The DCL Introduction to Aviation DTDs

June 15th, 2010 Posted in Featured, Technical Documents, XML/SGML

History

ATA 100, the first incarnation of ATA specifications, was released over twenty years ago. Intended to function as a set of guidelines for creating technical manuals, it contained instructions on how content should be organized and presented (e.g., how the ATA numbering system and chapter numbers should be implemented), but had nothing to do with SGML until the late 1980s, when SGML implementation guidelines were added as an appendix to ATA 100. With the addition of this appendix, the writing specifications within ATA 100 were combined with SGML to produce the first ATA DTD.

ATA 2100

In the mid-1990s, ATA 2100 appeared on the scene as an expanded version of ATA 100‘s SGML appendix. ATA 2100 included additional DTDs as well as means for incorporating multimedia into technical manuals. At this point, ATA 100 and ATA 2100 functioned side by side; ATA 100 remained a set of writing guidelines that outlined how the documents should look (e.g., introduction chapters should be numbered ’00′), whereas ATA 2100 was concerned with “backstage” SGML implementation (e.g., introduction chapter numbers should be tagged with the CHAPNBR attribute).

ATA iSpec 2200

In 2000, ATA Spec 100 and ATA Spec 2100 were combined to form ATA iSpec 2200. The ATA has announced that these specifications, while still in use, will no longer be updated.

ATA Spec 2000

ATA Spec 2000 started as a procurement standard (meant for ordering parts, tracking orders and invoices, etc). Unlike ATA Spec 100, ATA 2100, and ATA iSpec 2200, ATA Spec 2000 is not designed for technical manuals, but rather for communication; it aims to minimize communication ambiguity and errors by standardizing information exchanges associated with aircraft parts and materials. ATA Spec 2000 uses “human readable” tags, which include <sparesstockinquiry>, <pnr>, <price>, and <currency>.

S1000D

S1000D is not an ATA standard, but its international popularity as an aviation DTD has been steadily increasing. Its success is widely attributed to its sophisticated hierarchical structure and predefined data modules, which produce ensure well organized, standardized content that is ready for reuse.

ATA iSpec 2200 DTDs

The following DTDs are used in ATA iSpec 2200:

Aircraft Illustrated Parts Catalog (AIPC)	Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM)
Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM)	Aircraft Recovery Manual (ARM)
Component Maintenance Manual (CMM)	Component Maintenance Manual Parts List (CMMIPL)
Consumable Products Manual (CPM)	Engine (Shop) Manual (EM)
Engine Cleaning Inspection and Repair Manual (CIR)	Engine Illustrated Parts Catalog (EIPC)
Engine Parts Configuration Management Section (EPCM)	Fault Reporting and Fault Isolation Manual (FRM/FIM)
Flight Crew Operations Manual (FCOM)	Graphics Exchange (GREXCHANGE)
Intelligent Graphics Exchange (IGEXCHANGE)	Illustrated Tool and Equipment Manual (ITEM)
Maintenance Planning Document (MPD)	Maintenance Review Board Report (MRB)
Maintenance Steering Group (MSG-3)	Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL)
Non-Destructive Testing Manual (NDT)	Power Plant Build-up Manual (PPBM)
Power Plant Build-up Manual Illustrated Parts List (PPBMIPL)	Production Management Database (PMDB)
Service Bulletin (SB)	Service Bulletin Index (SBI)
Structural Repair Manual (SRM)	System Description Sections (SDS)
Tool and Equipment Manual (TEM)	Weight & Balance Manual (WBM)
Wiring Diagram Manual (WM)