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:: The
STEMG
This is the official web site of the
ASD Simplified Technical English Maintenance Group (STEMG)
ASD SIMPLIFIED TECHNICAL ENGLISH
Specification ASD-STE100
European Community Trade Mark No. 004901195
International
specification
for the
preparation of maintenance documentation
in a controlled
language
The international language of the aerospace industry is English,
and English is the language most used for writing technical
documentation. However, it is often not the native language of the
readers of such documentation. Many readers have a knowledge of English
that is limited, and are easily confused by complex sentence structures
and by the number of meanings and synonyms which English words can have.
In the late 1970s, the Association of European Airlines (AEA)
asked the European Association of Aerospace Industries (AECMA) to
investigate the readability of maintenance documentation in the civilian
aircraft industry. AECMA asked the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA)
of America
to assist in this project. The resulting project groups from AECMA and
AIA researched the procedural texts in maintenance manuals. The product
of this effort was the AECMA Simplified English Guide.
AECMA Simplified English was developed to help the users of
English-language documentation in the aerospace sector understand what
they read, particularly in multinational programs. Since the first
publication of the AECMA Simplified English Guide, other non-aerospace industries
have adopted the principles of AECMA Simplified English for their own
documentation.
AECMA Simplified English is now the Specification ASD Simplified
Technical English. It is not only for those who do not have English as
their native language, but also for those who do.
What is ASD Simplified Technical English?
ASD Simplified Technical English is a set of Writing Rules and a
Dictionary of controlled vocabulary. The Dictionary has sufficient words
to express any technical sentence. The words were chosen for their
simplicity and ease of recognition.
When there are several words in English for a certain thing or
action (synonyms), this Specification selects one of these synonyms to
the exclusion of the others (whenever possible, "one word - one
meaning"). For example, "start" was chosen instead of
"begin", "commence", "initiate", or
"originate". When there is a choice between American English and
British English words and spelling, the American version is used
(Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary).
When there are several possible definitions of a word in English,
the Specification selects one of these definitions to the exclusion of
the others (whenever possible, "one word - one meaning"). For
example, "to fall" has the definition of "to move down by
the force of gravity", not "decrease".
History of ASD-STE100
The Specification was first released in 1986 as the AECMA
Document, PSC-85-16598. Subsequently, several changes, issues and
revisions were released up to the present Issue 4.
The Simplified Technical English Maintenance Group
The ASD-STE100 is maintained by the ASD STEMG consisting of
representatives from ASD member countries in Europe, the AIA in the US and the AIA-C in Canada. In addition, the STEMG
currently has airline representatives as associate members.
The STEMG (called initially the "Simplified English Project
Group", later the "Simplified English Working Group" and,
until recently, the "Simplified English Maintenance Group") was
originally formed in 1983 to develop AECMA Simplified English and to
draft the Specification.
In 2004, when the ASD (AeroSpace and Defence Industries
Association of Europe) Organization was created, the group changed its
name to the ASD Simplified Technical English Maintenance Group (STEMG).
The STEMG is an ASD group reporting to the ASD Customer and
Product Support Committee (CPSC).
The STEMG is currently composed of the following representatives:
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ASD Member
Countries
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Italy
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Orlando Chiarello
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AIAD (Chairman)
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France
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Shirley Blume
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GIFAS
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Austria
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Claudia-Maria Hofbauer
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AAIG
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Germany
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Duane Eilertson
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BDLI
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Spain
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Encarnacion Belmonte
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ATECMA
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Sweden
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Alexander Lowe
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SAI
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UK
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Maria Luisa MacDonald
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ADS
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Non-ASD Members
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USA
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Rick Wojcik
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AIA (Chairman of
the US
Simplified Technical English Task Group, or STETG)
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Canada
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Fred Primmer
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AIA-C
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Associate
Members (Airlines)
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Sweden
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Robert McIntyre
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SAS
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Associate
Members (Military)
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UK
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John Sweeney
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UK MOD
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Germany
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Roland Sudmersen
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German Bundeswher
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New Zealand
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Stuart Wilkie
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Royal New Zealand Navy
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How to become a Member of the STEMG
If you are in one of
the ASD Member Countries and you would like to become a member of the
STEMG you should be nominated by a National Association (part of ASD) as
the STE National Coordinator in your Country.
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Please send your membership application to the
STEMG Chairman at info@asd-ste100.org
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Your application should then be approved by the
STEMG and endorsed by the ASD CPSC.
Applications from
Countries that are not Members of ASD will be taken into
consideration providing that the applicants are nominated by a National
Association within Aerospace and Defense located in the Country of the
applicants.
If you are from an Airline
or from a Military Organization and you would like to become an
associate member of the STEMG, you should be nominated by your Airline or
by your Military Organization.
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Please send your membership application to the
STEMG Chairman at info@asd-ste100.org
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Your application should then be approved by the
STEMG and endorsed by the ASD CPSC.
The minimum requirements to join the
STEMG are:
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Good experience in the field of Maintenance
Technical Documentation and use of ASD-STE100 (either Technical Author or
User)
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Proficient knowledge of English
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Basic knowledge of the International
Specification for Technical Publications (ATA Spec i2200 and S1000D)
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Be able to attend the STEMG Meetings (two per
years, Spring and Fall)
For further
information, please write to info@asd-ste100.org
Training in ASD-STE100
Note: Neither ASD, the Simplified Technical English Maintenance
Group, nor any organization associated with the production of ASD
Simplified Technical English intend or imply any warranty or endorsement
of any of the organizations who may provide training.
Producers of Software Products which support ASD-STE100
Note: Neither ASD, the Simplified Technical English Group, nor any
organization associated with the production of ASD Simplified Technical English
intend or imply any warranty or endorsement of any of the organizations
or products that may support ASD Simplified Technical English.
For more information on Training and Software Products, please
contact:
- Orlando Chiarello -
Chairman of ASD STEMG
- Rick Wojcik - Chairman of US STETG
ASD, the ASD STEMG, the Associations, the Airlines and the
Companies listed in this web site cannot be held liable if the links
referenced in this web site do not lead to the sites stated.
ASD, the ASD STEMG, the Associations, the Airlines and the
Companies listed in this web site do not support or endorse external
commercial companies that link this web site in their own web sites or
material.
ASD, the ASD STEMG, the Associations, the Airlines and the
Companies listed in this web site cannot be held liable for the contents
of these external web sites which may not be in line with the principles
of ASD-STE100 or contain misleading information.
Simplified Technical
English, ASD-STE100, is a Copyright and a Trademark of ASD, Brussels, Belgium
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