S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.

AeroSpace and Defence

Industries Association of Europe
ASD Simplified Technical
English
Tutorial
Kathy Barthe
Airbus
ASD STE Maintenance Group Chairperson
kathleen.barthe@airbus.com
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
ASD Simplified
Technical English
ASD
STE was originally an AECMA product
AECMA: European Association of
Aerospace Industries
For aircraft maintenance documentation
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
ASD Simplified
Technical English
Why English?
Is the international language of aviation
Why Technical?
Intended for technical manuals, not for
correspondence, etc
Why Simplified?
To eliminate some of the problems of
comprehension, especially for non-native
speakers
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
So the objectives of
STE are
Better comprehension
Of English-language texts
In aircraft maintenance documentation
But STE can be (and has been) adapted to
other domains
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
What are the problems
with English and how
does STE address them?
Chief problems:
- Complex sentences
- Complex verb forms
- Words
STE addresses them by means of a
Specification (ASD-STE100) containing:
A set of Writing Rules
+
A Dictionary of general words
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Complex sentences
the problems
Embedded clauses
Long sentences
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Examples
It is equally important that there should be no seasonal
changes in the procedures, as, although aircraft fuel system
icing dueto water contamination is more often met with in
winter, it can be equally dangerous during the summer
months.
In this position, the handle of the filler cap can accidentally
move to its vertical (unlocked) position, and create a risk
of pressurized hot oil gushing out of the tank anda risk of
personal injury and dangerousburns.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
How STE addresses
the problem
Use short sentences (Rules 5.1 and 6.1)
Only one topic per sentence (Rule 4.1)
Only one instruction per sentence (Rule
5.2)
Use a tabular layout for complex texts
(Rule 4.3)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Complex verb forms - the
problems
Use of helping verbs in compound verb tenses
When you have finishedall the instructions, measure the remaining
quantity.
You must have finishedthis test before you do the start the engines.
Do not fill the tank when the engine is operating.
Use of passives
The fire extinguisher cannot be filledwhile it is on the aircraft.
Use of prop verbs
No change is effecteduntil the test is completed.
Data safety will therefore be ensuredin the event of abnormal session
termination
.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
How STE addresses
the problem
Limited forms of verbs (Rule 3.1)
Limited uses (Rule 3.2)
No compound tenses with HAVE (Rule 3.4)
No passives in procedures (Rule 3.6)
Limited use of past participles (Rule 3.3)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Words
the problems
Words that have more than one part of speech
Useof other lubricants can damagethe O-Ring.
Words that have more than one meaning
Examine for signs of overheating such as the porting face turnedblue
Noun clusters
Turn the air intake flap actuator manual override deviceon the air intake flap
actuator.
Action nouns
Page accessis achieved by pressing the line key on the display unit.
Vague expression
Several levels of systemandcomponent failure are defined for which the
systemgives warningto the appropriatecrew members.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
How STE addresses
the problem
STE recognizes three types of word:
General words (controlled, listed in the
Dictionary)
Technical Names (20 categories, not controlled,
not listed in the Dictionary)
Technical Verbs (3 categories, not controlled, not
listed in the Dictionary)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
How STE addresses
the problem
Words in the Dictionary:
In general, one word, one part of speech (Rules
1.2 and 2.3)
In general, one word, one meaning (Rule 1.3)
Clarification of noun clusters (Rule 2.1 and 2.2)
Use of verbs to express action (Rule 3.7, and
also the rules related to passives)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
How STE addresses
the problem
Technical Names:
nouns or adjectives only (Rule 1.6)
Can include unapproved words (Rule 1.6A)
Consistency (Rule 1.8)
Technical Verbs
Verbs only (Rule 1.11)
Precise writing
Be specific (Rule 1.13)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Other points
addressed by STE
Warnings, Cautions and Notes (Rules 7.1 thru 7.6)
Fluency of text (Rules 4.4, 6.2 thru 6.8)
Procedures (Rules 5.1 thru 5.5)
Punctuation (Rules 8.1, 8.3, 8.5, 8.11)
Word counts (Rules 8.2, 8.4, 8.6 thru 8.10)
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Other points
addressed by STE
Word combinations (Rule 9.2)
I got onthe plane at Paris airport.In London, I got off
the plane and got onthe underground. The train got on
very fast. In London, I got to know someone. This
person later asked me how I was getting on.
Put out the fire.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Some examples
written in STE
Non-STE
It is equally important that there
should be no seasonal changes
in the procedures, as, although
aircraft fuel system icingdue to
water contamination is more
often met with in winter, it can
be equally dangerous during the
summer months.
Sentence of 40 words
Complex sentence structure
Noun cluster
Ambiguous words
Action noun
STE
Use the same procedures all the
time, because water in the fuel
system can freeze during
summer or winter.
Sentence of 19 words
Simple sentence structure
Simple words
No long noun clusters
Action expressed by verb
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Some examples
written in STE
Non-STE
You must have finished this test
before you start the engines
Data safety will therefore be
ensured in the event of
abnormal session termination.
Use of other lubricants can
damage the O-Ring.
STE
(You must) Complete this test
before you start the engines.
This will thus keep the data safe
if you do not quit the session
correctly.
If you use other lubricants, you
can cause damage to the O-
Ring.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
Some examples
written in STE
Non-STE
Examine for signs of
overheating such as the porting
face turned blue
Turn the air intake flap actuator
manual override device on the
air intake flap actuator.
Page access is achieved by
pressing the line key on the
display unit.
STE
Examine the (?) for signs of
overheating (for example, if the
color of the porting face
changed to blue).
Turn the manual override
device on the actuator of the air
intake flap.
To access the page, (you must)
push the line key on the display
unit.
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
What you might find
difficult
STE is not just a question of replacing one
word by another. You will often have to
reformulate.
Bad STE is possible: words OK, rules OK, but
meaning not OK.
STE leaves the author in full control to
THINK!
S100D User Forum Munich, 5-7 October 2005 October 2005 AIRBUS S.A.S. All rights reserved.
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