What
is it?: Examination of theory, operation, design, and fabrication
of aircraft electrical systems
Who wrote it?: Robert L. Nuckolls, III
Number of pages: well over 200, punched for three-ring binder
Cheers: Valuable for all RV builders and pilots; Three-ring
binding allows book to open flat at any particular page (after
you provide the binder); Includes several aircraft wiring
diagrams.
Jeers:
Would have been nice if a list of web sites (or phone numbers)
of electrical device suppliers was included.
Many
RV builders, even those of us who have some background in
electrical stuff, take a deep breath when we contemplate
wiring our RV project. This is an undertaking we want to
get right the first time! Few things are more discouraging
than letting the smoke escape from a freshly wired panel
the first time power is applied. Once the smoke is released,
it is replaced only with great difficulty, and the confidence
factor in the new panel is lowered several notches.
The
AeroElectric Connection is a great collection of articles
from the fertile mind of Bob Nuckolls. Readers who frequent
the RV mail-list no doubt have seen posts from Mr. Nuckolls
concerning things electrical. His book, which is delivered
as a thick bundle of prepunched pages (you provide the binder),
contains not only tips for fabricating aircraft wiring,
but also the theory behind the scenes. For some readers
(the folks who never read an instruction manual...), the
book may be a bit too heavy on theory. But for most of us,
a basic understanding of the "why" of electrical
systems helps us recognize and diagnose glitches when they
occur. Theoretical knowledge is also necessary if we wish
to modify a system. So while the explanations of electrical
theory may be tedious to some, they are highly recommended
reading.
There
is plenty of good ol' everyday information provided, however.
The electrical system and its components are a mystery to
many pilots, and a reading of this book will eliminate many
of the short circuits. A glance at the table of contents
shows some of the topics covered:
Batteries
Voltage Regulators
Over Voltage Protection
Wire Selection
Circuit Protection
Switches, Relays, and Contactors
Lighting and Lighting Controls
And much more!
Each
chapter begins with a basic primer on the wheres and wherefores
of the devices to be discussed, then progresses into a discussion
of how this info fits into the electrical scheme of our
planes. Bob drops several interesting tidbits from his long
exposure to aviation electrics, and generally does a good
job of removing the mystery of electrical systems. An example
of an esoteric anecdote is found in the "Electrical
System Instrumentation" chapter. Did you know that
early Lear jets had some problems with gauge needles sticking
due to the lack of vibration in the cockpits? The designers
had to install "panel shakers" to enable the early
instruments to perform as designed for use in piston-powered
planes. Cool.
One
of the most useful chapters for me was the discussion of
the relatively new RG batteries. There is a lot of misinformation
floating around about the care and feeding of these new-technology
units. Another interesting section concerns the use of "fusible
links". While common in automobiles, I haven't seen
much about their use in aircraft.
Numerous
diagrams are provided to illustrate the principles being
explored. The illustrations are well-drawn, and are sufficient
to prepare the reader to decipher the wiring diagrams at
the end of the book. Speaking of which, several architectural
wiring diagrams are provided that are applicable to the
simplest aircraft all the way to multi-engined birds. Each
of the these diagrams incorporate Nuckoll's trademark "essential
bus" which is a feature that provides power to basic
instruments and radios even if the battery contactor fails.
I found the examination of this feature to be most enlightening
as I contemplated how to design a system that had as much
redundancy as possible while eliminating single point failures
and keeping the whole thing fairly simple.
As
previous readers of Bob's articles already know, his views
are regarded by some as a bit unconventional; However, he
goes to great length to explain the "why" behind
the innovative features of his wiring architecture.
For
people who build airplanes, education is powerful and essential.
All pilots realize the consequences of serious electrical
problems in-flight, and the necessity of fabricating reliable
wiring is recognized by most builders. This book will help
you understand how to wire your project so it will perform
reliably for a long time. I consider the hours spent with
The AeroElectric Connection to be time well spent,
and no doubt I will use it for a reference many times in
the future.
Highly
Recommended!
Sam
Buchanan
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