Life of commercial ATS, a legacy story

Abstract

Over the pest eighteen years, Boeing has developed and distributed thirty-seven ATS-182 test systems, to support maintenance of 737/757/767/747-400 avionics LRUs. These systems were provided to support electronics manufacturing commercial airline maintenance and Boeing Service Centers. Over 1000 Test Program Sets have been developed for the ATS-182. Within the aircraft industry, it is not uncommon to have an airplane with a life expectancy of over thirty-five years. With test equipment life expectancy averaging ten to fifteen years, at least two or more iterations of test equipment are expected during the life cycle of an aircraft. The ATS-182 was designed and developed in the late seventies, and the test systems have been provided since the eighties. As these systems approach terminal life expectancy, obsolescence becomes a major issue. To resolve this problem, Boeing has taken multiple steps to extend the life expectancy of the systems well into the next century. Upwards compatibility of the 1000 TPSs is one of the most prominent issues addressed. Boeing has made an extensive push in the use of new technology to ensure total operability of the existing TPS suite on the upgraded systems.