PointyHead Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Well guys I am new to this website, but i have been a comm nave troop for 8 years and have worked Es and now Js and want to give you a heads up on a problem we have recently (yesterday) discovered. The J model PMA can give false bit test results. It seems possible to show a failure when the LRU/System is completely fine. We chased our tails for a week until we accidently got another PMA and it worked. With APN-241 RTPs being as rare as they are this is one of those things I thought would be helpful to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyclark Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 PMA? Those of us with no J models have no idea what a PMA is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jansen Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 The Portable Maintenance Aid (PMA) is a SUN Ultra I SPARCstation computer stored on the aircraft, and allows a maintainer to digitally ask the plane what is malfunctioning and get an instantaneous and fairly accurate response. Previously, when an aircraft part malfunctioned the maintainer had to track a repair from a symptom back to the faulty part and then fix the part. Now the PMA tells the maintainer what is broken and where it is. Lockeed Service News had a pretty good article covering it here: www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/service_news_magazines/V26N02.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PointyHead Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Sorry guys I speak in acronyms every now and then, comes with the job i guess. Anyway, that is exactly what the PMA is... essentially a broken computer that doesn really no good...other than to load software. But for those who do work the Js we will be seeing the PMA go away for a microsoft system...so who is ready for this write up: 30 mins into flight, had blue screen of dead on all MFDs Hooray for microsoft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C130J-MQTP Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 You should have messed with the old green monster PMA, now that was a POS. I'd have to see this problem for myself though, APN-241 does it's own internal BIT and just feeds the results to the PMA. Did you get any fault codes or was it just the generic "Radar Degraded" ACAWS? Which Mission Computer were you using in OMP? can you repeat the write up? The plane isnt going to a windows based system just the PMA/GMS, might not even see a change in the GUI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PointyHead Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 got it to repeat multiple times with the same PMA, once we changed PMAs worked fine. the 241 does have an internal bit but it is not as in depth as when you run the PMA based bit. Yea I saw the new PMA about a month a go...seems well be getting it here soon...actually excited about it. New GUI new software. Very User friendly. I beleve it to make the transition to 7.0 in the next year or so nice...especially with the CMNV database uploads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Yeah that is weird. Ive never seen the PMA display false bit data. Ill keep it in the bucket if I see some suspicious results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEFEGeorge Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I seem to recall a time when aircraft maintenance actually meant aircraft maintenance. You actually had to learn systems and be able to trouble-shoot, etc., where you actually had paper T.O. manuals and checklists to follow. Now it just seems that all you have to do is plug your iPod into the bird and it tells you what ails it. Don't mean to rant like this but I learned aircraft maintenance in late 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jansen Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 You still have to learn and understand the systems you are working on. The diagnostics tools are just that; tools. If you don't understand the concept behind it, you still won't be able to fix the problem. The difference is that now you won't have to spend hours pulling something apart and putting it back together just to figure out a problem. You can order parts more quickly and lower the time needed in the shop. Most modern cars do the same thing; military aircraft are just catching up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spec13fe Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I agree with you George, and beleive they still need to know systems. I guess if they have a power failure and can't use the "their computers " they go on coffee break, LOL If I remember right the C 5 had a built in computer that could be used in troubleshooting a few systems.. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Believe it or not were still mechanics. It would be silly to go change the number 3 engine with out a wrench. Why not use the tools we have at our disposal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEFEGeorge Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Back in the day the only electrical power "tool" we had was a flashlight. Too bad we didn't have any "tricorders" to use. Now which of the 18 cylinders is dead? The "tool" says #2 cylinder, go grab me an ignition lead and 2 spark plugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jansen Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Things have progressed since the 60's, and that is a very good thing. Take inflight diagnostics, for example. You can now figure out a problem and order the parts before you even land. It's easy to talk about the "good old days", but I recommend you spend some time with these mechanics before you criticize their abilities. Turnaround times and and maintenance costs have dropped because of these tools, but it is still because of the hard work of the mechanics and technicians. Just because they have better tools at their disposal doesn't mean that they are inferior mechanics. That kind of inference would be ignorant and prejudiced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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