Aircraft Electrical Failure

    The system I have chosen for this post is the aircraft electrical system. According to the pilot's handbook of aeronautical knowledge, the electrical system is generally a 14 or 28 volt direct current system that consists of several working components. Examples of these could be: an alternator, voltage divider, an electrical generator, a load meter, a battery, fuses/circuit breakers, and all of the wiring needed to facilitate the connections for it to function (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, 2016). The primary means by which it does this is via the belt-driven alternator during normal operation. The power generated this way is then sent to maintain the battery's charge as well as provide the necessary voltage to operate the various aircraft systems. Some of these include: The fuel system, flight control, navigation, environmental, and aircraft lighting. It should be noted that this system is known to be one of the more reliable but failures, though rare, do happen.



What might be some of the causes? So what happens if it fails? Causes of this might include: failure of wiring or circuitry, excessive corrosion of electrical components, and power surges that fry the circuits. If the electrical system failed or was degraded, it might cause a number of problems for a plane during flight because so many critical systems are dependent on the power it provides. Let's say that the power generator/ alternator was to fail. A routine flight is suddenly in for a big problem. With a dead alternator or generator, the battery becomes the airplane's only source of electrical power. Batteries are limited by how much of a charge they can hold and with no way to replenish this, How long until the battery goes dead? According to the AOPA,  a potential clue of an alternator failure could include a discharge indication on an ammeter that should have an indication of "zero" during normal operations.  A negative value on these gauges would mean the battery is supporting the electrical load instead of the alternator (Electrical Malfunctions 2016). So how do we mitigate this risk? In the event of an electrical system failure, the pilot should first try to reset the system to restore power through the use of a master electrical switch or circuit breakers if they are available. If this fails, then he/she should reduce the electrical cost by turning off all nonessential systems (radios, extra lighting, etc) that are drawing power from the battery. The plane should then be landed as soon as possible for repairs by a trained professional. 


References:


Electrical Malfunctions. AOPA. (2016, April 2). https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/students/flighttestprep/skills/electrical-malfunctions.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (2016). Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK). Retrieved https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/


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