EUROCAE ED-107 PDF

This guide provides detailed information, guidance, and methods related to the Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular (AC)/Joint Airworthiness Authorities Advisory Material Joint (AMJ) 20-XXX, "Certification of Aircraft Electrical/Electronic Systems for Operation in the High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) Environment" (draft). The AC/AMJ provides acceptable means, but not the only means, of compliance with Parts 23, 25, 27, and 29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)/Joint Aviation Regulations (JAR) to prevent hazards to aircraft electrical and electronic systems due to HIRF produced by external transmitters.

This guide is neither mandatory nor regulatory in nature and does not constitute a regulation or legal interpretation of the regulation. The information in this guide represents a collection of best engineering practices that have been used to certify aircraft HIRF protection. An applicant may elect to establish an alternative method of compliance that is acceptable to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA).

PURPOSE

This document provides technical guidance to demonstrate compliance with aircraft high intensity radiated field (HIRF) certification regulations. This guide may be applied to new designs, significant modification of existing designs, and application of existing (off-the-shelf) equipment on an aircraft that has not previously used that equipment. The scope of the subsystems included in the HIRF certification are, but are not limited to, power distribution systems, electrical generating systems, electronic engine control systems, electronic flight control systems, and instrument flight rule (IFR) navigation and flight reference systems. The term 'systems' refers to black box equipment; interconnecting power, signal, and control wiring; indicators; control panels; and dependencies on other systems for input or output.

The HIRF regulations are applicable to any aircraft (i.e., transport aircraft, helicopters, single engine aircraft, etc.). The more specific area of applicability to each aircraft is the continued availability of functions related to safe takeoff, flight, and landing during and after exposure to HIRF. It must be demonstrated and certified that aircraft systems that perform functions related to safe takeoff, flight, and landing are not adversely affected when the aircraft is exposed to the Normal HIRF Environment. Furthermore, these functions must not be lost when the aircraft is exposed to the Severe or Certification HIRF Environment. Additionally, systems performing functions related to the ability of the flight crew and aircraft to operate in adverse operating conditions must not be adversely affected during and after exposure to an environment derived from the Normal HIRF environment. The approach to achieving HIRF certification is through proper selection of equipment, qualification, and installation integration.

The discipline of Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E³) encompasses a broad number of electromagnetic phenomena. The E³ discipline includes the following:

a. Intrasystem Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC),

b. Intersystem Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC),

c. Subsystem Electromagnetic Interference (EMI),

d. Grounding,

e. Bonding,

f. Lightning,

g. Precipitation Static,

h. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD),

i. Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP),

j. Emission Control,

k. TEMPEST,

l. Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO),

m. Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Fuel (HERF),

n. Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Personnel (HERP), and

o. High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)

This guide is only concerned with one area - HIRF. The HIRF discipline deals with the ability of aircraft to withstand high intensity radiated fields. The HIRF field is a specialized subset of intersystem electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), similar to HERO. Intersystem EMC is the discipline of providing compatible operation of all systems, in all phases of operation, in all possible external radio frequency (RF) fields. Furthermore, since lightning, precipitation static, electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and electrostatic discharge (ESD) are all external electromagnetic phenomena, the technology used in these areas is applicable to the HIRF discipline and may be referenced for additional information.

To avoid confusion with other electromagnetic disciplines and to provide a means of readily identifying the engineering associated with these regulations, the term 'high intensity radiated fields' will be used along with the abbreviation HIRF in this document.

This document incorporates information and relevant details on the anticipated external electromagnetic environment for aircraft, design approaches for protection to HIRF, certification approaches to HIRF, and verification methods contained in the HIRF AC/AMJ.