Webmaster Widget

By: KatNels
In 1998, one of the worst aviation accidents in history took place when Swissair Flight 111 crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia. The flight took off on time from the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and was enroute to Geneva, Switzerland. Two hours and thirteen minutes after take off, the aircraft struck the ocean 8 kilometers from the coast, just southwest of the Halifax International Airport where it was supposed to make an emergency landing. All 229 people onboard were killed.

The investigations following the accident took 4 years to complete and cost nearly $39 million dollars. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) determined eleven different factors that contributed to the crash, the first and foremost being the installation of flammable material that could “be ignited and sustain or propagate fire.” The fire started and spread so rapidly, the crew was unable to control it and subsequently lost control of the aircraft.

It was also speculated that faulty wiring was another contributing factor. Every commercial aircraft in use has literally miles of wiring; worn insulation of these wires can cause a short circuit, which consequently can cause a major disaster. New, advanced technology has made it possible to prevent tragedies like the Swissair Flight 111.

LiveWire Test Labs, Inc. has developed a cutting-edge device that monitors and detects changes in electrical circuits within high noise environments (such as aircraft). Not only does an electrical circuit test save money on troubleshooting and maintenance costs, it can increase the reliability of the system and maintain a safe environment, certainly of utmost importance for the thousands of airline customers who travel daily.