitative requirement
established by FAR/JAR 25.1309 and as amplified in ARP 4754 will be such that this event
cannot occur with a probability greater than 1 ~ 10-9 per flight hour (or once per 1000
million flight hours). The ability of a system design to meet these requirements is established
by an FTA using the following probability techniques.

13. Define ATLAS

Abbreviated Test Language for All Systems (ATLAS) is
a MILSPEC language for automatic testing of avionics equipment. It is a
high-level computer language and can be used on any computer whose
supporting software can translate it into the appropriate low-level
instructions.

14. Write the specification of ARINC429 packing standard?
15. Define the usage of avionics in space systems.
Fly-by-wire control systems were used for vehicle attitude and translation
control.
Sensors used around the aircraft for data acquisition.
Redundancy system and autopilot.
On board computers used in satellites for processing.

16. What are major drivers for avionics in civil transport aircraft?
Major drivers for avionics in civil transport aircraft are:
i. Capability
ii. Reliability
iii. Maintainability
iv. Certificability
v. Cost of Ownership
vi. Technical risk
vii. Power and Weight

17. What is FBW?

A fly-by-wire system actually replaces manual control of the aircraft with an
electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to
electronic signals, and flight control computers determine how to move the
actuators at each control surface to provide the expected response. The
actuators are usually hydraulic, but electric actuators have also been used.
18. What is an auto pilot?
An autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a
vehicle without assistance from a human being. Most people understand an
autopilot to refer specifically to aircraft, but self-steering gear for ships, boats,
space craft and missiles are sometimes also called by this term.
19. What is HOTAS?
HOTAS, an abbreviation for Hands On Throttle-And-Stick, is the name given
to the concept of placing buttons and switches on the throttle stick and flight
control stick in an aircraft's cockpit, allowing the pilot to access vital cockpit
functions and fly the aircraft without having to remove his hands from the
throttle and flight controls. Having all switches on the stick and throttle allows
the pilot to keep his "hands on throttle-and-stick", thus allowing him to remain
focused on more important duties than looking for controls in the cockpit.
20. What is meant by DVI?
The Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video interface standard designed to
provide very high visual quality on digital display devices such as flat panel
LCD computer displays and digital projectors. It was developed by an industry
consortium, the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG).