[par4]

I read an article in the IEEE magazine just last night on this problem. It seems that the Germans and French were using two different versions of the same autocad program for the drawings which were not 100% compatible.

And on a similar related topic, the wiring in the aircraft is alumninum, not copper. I'm not an aerospace engineer, but every house and business is wired with copper, so that's good enough for me.

[smonk]

another adaptation made because of weight; aluminum is lighter than copper. cheaper, too. and arguably more dangerous.

[Puckster]

Aluminum wiring, for a while, was used in housing, however, it is less conductive and more likely to develop resistance at the connection point than copper. There were considerable problems with fires starting at connection points in houses.

http://members.tripod.com/~masterslic/FAQ-2/13.html

With more and more aircraft maintenance being done by third-parties, I can assure you that as critical as the aluminum wiring/connector issue is, third-party maintenance will not be able to address the need for detail. Ergo, when this problem and need for detail is addressed, the cost of maintenance will rise on the A380 fleet.

[backbencher]

[...the wiring in the aircraft is alumninum, not copper.]

Aluminum weighs less then copper which must be the reason for its use on the A380. Unfortunately, it causes fires, and shouldn't be used in homes or others places that need to be kept safe.