FAA SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS
Aviation Safety INFORMATION BULLETIN
SAIB: SW-18-19
SUBJ: NAVIGATION, ATTITUDE, AND DIRECTION DATA SYSTEM Date: July 9, 2018
This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) informs registered owners/operators of an
airworthiness concern for aircraft equipped with Aspen EFD1000 primary flight display under
Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) SA10822SC. Specifically, this SAIB notifies owners and
operators of possible misleading heading and attitude displays when activating electrical equipment,
especially electrical equipment that draw high electrical currents.
At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness
directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Background
We were recently notified of an Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) issue on an Air Tractor
AT-802A operating under night Visual Flight Rules, which was equipped with an Aspen EFD1000
primary flight display. After activating the aircraft’s underwing work light system, there was a
40-degree shift in both the aircraft’s wet compass and the EFD1000’s heading display, followed by a
15-degree shift in both the EFD1000’s pitch and roll indications. This interference was later observed
to be repeatable in ground tests. The cause of the interference event is currently under investigation.
Recommendations
The FAA recommends that owners and operators flying with STC-installed electronic flight displays
be aware of the potential for misleading indications when using electrical equipment, especially
electrical equipment that draws high electrical currents. Operators should take particular caution
when flying at night, in Instrument Meteorological Conditions, or under Instrument Flight Rules.
Misleading indications may involve more than one indicator and may consistently provide the same
misleading information. Operators are advised to cross-reference other instruments to validate
indications.
The FAA also requests that owners, operators, and installers of the Aspen EFD1000 primary flight
display notify the FAA contacts listed below of any similar reports of misleading indicators when
electrical equipment is activated.
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a
person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current
valid OMB Control Number. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), the OMB has approved the information collection contained in this SAIB, and assigned
OMB Control Number 2120-073 l. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to
be approximately 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, completing and reviewing the
collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are voluntary. Send
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comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden to the FAA at: 800 Independence Ave. SW,
Washington, DC 20591, Attn: Information Collection Clearance Officer, ASP-110.
For Further Information Contact
Kristi Bradley, Aerospace Engineer, AIR-7F2, ACO Branch, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX
76177; phone: (817) 222-5485; email:
[email protected].
Mahmood Shah, Aerospace Engineer, AIR-7F1, ACO Branch, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth,
TX 76177; phone: (817) 222-5133; e-mail:
[email protected].
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Please find attached a Foreign State of Design Advisory document, endorsed by EASA.
This advisory document is also online at https://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/SW-18-19 .
Should you have any questions, please contact the Agency by e-mail at
[email protected] or by fax,
No.: +49 221 89990 9515.
Safety Information Section Email:
[email protected]
EASA Website
(Attachment is in Acrobat PDF format)
Postal: Postfach 10 12 53, 50452 Cologne, Germany
An agency of the European Union
This message is intended for the use of the addressee only and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the
intended recipient, you are notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please notify us immediately by returning this e-mail. Sender accepts no liability for damage of any kind resulting from
the risks inherent in the electronic transmission of messages. This communication does not constitute any formal commitment on behalf of the
European Aviation Safety Agency.