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Cable areas most prone to corrosion

Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice question 11 of 12 on Airframe Inspection. ACS element AM.II.D.K8 · difficulty: standard. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic Airframe (AMA) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONDuring a control cable inspection, which locations are identified as prime areas for corrosion?

  1. ABattery compartments, lavatories, and wheel wells
  2. BCable runs inside the pressurized flight deck
  3. CSections within 1 foot of a swaged-on cable fitting
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Battery compartments, lavatories, and wheel wells

  • A — correct Cables passing through battery compartments, lavatories, and wheel wells are described as prime areas for corrosion and deserve special attention.
  • B — incorrect The flight deck is not named among the corrosion-prone areas; the named areas are those exposed to electrolyte, waste, and weather.
  • C — incorrect That description belongs to critical fatigue areas, not corrosion areas, so it does not answer this question.

BACKGROUND

Aircraft cable systems are exposed to a wide range of environmental conditions and to several kinds of deterioration. Broken wires or strands are easy to see, but wear, corrosion, and distortion are not readily visible. Cables passing through battery compartments, lavatories, and wheel wells warrant special attention because those are prime areas for corrosion. Critical fatigue areas are a separate concern and are defined as anywhere a cable runs over, under, or around a pulley, sleeve, or fairlead, or where the cable is flexed or rubbed, or within 1 foot of a swaged-on fitting. Rubbing a rag along the cable will snag on broken strands, and loosening or bending a suspect cable can reveal internal broken strands that are not visible from the outside.

STUDY TIP

Keep the two lists apart: corrosion areas are defined by the environment around the cable, fatigue areas by how the cable is worked. Exam items often swap them.

KEY POINTS

  • Battery compartments, lavatories, and wheel wells are prime corrosion areas for cables.
  • Critical fatigue areas involve pulleys, fairleads, flexing, and swaged fittings.
  • A rag drawn along the cable snags on broken strands.

SOURCES

  • FAA-H-8083-31B ch02 "Cable Inspection"
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MORE ON AIRFRAME INSPECTION

SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on FAA-H-8083-31B Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – Airframe, and 14 CFR part 43. Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.