Top 10 Aviation Testing Tools
Being an aviation mechanic is no small job, and with great responsibilities come great rewards. There's nothing quite as satisfying as diagnosing, finding, and resolving a problem with your aircraft. However, in order to do that, you need the right tools. Every well-done job begins with the right equipment so you can gather feedback and implement solutions.
Airplane maintenance and repair professionals are crucial to the success of our flying companions. If it's not done correctly, someone could, quite literally, fall out of the sky. We obviously want to avoid the kind of errors that lead to such things. One of the key ways we have the peace of mind to send pilots and customers off with confidence is a reliable kit full of trusted and tested tools. Aviation is always evolving, and so must we be, as mechanics.
What's in your kit? You can have a lot of stuff, but if it doesn't include these 10 aviation tools, your life as a mechanic won't be as easy or efficient as it could be. Luckily, we're here to provide you with the keys to unlock that next level.
1. Multi-Function Flightline Testers
Multi-Function Flightline Testers are advanced avionics diagnostic tools that go beyond your basic hand-held device. As the name suggests, this device will allow you to test many aircraft systems, including the radio system.
If you don't already have one on hand, choose the ARTS-7000. It can handle communications, navigation, surveillance, and RF systems. It is the prime example of a test set that every avionics mechanic should have in their tool kit.
2. Pitot Static Testers
Pitot Static Testers are used by smart mechanics to check out an aircraft's pressure-based systems. In case you're not clear on what that is, we're talking about altimeters, airspeed indicators, and VSI systems. These are closely related to air data testing systems, but they're more specific. These devices work by creating an artificial atmosphere while the aircraft is still on the ground. It does this by pumping or vacuuming air to create the kind of air pressures that a craft will encounter in a real-world scenario.
3. Transponder / ADS-B Test Sets
Transponder and ADS-B test sets are used to test an aircraft's surveillance system. This includes Mode A/C/S transponders as well as ADS-B Out performance, as the name suggests. You'll use these devices to confirm aircraft identification, communicate with ATC surveillance systems, and report altitude.
The Viavi/Aeroflex IFR6000 is the industry standard for flight line testing. It's fast, reliable, and can support a wide range of systems, including DME, TCAS, ADS-B, TIS, TIS-B, and UAT. You can tell that this unit is designed for field use. It's very practical in ways that matter. For example, it has a user-friendly interface that allows technicians to do their testing with minimal downtime for the aircraft!
4. NAV/COMM Test Sets
NAV/COMM test sets are for testing aircraft radios, VOR, ILS, navigation receivers, marker beacons, and communication systems. As you can see, these are good for many things, and that makes this a core part of every avionics maintenance kit or shop.
The Viavi/Aeroflex IFR4000 is perfect for on-the-go testing because it's lightweight, compact, and has a weatherproof design. As if you needed more convincing, note that it can test ILS, VOR, Marker Beacon receivers, VHF/UHF AM/FM transceivers, and HF AM/SSB transceivers, making it super important to have in setup. It's portable enough to use in the field, but still provides accurate verification of the systems that are important to the aircraft's safety.
5. Fuel Quantity Testers
Fuel quality testers are used to troubleshoot and verify the fuel indication systems of an aircraft. You will end up using these tools to test indicators, probes, safety wires, and system calibration. You can likely see why ensuring that you have one of these at the ready could be the difference between a functioning and a malfunctioning aircraft.
The PSD60-1AF is a rugged, practical device that can be used for field testing or in the shop. It can test, troubleshoot, and calibrate. It can work on fuel, oil, and LOX quality indicators, simulate tank probes, measure capacity, and check wiring insulation. Similarly, the PSD90-1C is a professional-level tool well worth your while. It is more advanced than the 1AF because it has broader testing capabilities, which allow it to be used for mixed fleets and in different maintenance environments.
6. Battery Charger / Analyzer / Testers
The goal is to protect aircraft and provide complete security verifications for pilots and passengers, right? Then you need this three-in-one: a battery charger/analyzer/tester. It will take a look at your battery's capacity, health, charging performance, and overall reliability and tell you what you need to fix. Weak batteries can cause a whole bunch of problems, such as failed starts, dispatch issues, and a lack of power backup, which calls into question the health of the aircraft.
The RF80-K is a maintenance unit used for charging, discharging, analyzing, and reconditioning the normal aviation batteries found in most aircraft, including nickel-cadmium, sealed lead-acid, and vented lead-acid batteries. This one is known to be dependable when it counts, and even when your batties might fail you. The CA-1550-CML is another excellent option that you should put your eyes on. It's portable and self-contained, built for simple operations without the complex programming that requires a whole other computer and lots more steps. It has digital readouts for amps, volts, and time that are all easy to look at and read.
7. Portable Data Loader
Portable data loaders are also known as "handheld multipurpose interface units" by those who know the lingo. They're used to connect to aircraft FDRs and CVRs. This allows technicians to download flight and recorder data for analysis. What you need is something you can take with you to the aircraft that can run several tests. You need something that can connect directly to the flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder.
The FDS40-0301 can do all that and other cool things. It's very important when it comes to maintaining and accessing aircraft data. By collecting this data, you can analyze, troubleshoot, measure compliance, and document maintenance without skipping a beat or screwing up the schedules of major aircraft systems.
8. ELT Testers
Emergency Locator Transmitter Testers (usually known as "ELT Testers") are diagnostic tools that check whether or not an aircraft's emergency beacon is working. You might have guessed this from the name. Aircraft transmitters need to be able to transmit a rescue signal on frequencies such as 406 MHz, 121.5 MHz, and 243.0 MHz without being flagged as false alerts by the global Search and Rescue (SAR) system.
The Artex FPT 8808 is a field device that supports the management, maintenance, and programming of Artex's Emergency Locator Transmitters from its compact tablet form. It runs on the Microsoft Surface platform and has a fancy touchscreen interface, ranking it among the most user-friendly avionics diagnostic tools that you can find in the field. It streamlines your process without having to punch your way through useless programs and too many buttons. It does just what you want when you want, which is perfect for a person on the job.
9. ULB / Ultrasonic Test Sets
Sometimes accidents happen that involve water. That's where ULBs come in. Underwater Location Beacons (ULBs) help rescue teams locate aircraft that have gone down in the water. A test set helps make sure that these devices are functioning properly.
The Dukane TS500 is portable, it's reliable, and it's versatile. It can detect and measure the ultrasonic signals emitted by the ULBs, giving you the opportunity to quickly and efficiently confirm high performance without keeping the aircraft waiting. It's lightweight, easy to use, and compatible with other emergency equipment as well. When you have one of these proudly displayed in your maintenance kit, you'll soon learn why it's common in the industry.
10. Vibration Analyzer / Balancer Test Sets
Last on our list is not a pair of cutters, pliers, or ratchets. It's a tool that every avionics professional will use for years and will still go back to. Vibration analyzers and balancer testers are used to answer questions about rotors, propellers, and engines. Every part of the aircraft can be affected by vibration. Vibration can cause wear, imbalance, or mechanical problems, so it's crucial that you keep a close eye on the equipment and have devices on hand to verify the security, service readiness, and reliability of every aircraft in your care.