AMC E 80  Equipment

ED Decision 2018/014/R

(1)     The need for additional specifications in the equipment specifications should be determined when complying with CS-E 80 or be defined by the applicant on a general basis, for example, to  cover more than one aircraft installation.

Consideration of general conditions, such as those of EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, allows the certification of equipment in a consistent manner, independent from any installation consideration. However, additional testing may be required in order to comply with CS-E 80(b), dependent on the assumed installation conditions. All equipment, including all electronic units, sensors, harnesses, hydromechanical elements, and any other relevant elements or units, should be shown to operate properly in their declared environment.

(2)     The manufacturer should consider the applicability of the items listed in the Tables 1 to 4 below, which are provided as a guide.

Documents that provide acceptable test procedures for each item are referenced in the same table. The manufacturer may define other acceptable appropriate test and analysis procedures. Compliance is normally demonstrated by test or analysis unless the equipment is shown to be sufficiently similar to and operates in an environment which is the same or less severe than previously certified equipment for which similarity is claimed.

The intent and applicability of each item of Tables 1 to 4 are also specified after each table.

The following list of applicable tests or procedures (or their equivalent) is acceptable for evaluating equipment airworthiness.

(a)      General Environmental Conditions

The following environmental conditions should be considered for all equipment.

Table 1

High Temperature

The high temperature demonstration is to verify that the equipment can function properly in its maximum temperature environment and to identify any damage caused by exposure to maximum temperature that could lead to equipment Failure. Maximum conditions should take into account ambient, external and internal fluid temperatures to which the equipment is exposed. Historical specifications can be found in MIL-E-5007 Paragraph 4.6.2.2.5. EUROCAE ED-14 /RTCA/DO160 Section 4 tests have been used to show compliance.

Low Temperature

The low temperature demonstration is to verify that the equipment can function properly in its minimum temperature environment and identify any damage caused by exposure to minimum temperature that could lead to equipment Failure. Minimum conditions should take into account ambient, external and internal fluid temperatures to which the equipment is exposed. Historical specifications can be found in MIL-E-5007 Paragraph 4.6.2.2.7. EUROCAE ED-14 /RTCA/DO160 Section 4 tests have been used to show compliance.

Room Temperature

The room temperature demonstration is to identify any damage caused by extended operation at room temperature that could lead to equipment Failure. EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, section 4 tests have been used to show compliance. Historical specifications can also be found in MIL-E-5007 Paragraph 4.6.2.2.6. This test may be combined with the contaminated fluid tests, if applicable.

Contaminated Fluids

The contaminated fluid demonstration is to verify that the Engine systems can function properly in a contaminated fluid environment. This can be achieved either by system testing or individual item of equipment test/analysis. Refer to the applicable CS-E specifications, such as CS-E 560 for fuel, CS-E 570 for oil and CS-E 580(a) for air for more details. Testing may be combined with the room temperature demonstration.

Vibration

The vibration demonstration is to verify that exposure to the declared vibration environment does not cause structural Failures and to verify that the equipment functions properly when exposed to that vibration. This can be addressed by either a specific unbalanced Engine test or by equipment test. The equipment may not be required to be operational during equipment testing if the applicant can demonstrate by other means that the equipment operate satisfactorily or do not adversely impact system operation when subjected to the declared vibration environment. EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, Section 8 tests are appropriate if the equipment vibration environment can be correlated to the DO-160 standards.

Operational shock and crash safety

The operational shock demonstration is to verify that exposure to shocks experienced during normal aircraft operations will allow the equipment to continue to function properly. The crash safety demonstration is to verify that exposure to shocks experienced in crash conditions will not cause Failure of the mounting attachment. This demonstration applies to cases where separation of the equipment could lead to a Hazardous Engine Effect. EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, Section 7 2 and 7.3.1 tests respectively are appropriate.

Sand and Dust

The sand and dust demonstration is applicable to all equipment that is not environmentally sealed. Testing should be performed according to EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160 section 12, category D.

Fluid Susceptibility

The fluid susceptibility demonstration is to verify that the equipment can function properly after exposure to specified fluids and identify any damage caused by such exposure that could lead to equipment Failure. Normally the fluids to be considered are those likely to be encountered in service, such as fuel, oil, hydraulic fluids, cleaning solvents, etc. Equipment testing may follow the procedures defined in EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160 section 11, category F, paragraph 11.4.1 (Spray Test). At the conclusion of the test, if the design of the unit allows, the unit under test should be opened and inspected for entry of the test fluid. If evidence of fluid entry is detected, the applicant should provide the rationale for accepting the test results based on the criticality of the quantity and location of the fluid entry point.

Salt Spray

The salt spray demonstration is to verify proper equipment operation after exposure to a salt spray environment. For environmentally sealed equipment, the specification may be substantiated by an analysis that shows that the equipment external materials are immune to a salt spray environment.

Testing may be performed according to EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160 sections 14, category S.

Fuel System Icing

Fuel system equipment normally substantiate their capability to operate in icing environment through system test or analysis.

Induction Icing

Equipment exposed to Engine gas path or bleed system icing normally substantiate their capability to operate in icing environment through an Engine test or analysis.

Fungus

The fungus demonstration is substantiated by test or an analysis which shows that no materials which support the growth of fungus are used in the equipment. Testing may be performed as defined in EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, section 13, category F (Fungus Resistance).

Temperature and Altitude

The purpose is to verify by test or an analysis that the equipment operates per design intent throughout the Engine flight envelope. Testing may be performed as defined in EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, section 4.

(b)     General Environmental Conditions for Electrical /Electronic Equipment.

The following environmental conditions should be considered for all electrical / electronic equipment or equipment with electrical / electronic sub-components. Additional advisory material on EMI, HIRF and lightning strikes may be found in AMC 20-1 and AMC 20-3.

Table 2

Thermal Cycle

The thermal cycle demonstration is to demonstrate that an item of equipment will continue to operate and not fail or be damaged when exposed to temperature cycles and thermal transients consistent with the declared temperature environment. Equipment testing may follow the procedures defined in EUROCAE ED-14 /RTCA/DO-160, Section 5. If the equipment has electrical sub-components, testing of the sub-components only may be acceptable.

Explosion Proofness

The explosion proof demonstration is to verify that an item of equipment cannot cause an explosion of flammable fluids or vapours. If applicable, explosion proof testing may be performed as defined in EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, section 9 (Explosion Proofness). Environment I defines equipment mounted in fuel tanks or within fuel systems. Environment II is an atmosphere in which flammable mixtures can be expected to occur as the result of a "Fault causing spillage or leakage".

For installations in a Fire zone, the Fire zone will have extinguishing provisions, so that the explosion proof test given by Environment II of DO-160D, section 9 is adequate. However, Flammable Fluid Leakage areas may not have fire extinguishing provisions or any of the other safety specifications associated with Fire zones based on the assumption that there are no ignition sources in these areas. In these cases the explosion proof test given by Environment I of DO-160D, section 9 may be required for aircraft installation.

Humidity

The humidity demonstration is to demonstrate that the equipment is not adversely effected, operationally or structurally, by ingress of moisture. Testing may be performed according to EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160 section 6.

Waterproofness

The waterproofness demonstration is to verify that the equipment can function properly after exposure to water and identify any damage caused by water exposure that could lead to equipment Failure. Water testing may be performed according to EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160 section 10 Category S. Following the test, if the design of the unit allows, the unit under test should be opened and inspected for entry of water. If evidence of water entry is detected, the applicant should provide the rationale for accepting the test results based on the criticality of the quantity and location of the water entry point.

Power Input

The power input demonstration applies only to electrical/electronic equipment or equipment with electrical/electronic sub-components that receive power directly from the aircraft (e.g., EEC, HMU fuel shutoff solenoid). The purpose of this test is to demonstrate that such equipment can accommodate the full range of power inputs declared for the installation. For applicable equipment, the specification may be substantiated by the test defined in EUROCAE ED-14 / RTCA/DO-160, section 16 and 17.

(c)      Mechanical Equipment

Other specifications of CS-E may affect some equipment as follows.

Table 3

The related AMC E 130 and AMC E 640 are therefore relevant.

(d)     Specialised Equipment Testing

Table 4

Overheat

The purpose of this test or analysis is to verify that the electrical/electronic portions of the Engine Control System, when subjected to an overheat condition leading to Failure, will not cause a hazardous Engine effect. See also AMC 20-1 and AMC 20-3. If an overheat test/analysis is not completed, this should be declared as an installation limitation in the Engine instructions for installation and the possibility of an overheat should be addressed at aircraft certification.

(3)     The provision of a weak link in the drive or the specification of a weak link in the equipment will normally be an acceptable means of limiting excessive torque. However for some equipment which might be included under CS-E 20(c) (e.g. a high output electrical generator) a weak link might not provide an adequate safeguard against damage to the Engine from overheating and break-up of the equipment. In such a case other means of disconnect would need to be provided or specified in order to permit disengagement of the equipment with the Engine running.

(4)     Equipment with high-energy rotors. Compliance with the specifications of CS-E 80(d) can be demonstrated by reference to the four containment categories in Table 5 relating to a turbine-starter having air or gas supplied from an external source and specifies the specifications appropriate to each category. Other equipment will be considered on a similar basis, using the Fault analysis of the whole system to determine the critical speeds which may result from Failures.

Table 5

Table 6

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