Update to MIL-STD-859 – Calibration

Calibration standards are an enduring part of standardization, and they are a set of publications that don’t often change.  So it is something of a surprise to see a new Revision B for MIL-STD-859, “Standard Calibration Table for Aeronautical Pressure Measuring Equipment.”  After all, Revision A was released in 1968 and was last changed in 1979.  And, as you might remember, the document was cancelled in 1995, but in 2006 it was reinstated.

In this case, the primary reason for the release of the new MIL-STD-859 B is to bring it into alignment with the requirements of MIL-STD-962, the standard for the formatting of Department of Defense Standards themselves.  However, there have also been some other updates.

First, that change notice from 1979 is now integrated into the body of the document.  Really, since military publications are no longer created on paper, it is far easier to integrate changes into the body of the document when and where they occur.  And it’s also easier to use these updated documents as well.  The only downside that I can see is that the old method of providing updates as standalone notices meant that in terms of gap analysis, it was easier to track changes.

Next, MIL-STD-859 used to reference some International Standardization Agreements (ISA’s).  These are publications from several International Treaty Organizations like NATO, ABCA, and so on.  Since those referenced documents are now obsolete, they have been deleted from the MIL-STD-859.

Lastly, the DD Form 1426 has been removed.  This is the 2-page form that used to be included at the end of many military documents.  It provided the user with a methodology for communicating with the document’s caretaker about questions, comments, and corrections.  Now, since document caretakers’ have email addresses, contact information is just included in the forword.  My, how times change!

As I say, this is a calibration standard, so it is basically a table that shows the static pressure (P) in inches of mercury for values of pressure altitude (H) in geopotential feet.  The table is 3 1/2 pages in length, with values for every 1000 feet of altitude change.

Of course, if you use this standard you’ll want to get a copy of the new edition.  Remember, if you use Document Center Inc. for your purchases of military publications you’ll find the prices to be very reasonable.  And all standards purchases come with our no-charge notification service.  This means that when a standard that you use is modified, you’ll be informed via email.  You can order online at www.document-center.com.  Here’s the direct link for the order page for MIL-STD-859.

Still have more questions?  You’ll find our staff to be very knowledgeable about standards.  And we have any number of products and services to make it easier for your Document Control staff to do their jobs.  Get in touch with us by phone (650-591-7600) or email (info@document-center.com).  Make us your Standards Experts!

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Claudia Bach

Claudia Bach is the President of Document Center Inc. and a world-wide recognized expert on Standards and Standards Distribution. You can connect with her on Google+

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