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Aircraft Drawings
Aircraft Drawings
Aircraft Drawings
INTRODUCTION
When an aircraft is conceived in the minds of engineers and designers, it is nothing but an idea until put on paper.
After a drawing is made others can add their expertise and ideas. These thoughts can then be translated into an
aluminum or steel part. When an aircraft is designed, detailed drawings of every single part are made on translucent vellum or Mylar. Once the drawings are made, they are sent to the reproduction department. Here, copies are
printed by a process called blueprinting, where the black lines from the translucent vellum or Mylar are printed
as blue lines on paper. Every aircraft drawing is numbered so that a careful record is maintained. This way, if any
changes are required, the information is passed on to affected personnel who incorporate the changes into the
parts as they are built.
DRAWINGS
Typically, all aircraft factories have a drawing
room manual that details all lines, symbols, and
conventions used by that company. However, in an
effort to establish an industry standard, applications for aircraft drawings have been standardized.
It is these applications and standards that are covered by this text.
TYPES OF DRAWINGS
DETAIL DRAWINGS
Figure 5-1. A detail drawing includes enough information to fabricate an individual part. If necessary, another view is added to
enhance understanding.
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Figure 5-2. An assembly drawing shows how two or more parts are assembled into a complete unit.
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Figure 5-3. Installation drawings show how parts are installed on an aircraft.
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Figure 5-4. In a revolved section, a portion of an object is turned or revolved to show a different view. Here, the I- beam has been
broken in two places with long break lines and the cross section is shown between the breaks.
Figure 5-7. The half-sectional view allows the inside and outside of a part to be seen at the same time.
Complex assemblies like cable connectors are typically shown in complete sectional views. With
this type of view, it is easy to identify individual
parts within a complex assembly. This feature is
further enhanced through the proper use of section
lines. [Figure 5-6]
When it is helpful to see the outside of a part as well
as the inside, a half-sectional view is made. With
this type of drawing, typically the upper half of a
drawing shows the internal construction of the
assembly, while the lower half shows the entire
assembly as it appears from the outside. [Figure 5-7]
EXPLODED-VIEW DRAWING
Figure 5-5. In a removed section drawing, the object illustrated is cut and a section is removed to illustrate another
angle.
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Figure 5-3. Exploded-view drawings are typically found in illustrated parts catalogs. They show a part's relative position within a
unit.
LOGIC
CONTROL
DRIVERS
AND
DISPLAYS
MEMORY
KEEP
ALIVE
CIRCUT
POINT
VECTOR
LATCHES
SWITCH
PANEL
+28V
AIRCRAFT
POWER
VOR
VECTOR
DIGITAL
PHASE
SHIFTER
DIGITAL
TO ANALOG
CONVERTER
SUMMING
JUNCTION
RNAV
VECTOR
MEMORY
CLOCK
Figure 5-9. The module that receives the correct input but does not produce the required output is the unit to remove and replace.
Aircraft Drawings
Figure 5-10. To aid in troubleshooting, logic flowcharts give step-by-step instructions to follow.
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Aircraft
Drawings
Figure 5-11. To identify and troubleshoot electrical parts and circuits an electrical wiring diagram is typically used.
PICTORIAL DIAGRAMS
Pilot's handbooks and some training manuals often
use pictorial diagrams of electrical and hydraulic
systems. In a pictorial diagram pictures of components are used instead of the conventional electrical
symbols found in schematic diagrams. In most
cases, pictorial diagrams help a person visualize the
operation of a specific system. [Figure 5-12]
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAMS
A schematic diagram is used to illustrate a principle
of operation and, therefore, does not show parts as
they actually appear or function. However,
schematic diagrams do indicate the location of components with respect to each other and in the case
of a hydraulic system, the direction of fluid flow.
Because of this, schematic diagrams are best utilized for troubleshooting. [Figure 5-13]
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Drawings
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Figure 5-12. This pictorial diagram of an electrical system allows you to visualize the components involved in the system.
Figure 5-13. This schematic diagram of a constant-speed propeller illustrates all components with respect to each other to show
how a constant speed propeller operates.
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Aircraft
Drawings
METHODS OF ILLUSTRATION
ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
The methods of illustrating a part refer to its orientation with respect to how it is viewed on a flat
plane. The orthographic projection, auxiliary, isometric, oblique, and perspective methods of illustration are all common to the aviation maintenance
industry.
Figure 5-15. Orthographic views are laid out on a flat drawing as they would appear if the sides of a box enclosing the
object were opened out.
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Figure 5-19. In perspective drawings the rays that project from the drawing intersect at a vanishing point on
the horizon.
DRAWING PRACTICES
Before you can properly interpret drawings, you
must first become familiar with the types of lines
used to illustrate various concepts. Different line
widths, arrowheads, and alternating breaks in
lines all identify specific things. Once you understand the various aspects of aircraft drawings you
will be ready to begin sketching parts and repairs
on your own.
Figure 5-20. Several different types of lines are needed to fully illustrate a part or unit.
Aircraft Drawings
Visible lines on outlines are used to illustrate a visible part. A visible line consists of a medium-weight
solid line and is the most common type of line used
on most drawings.
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Aircraft
Drawings
DIMENSIONING
Figure 5 -23. The allowance of a part is indicated with typical dimensioning practices.
PLACEMENT OF DIMENSIONS
Tolerance is the difference between the extreme permissible dimensions. For example, given the
dimension .281 15.0005, the extreme permissible
dimensions are .2805 and .2815. The difference
between these two extremes is .0010 inches.
Therefore, the tolerance is .0010 inches.
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method is to write all dimensions parallel to the bottom of the drawing. [Figure 5-25]
AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION
DRAWINGS
As stated earlier, every aircraft factory has its own
drawing room. Likewise, most drawing rooms have
a manual that lists the standards used by the company when making drawings. The information
given in this text is typical and, while it may differ
from some company manuals, it applies to most of
them.
Figure 5-24. Notice that the holes are drilled with reference
to the end of the part and not the center of an adjacent
hole. This helps to minimize cumulative errors.
TITLE BLOCK
A title block is generally printed in the lower righthand corner of every aircraft drawing. It contains
the information necessary to manufacture the illustrated part. If special or additional information is
needed, it is typically listed to the left of the title
block. [Figure 5-26]
TITLE BOX
Figure 5-25. All dimensions on an aircraft drawing are typically made parallel to the bottom of the drawing.
Figure 5-26. The title block of an aircraft drawing contains important information about the drawing such as the unit name, size,
drawing number, scale, and page.
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Aircraft
Drawings
DRAWING NUMBER
RESPONSIBILITY
NOTES
Notes are added to a drawing to identify a deviation
from the norm, give additional information, list
alternatives, call attention to an item, or specify
modifications to an original design. Notes are
related to the drawing or other related drawings.
Notes are typically found in a block or placed in a
location that does not interfere with the drawing.
ZONES
Aircraft drawings are usually 36 to 42 inches wide
and are several feet long. Since these drawings are
so large, it is often difficult to find detailed views
without a system of location. Therefore, a system
similar to the grid on a map is used. The grid is
made by marking the edges of the drawing every 12
inches both vertically and horizontally. The vertical
marks are identified by letters, with A being the bottom 12 inches, B the next 12 inches, and so on. The
horizontal marks are identified by numbers beginning with 1 on the extreme right side. The combination of a vertical and horizontal coordinate identifies a zone. For example, if a revision is noted as a
dimension change in zone C-7, you should know
that this change is made somewhere in the section
three feet up from the bottom and seven feet from
the right edge. [Figure 5-28]
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Distances to the right or left of the fuselage centerline are measured by buttock lines and are referenced from an aircraft's longitudinal centerline. For
example, if the tip of a horizontal surface is located
at buttock line 108.88, it means that it is 108.88
inches from the fuselage centerline.
Wing stations are measured from the centerline of
the fuselage, or buttock line zero. They indicate the
distance in inches along the wing toward the wing
tip. For example, if the right edge of the aileron is at
wing station 123, the right edge of the aileron is
located 123 inches from the aircraft's longitudinal
centerline. [Figure 5-29]
Figure 5-29. Fuselage station numbers are used to locate items along the fuselage. Water lines locate positions vertically on the
fuselage. Buttock lines locate points to the right or left of the fuselage centerline. Wing stations are measurements along the span
of the wing, with wing station zero the centerline of the fuselage.
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BASIC SKETCHING
As an aircraft maintenance technician you are not
required to have the skills of a professional draftsman. However, you must be able to graphically
express yourself well enough to describe a repair
and make a simple sketch of a part. When making a
sketch, a simple one will do as long as it contains
the information needed to make the part or repair.
Figure 5-30. A 45 degree angle is formed by a triangle having two sides of equal length. A 30 degree angle and a 60
degree angle are formed when the base of a triangle is five
units long and the height is three units high. A 15 degree
angle is approximated by making the base one and a half
units and the height five units.
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Figure 5-32. A cylinder, cone, and sphere all take a threedimensional look when shading is applied correctly.
APPLIED GEOMETRY
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Aircraft
Drawings
Figure 5-35. Drawing a line through a point that is perpendicular to a baseline requires you to draw 2 sets of arcs,
In addition to allowing you to divide lines, geometry is used to divide or bisect angles. To do this,
refer to figure 5-37. Begin by using A as the center
and draw a set of arcs at a convenient compass distance. Make arc 1 in line A-C and arc 2 on line A-B.
Now using the same setting on the compass and
point 1 as the center, make an arc that is between
line A-C and A-B. Continue by drawing another arc
with point 2 as the center that crosses the first arc.
Finally, draw a line from the intersection of the two
arcs to point A. This line bisects angle A-B-C.
[Figure 5-37]
Figure 5-37. To draw line A-D, draw arcs 1 and 2, then arc
1a-b and 2a-b. The line drawn from the intersection of arcs
3 and 4 to point A is the bisecting line.
NOMOGRAMS
The need to show how two or more variables affect
a value is common in the maintenance industry.
Nomograms are a special type of graph that enable
you to solve complex problems involving more than
one variable.
Most nomogram charts contain a great deal of information and require the use of scales on three sides
of the chart, as well as diagonal lines. In fact, some
charts contain so much information that it is very
Figure 5-38. Bar graphs, pictographs, broken-line graphs, continuous curved-line graphs, and pie charts are all ways of graphically
representing numerous calculations.
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Aircraft
Drawings
Figure 5-39. To begin, locate the column on the left side of the chart representing a 28 volt system (item 1). Move down in this
column until you find the horizontal line representing a wire length of 25 feet (item 2). Follow this line to the right until it inter sects the diagonal line for 125 amps (item 3). Because the wire is in a bundle and carries a continuous current, you must be at or
above curve 1 on the chart (item 4). Follow along the diagonal line representing 125 amps until it intersects curve 1 (item 5). From
this point, drop down vertically to the bottom of the chart. The line falls between wire sizes 1 and 1/0 (item 6). Whenever the chart
indicates a wire size between two sizes, you must select the larger wire. In this case, a 1/0, or single aught wire is required.
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BRAKE-IH1ORSEPOWER CHARTS
Figure 5-40. To calculate the brake mean effective pressure, BMEP, begin by locating 1,500 brake-horsepower on the top of the
chart. From this value, drop down vertically until you reach the line representing 2,000 cubic inches of displacement. From this
intersection, extend a line horizontally to the right until you intercept the line representing 2,400 rpm. Now, drop down vertically
to read the brake mean effective pressure on the bottom line of the chart. The brake mean effective pressure is approximately 248.
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The fuel consumption chart is another type of performance chart that you must be familiar with. For
this sample chart, assume that you are trying to
determine how much fuel an engine consumes
when it is operating at a cruise of 2,400 rpm.
[Figure 5-41]
ENG
|NE
Figure 5-42. To determine the percent of sea level horsepower developed at an altitude of 7,000 feet, begin by finding the point on the horizontal axis that represents the
desired altitude. From this point, move upward until you
intersect the horsepower curve. Then move horizontally
left to the chart's vertical axis and read the percent of sealevel horsepower available.