Mihai,
While I understand what you are asking, I do not understand why. Why do you need to collect this data?
In the aircraft environments in which I have worked, the aircraft manufacturer documents how they expect subsystems to function in their system. This is usually proprietary information that can not be given out. The information given out is per subsystem and then only enough information to complete that part of the aircraft. This includes wiring, dimensions, weight, communication protocols, functionality, etc. The connectors that I have worked with are military standard, screw together and lock in place, or railing system in which the black box is pushed into a slot, which has connectors in the back of the slot. Once the black box is fully pushed in, the box is locked into place. This helps eliminate the possibility that the connectors will become loose during flight. Wiring is shielded to help eliminate EMI problems. Due to weight, cost, EMI, etc. , aircraft manufacturers usually do not put in extra test/monitoring ports. If proper test of subsystems is done, prior to installation in the aircraft, and Built-In-Test are performed by the black boxes, while powered up, these ports are not needed.
I would NOT recommend that you consider attempting to change the wiring or connectors on the aircraft. This is a serious safety of flight issue. I do not know where you are located, but in the USA, the FAA and aircraft manufacturer will not allow this.
Now, back to the why question.
If your company has designed a black box for an aircraft, your company should have design documents on the box that indicate how the box is wired, communication protocols, etc. These documents are based on the requirements documents given to your company by the aircraft manufacturer. If you are testing your company’s box, and you need to collect data to verify your box, then you do not need the aircraft. Your company should develop test that fully test the requirements specified within the aircraft manufacturers documents and your companies design documents. Boxes that have failed in the aircraft are replaced and the failed box is taken back to a service center or lab for testing to determine the cause of the failure. Usually, test stations are developed which contain instruments to simulate aircraft power, discrete signals, ARINC, or anything else the box needs from an actual aircraft. The box is connected to the test station and testing is performed, including collecting ARINC data. The test station can simulate ARINC messages transmitted and/or received. The amount of simulation depends on the requirements and the person designing the simulation/test. You can have a technician build a wiring harness that connects the test station to the black box which needs to be tested.
If you are designing a system to test something on the actual aircraft, then you will need documents from the aircraft manufacturer on how they have their system wired, etc. Most likely, you will need to remove whatever box you are trying to simulated/test. You can then connect your wiring harness to the connectors on the aircraft. I would use extreme caution to make sure your wiring harness matches the documents that describe the connector to make sure you do not damage the aircraft or any other boxes the box under test is connected to. I do not understand why this would ever be needed to be done since almost everything can be simulated with a test station external to the aircraft.
Larger aircraft manufacturers have simulation and integration labs. The purpose of these labs is to test the aircraft systems, as a whole, prior to placing them in the aircraft. The aircraft manufacturers and FAA require the manufacturer of the black box to extensively test their boxes prior to shipment to the aircraft manufacturer. This requires the black box manufacturer to develop test stations to simulate the part of the aircraft the box is connected to. The FAA requires the aircraft manufacturer to fully integrate and test the subsystems placed into an aircraft. This is done through simulation/integration lab testing and later flight testing.
If you need in flight data acquisition, that would be a function of the black box your company is designing. I have not heard of LabVIEW being used as real-time imbedded code for avionics black boxes so I would think you are working with a test station.
I hope this helps out.
I work as a contractor in the Phoenix metropolitan area. I have my normal work, as a LabVIEW developer, and do some other minor projects unrelated to software development. My time is limited. If you have any further questions, you can email my personal email at William.Simmons.Sr@FineWineImporters.com . Do NOT add my email address to any mailing/advertising list or send resume’s. I would consider any potential contract work.
