What causes most avionics equipment problems?
A. In the first few hours of operation it’s usually component failures or installation errors. Manufacturing defects are infrequent, but they do occur. Equipment components do fail and, over time, they may occasionally need adjustment or servicing. The most frequent problems are faulty wiring (usually the result of some combination of constant vibration and/or improper installation), loose connections and routine parts replacements. Tracking down broken wires, damaged insulation, inadvertent grounds, corroded pins, broken solder joints, loose connections, wrong gauge wires, improper shielding, broken connectors, etc. takes time, patience, skill, a variety of specialized equipment, an extensive technical library and, hopefully, accurate documentation of that aircraft’s wiring configuration.
