A review of the factors affecting the temperature of airborne electric and electronic equipment

Continuously increasing airplane performance has outstripped the ability of electric and electronic equipment to withstand environmental temperature conditions without special treatment. The problem is one of controlling the actual temperature of the equipment to a value that will provide satisfactory life. The equipment temperature is affected by many factors, including such things as ambient air density and orientation of the unit with respect to surrounding surfaces. The common specification of ambient air temperature is no longer adequate, and it is necessary to work with actual component temperatures.