Avionics News March 2015 - 32
industry
AVIONICS
CORROSION CONTROL
S T O R Y
L
B Y
ike leprechauns, the Loch Ness monster and a free
lunch, avionics corrosion is something all too many avionics technicians don't believe exists.
But unlike the aforementioned trio, avionics corrosion is
very much alive and is probably eating its way through a circuit
board, switch or connector on an aircraft near you.
"In the U.S. alone, the cost of all corrosion damage
is more than $325 billion a year," stated Ron Knight,
owner and chief chemist with Corrosion Protection and Solutions. "With regards to avionics,
the last number I heard was corrosion damage is directly responsible for 20 percent
of avionics failures."
While the vast majority of those
failures result in nothing more
than a maintenance squawk, a
few have had more spectacular
consequences. A particularly
vivid example was caused by
fretting corrosion between tinplated connector pins mated to goldplated sockets on the main fuel line shutoff valve aboard U.S.
Air Force F-16 fighters.
It seems the corrosion caused a loss of connectivity, which
signaled the fuel valves to close, shutting off fuel to the jet's engine. This problem was suspected in no less than six separate
F-16 crashes. Fortunately, all the pilots punched out safely.
32
avionics news
*
march
2015
D A L E
S M I T H
What is corrosion?
As you learned in high school chemistry, in its simplest from,
corrosion is the destruction of metal by an electromechanical reaction between oxygen, moisture and the base materials. It's like
a tiny battery. You have an anode and a cathode, a metal-to-metal
connection, and when you add an electrolyte - moisture - you
complete the electrochemical circuit.
The electricity created results in voltaic corrosion,
which eats away at the surrounding metals. For a
more in-depth look at corrosion and its causes,
visit corrosion-doctors.org, or review FAA
Advisory Circular AC43-4A, Corrosion
Control for Aircraft.
"Any time you have dissimilar metals touching and enough
moisture, the least noble of the
two metals is going to corrode;
that's just a given," explained
Mark Pearson, general manager
and partner with Lear Chemical
Research Corp. "The closer you get to
a coastal area or the equator, the bigger the problem can become.
High humidity, heat, salt and pollutants in the air will accelerate
corrosion on electrical systems."
In fact, talking to some experienced technicians, they can tell
where an aircraft is based by the amount of corrosion they find.
If you see corrosion beginning on the airframe, it's a good bet
http://www.corrosion-doctors.org
Avionics News March 2015
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2015
Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View from Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
'Cell'-ular Changes
Member Profile
NextGen Connection
Avionics Corrosion Control
Member Profile
AEA Convention Information
Business Basics
What's Working?
Aviation Insurance 101
Legal Ease
A Conversation With...
Best Advice
Aviation Aces
Honoring our Heroes
What's New
Before & After
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News March 2015 - Intro
Avionics News March 2015 - Cover1
Avionics News March 2015 - Cover2
Avionics News March 2015 - 1
Avionics News March 2015 - 2
Avionics News March 2015 - 3
Avionics News March 2015 - Point of Communication
Avionics News March 2015 - 5
Avionics News March 2015 - AEA Now
Avionics News March 2015 - 7
Avionics News March 2015 - 8
Avionics News March 2015 - 9
Avionics News March 2015 - 10
Avionics News March 2015 - 11
Avionics News March 2015 - The View from Washington
Avionics News March 2015 - 13
Avionics News March 2015 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News March 2015 - 15
Avionics News March 2015 - 16
Avionics News March 2015 - 17
Avionics News March 2015 - 'Cell'-ular Changes
Avionics News March 2015 - 19
Avionics News March 2015 - 20
Avionics News March 2015 - 21
Avionics News March 2015 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2015 - 23
Avionics News March 2015 - 24
Avionics News March 2015 - 25
Avionics News March 2015 - NextGen Connection
Avionics News March 2015 - 27
Avionics News March 2015 - 28
Avionics News March 2015 - 29
Avionics News March 2015 - 30
Avionics News March 2015 - 31
Avionics News March 2015 - Avionics Corrosion Control
Avionics News March 2015 - 33
Avionics News March 2015 - 34
Avionics News March 2015 - 35
Avionics News March 2015 - 36
Avionics News March 2015 - 37
Avionics News March 2015 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2015 - 39
Avionics News March 2015 - 40
Avionics News March 2015 - 41
Avionics News March 2015 - 42
Avionics News March 2015 - AEA Convention Information
Avionics News March 2015 - 44
Avionics News March 2015 - 45
Avionics News March 2015 - 46
Avionics News March 2015 - 47
Avionics News March 2015 - 48
Avionics News March 2015 - 49
Avionics News March 2015 - 50
Avionics News March 2015 - 51
Avionics News March 2015 - Business Basics
Avionics News March 2015 - 53
Avionics News March 2015 - 54
Avionics News March 2015 - 55
Avionics News March 2015 - What's Working?
Avionics News March 2015 - 57
Avionics News March 2015 - 58
Avionics News March 2015 - 59
Avionics News March 2015 - Aviation Insurance 101
Avionics News March 2015 - 61
Avionics News March 2015 - Legal Ease
Avionics News March 2015 - 63
Avionics News March 2015 - 64
Avionics News March 2015 - 65
Avionics News March 2015 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News March 2015 - 67
Avionics News March 2015 - Best Advice
Avionics News March 2015 - 69
Avionics News March 2015 - 70
Avionics News March 2015 - 71
Avionics News March 2015 - Aviation Aces
Avionics News March 2015 - 73
Avionics News March 2015 - 74
Avionics News March 2015 - 75
Avionics News March 2015 - Honoring our Heroes
Avionics News March 2015 - 77
Avionics News March 2015 - 78
Avionics News March 2015 - 79
Avionics News March 2015 - What's New
Avionics News March 2015 - 81
Avionics News March 2015 - 82
Avionics News March 2015 - 83
Avionics News March 2015 - 84
Avionics News March 2015 - Before & After
Avionics News March 2015 - Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News March 2015 - 87
Avionics News March 2015 - 88
Avionics News March 2015 - Cover3
Avionics News March 2015 - Cover4
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