For several years, Boeing has been working to develop a way to better communicate the configuration of the electrical systems on its airplanes. Wiring diagrams drawn by the electrical engineer responsible for the design of a specific airplane electrical system have traditionally been used to represent the system’s configuration. While they provide an accurate view of the system, their usefulness is limited by their static nature.

Part of Boeing’s objective in developing the 787 was to optimize revenue-generating flying time by increasing the efficiency of the airplane’s maintenance. The primary interface for 787 support data is the Maintenance Performance Toolbox, which enables maintenance personnel to access maintenance procedures, fault isolation procedures, parts information, and other maintenance data in an electronic format on a laptop. (See “Maintenance Performance Toolbox,” AERO first-quarter 2007.) The 787’s new dynamic wiring diagrams are a complement to this e-enabled solution on the MyBoeingFleet.com online toolset.