The effect of aircraft generated electromagnetic interference (EMI) on future avionics systems: A compendium

There are various commercial standards and specifications which are aimed at making aircraft compatible with a hostile electromagnetic environment. However, most of these standards and specifications were developed for analog circuitry; before the advent of high-speed flight critical digital systems. These standards must now be reengineered to accommodate the new technology of composites and sensitive integrated micro-electronic architectures. Modern aircraft are experiencing many cases of flights into or near heavy electromagnetic fields from various sources such as lightning, switching of heavy aircraft electrical loads, or radio transmissions during their life span. This EMI environment has caused and is causing hazardous incidents to aircraft by impairing the normal operation of some flight-critical and flight-essential equipment. Special precautions must also be taken to protect this sensitive digital avionics during maintenance operations. For this reason these standards and specifications must be revised and new design, manufacturing, and testing methods introduced.