Fault recording and reporting method

Abstract

A method for recording and reporting fault information pertaining to various components of an aircraft. The method involves recording a diverse plurality of information output from various line replaceable units (LRU's) and other components of the aircraft during takeoff, flight and landing through the use of a bulk storage device, such as an optical quick access recorder (OQAR), on an electronic medium. The electronic medium is then removed from the aircraft after landing and read by an appropriate apparatus. From this information a service technician is able to determine whether or not a fault indication recorded during flight is in fact a legitimate fault requiring the affected LRU to be removed from the aircraft for further diagnostic testing. The method significantly reduces the incidents of no-fault-found diagnostic test results and saves significant man hours which would otherwise be spent testing LRU's and other components which are in fact operating properly. Alternative embodiments of the method disclose making all information from the LRUs available and using multiple overlays to systematically reduce the data to be recorded when the data proves to be too voluminous to record. The prioritizing of information is also disclosed so that LRU data of lesser importance is eliminated from consideration before more important information. The preferred methods minimize on aircraft data interpretation rendering unnecessary on-board maintenance processors and technicians for LRU troubleshooting.