SAA’s 24/7/365 avionics laboratory

November 2015 News

Tucked away in a non-descript building in the technical area of OR Tambo international airport is one of the most accurate and highly rated calibration laboratories in Africa. South African Airways’ calibration laboratory was set up in 1981 in response to the advent of fly-by-wire technology and the ensuing requirement to test and calibrate the equipment required for keeping all aircraft serviced and maintained to the levels required by the aviation authorities.

Dewald Vermeulen heads up the laboratory, which is kept at a constant temperature of 23°C and 50% humidity, optimum conditions to run the highly accurate and sensitive equipment. Most have never been, and never will be, switched off, in order to protect their accuracy.

Fluke’s 5522A and 5720A multi-product calibrators, 8508A reference multimeter and 4950 multi-function transfer standard, check and calibrate all of the test equipment – some 16 000 units per annum – used by the technical staff to maintain and check various electrical systems on the aircraft, such as heating, lighting, air conditioning, avionics, navigation, radar and others.

The laboratory also tests pressure, hydraulics, GPS, altitude and temperature systems, always to the highest specification, as tolerances for aircraft are very small. Every measurement made is traceable back to the SANAS accredited laboratory.

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