Industries Harmonize Tech Data Standards

The AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) and the Air Transport Association (ATA) have agreed to align international technical publication data in the aerospace, defense, and commercial aviation fields. The agreement positions the three associations to further advance the development and maintenance of the S1000D specification for technical publications, easing the cost burden on supply chains, which currently support different standards for each industry. This approach will harmonize how technical data are conveyed between the original equipment manufacturer and user community for both commercial aviation and military systems. “This collaboration agreement is one more step to facilitate improved business agility, reduce costs and increase the speed of doing business – all while maintaining the highest level of safety,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. S1000D, based on international documentation standards such as SGML, XML and CGM, is dynamic and enables continual revision and the incorporation of new technologies. It also defines a methodology that allows for publication compilation and permits users to easily access specific information by standardizing data shared across different software platforms.