Overview
ISO 8815:1994 - Aircraft - Electrical cables and cable harnesses - Vocabulary - is an international vocabulary standard that defines terms used in the aircraft industry for electrical cables and cable harnesses. Published by ISO (first edition 1994; corrected and reprinted 1998), the document was prepared by ISO/TC 20 (Aircraft and space vehicles), Subcommittee SC 1 (Aerospace electrical requirements). It provides authoritative, multilingual definitions (English, French, Russian, with German equivalents) to ensure consistent terminology across design, procurement, testing and maintenance.
Key topics
This vocabulary standard covers the language and concepts required when working with aircraft wiring systems. Major topics include:
- Fundamental terms: conductor, insulation (dielectric), sheath, jacket, core, cable, cable assembly, cable harness.
- Conductor constructions: bunch-stranded, clad strand, composite conductor, concentric lay, conventional concentric conductor, equilay conductor, flexible conductor.
- Dimensional and sizing terms: conductor cross-sectional area and conductor size (noting equivalence to American Wire Gauge - AWG approximation).
- Assembly and manufacturing terms: fillers, tape, screen, jacket, and core definitions used in multicore and single-core cables.
- Installation-related terms: drip loop, direction of lay (right-hand/left-hand), equipment cable vs airframe wire.
- Scope and usage notes: clarifies that terms are intended for specifying construction, testing or use of aircraft electrical cables and cable harnesses, and notes relationship with broader standards such as IEC 461.
Applications
ISO 8815 is useful across the aerospace sector where precise, unambiguous terminology is essential:
- Aerospace designers and electrical engineers - for consistent specification of aircraft electrical cables and cable harnesses.
- Procurement and supplier management - to align contractual language and acceptance criteria.
- Quality assurance, test laboratories and certification bodies - to interpret and report requirements consistently.
- Maintenance manuals, technical authors and training materials - for standardized wiring and harness terminology.
- Standards committees and regulatory stakeholders - to harmonize vocabulary between ISO, IEC and national bodies.
Who should use it
Organizations and professionals involved in aircraft wiring, harness design, installation, testing and documentation - including OEMs, MROs, harness manufacturers and aerospace regulators - will benefit from adopting ISO 8815 terminology to reduce ambiguity and improve interoperability.
Related standards
- IEC 461 (noted in ISO 8815 as having a wider application and related terms)
- ISO/TC 20/SC 1 publications on aerospace electrical requirements
Using ISO 8815 helps ensure that references to aircraft wiring terminology, cable harness vocabulary and aerospace electrical requirements are clear and internationally consistent.
