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Abstract
Air travel has become a part of everyday life. Both commercial and military aircraft are extensively used and carry a large volume of traffics. Aircraft wiring has become a safety issue in the recent past. As the aircrafts age, these wires can crack and fray. The aircrafts regularly undergo maintenance checks to ensure safety. The sheer volume of wiring present within the aircraft makes the task of testing the wiring a difficult one. Several methods are currently in use to test the integrity of the wiring. Time domain reflectometry has been used to detect opens and shorts in wiring. This thesis explores the possibility of using time domain reflectometry in detecting and locating small frays and arc in the wire. The accuracy and effectiveness of the various techniques employed are also discussed. Frequency domain approaches are also investigated. These methods can be used as part of a smart wire system for detecting faults in aircraft wiring.
