In the aviation industry, the universally used formats for technical documentations and publications can be divided into two categories: Legacy and Next-generation.
Legacy data often refers to the technical data compliant with the ATA 100 / iSpec 2100 and iSpec 2200 standards. These standards are established by the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) or currently known as Airlines for America (A4A).
The ATA Spec 100 (later merged with iSpec 2100) provides a comprehensive referencing standard for commercial / civil aircraft documentation. The ATA Codes or Chapters from 0-100 detail the various components of the aircraft with their unique information, instructions, and other procedural data to assist operators and MROs with their respective tasks.
In 2000, paper-based ATA 100/iSpec 2100 ATA was largely superseded by iSpec 2200 ATA, which remains the most in-used “legacy” standard in civil aviation today. Being SGML-based, iSpec 2200 compliant documentation can be converted to HTML and generally provides superior dynamic navigation to paper-based or scanned PDF (pageless vs digital book format). The valid building block of iSpec 2200 ATA is defined by the Document Type Definition (DTD), outlining all elements and attributes. Participants in the iSpec 2200 ATA exchange may have an agreed-upon DTD standard for data validity.
Next-generation technical documentation (or IETM/IETP) often refers to the technical aviation data produced and procured under the S1000D specification. Originally developed to be used in the military sectors, S1000D has found increasing adoption in civil/commercial aviation due to the various benefits and advantages this standard provides regarding data reusability, as well as the vast potential technological implementations of next-generation data towards matters of efficiency.
As a modular standard, S1000D is structured very differently compared to Legacy formats. Each S1000D data module comprises the Identification, Status, and Contents sections. The identification and Status section provides information on the identification (module code, title, etc.) and the status (originator, applicability, etc.) of the data module, and the Contents section provides the actual information required to perform the task or describe the system.
As a core architectural requirement, S1000D data modules must be stored in a CSDB (Common Source Database (CSDB). Before these DMs can be consumed, they must be loaded successfully into the receiver’s CSDB. Since S1000D is also a vast specification with many different versions, to ensure interoperability, standards for Business Rules (comprehensively covering many aspects such as graphics, styles, etc) must be thoroughly defined at the start of the project and mutually agreed on by all parties involved in the data exchange.
Unlike legacy data, next-generation S1000D data is dependent on advanced tools and technologies for its management, delivery and consumption (i.e a S1000D compliant Viewer). As a complex and still-evolving standard, the success of S1000D production and procurement also generally requires niche experts who are highly knowledgeable in the many layered components belonging to this specification.
(For in-depth information on the S1000D structure, visit S1000D.org)
ATA vs S1000D: key differences
ATA 100/iSpec 2100 and iSpec 2200
- Monolithic documentation
- Paper/scanned PDF or SGML (iSpec 2200)
- Physical storage (paper-based) or digitally (PDF or SGML)
S1000D
- Modular documentation
- XML-based
- Stored in a Common Source Database (CSBD)
Legacy ATA vs S1000D: the biggest advantage
Although being the most popular standard for technical content within the civil aviation sector, a pronounced weakness of ATA documentation lies in its static, monolithic nature. Monolithic documents, as the term suggests, may not be modified as they are and may not be reused without multiple copies being created and managed. This results in more manual work and a higher margin for human error, jeopardizing the integrity of data. Documents of this particular structure also have weaker navigation capabilities, and may not be efficiently utilized by modern software and systems that facilitate the transfers and exchange of data.
Next-generation S1000D, on the other hand, is designed to make data reuse seamless on a granular level. In S1000D, data follows the individual module structure and is stored in a CSDB (Common Source Database (CSDB). S1000D compliant documentation is defined under Extensible Markup Language (XML). When defined and stored in CSDB, the S1000D data module can be freely reused without the restrictions and limits of legacy documentation.
Data reuse is the single most important cause for the implementation of S1000D (over legacy standards like ATA). Seamless data reuse is a benefit that can offset the significant financial investment of an S1000D adoption or transition, as it pays a cost-saving dividend over time. Not only OEMs profit from the reusability benefit of digitally transmitted S1000D data, but the interest in optimized data transference should be shared by all participants within the aviation supply chain when working on the same project. Since the S1000D data module does not need to be redefined in the reuse process, there is virtually no risk of the content being accidentally changed due to human errors. This alone helps uphold the absolute integrity of the content within each data module.
End-users, or the final consumer of technical data, also benefit from S1000D. Via an advanced electronic display system and software, users get a bespoke digital experience while navigating the S1000D IETM / IETP. When content is stored in an individual data module, it is possible to display users with only the information that is relevant to the task being performed.
When properly implemented and utilized, S1000D is considered superior to legacy data in all aspects. The data integrity, reusability, interoperability and overall efficiency S1000D provides are the main reasons why the civil aviation industry is gradually shifting to S1000D, with newly produced aircraft and parts being one hundred percent S1000D compliant.
Why adopt a solution that supports both standards
In theory, if all technical documentation follows the S1000D structure, technical data exchange across aviation will be much more efficient. However, even though legacy data can be converted to S1000D, such initiatives are rarely tackled since the involved costs are too great.
Even with the mass adoption of S1000D, legacy documentation is not going away, as the majority of current civil aircraft still depend on ATA-compliant data for operation and maintenance. Many airlines with mixed fleet flying (MMF) are managing different older and newer versions of an aircraft, prompting the importance of software tools that support both legacy and next-generation specifications.
When considering an IETM/IETP solution, your organization should make sure the solution has robust support for both legacy and next-generation S1000D. This is to make sure you can meet the content delivery requirements of multiple clients and for a variety of fleets. Ensuring interoperability is crucial to avoiding costly errors while exchanging mission-critical data and keeping operations as running smoothly as possible.
For example, the NIVOMAX suite of applications for IETM/IETP has robust support for many of the commonly used technical documentation standards in the civil and military sectors. These include the multiple versions of both ATA (Spec 100/iSpec 2200/ iSpec 2300) and S1000D (i2.3, i3.0, i4.0 & i4.1). When using NIVOMAX, your organization is given tools to build, deliver and most importantly – use a wide variety of multi-spec technical documentation, whether the data are scanned PDFs or highly dynamic data modules.
Looking for an IETM/IETP solution?
NIVOMAX by SYNAXIOM is one of the first user-centric IETM/IETP solutions engineered with intuitive modern designs and features. Catering to both next-generation S1000D and legacy standards (ATA), NIVOMAX is promised to bring unparalleled efficiency to the data collaboration between the partners of the aviation vertical supply chain.
With over a decade of technology implementation for long-term aviation partners including one of the world’s top three commercial aerospace manufacturers, SYNAXIOM is an expert who can help you address any concerns regarding interactive electronic technical publications and manuals, and affordable management solutions specific to your requirements and mission-critical systems.