Definition
A maintenance practice in which a thin wire is threaded through small holes in fasteners (such as bolts, nuts, or turnbuckles) and twisted in a specific pattern so that any tendency for the fastener to loosen pulls the wire tighter, preventing the fastener from backing out.
Plain English
Running a small wire between two or more bolts so that if one tries to unscrew itself, the wire stops it from coming loose.
Context Anchor
Seen during preventive maintenance and preflight inspections, especially around engine-area parts, drain plugs, oil filters, and other hardware that must stay tight.
Why Pilots Care
Loose fasteners on engines, controls, or accessories can cause loss of power, control surface failure, or component detachment in flight.
Analogy
It is like using a twist tie to keep something from opening, except the wire is installed in a specific direction so the part is held tight instead of allowed to loosen.
Intuition Check
Safety wiring is not electrical wiring. It is wire used like a lock to keep hardware from loosening.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot noticed the safety wiring on the oil filter was broken and had the mechanic re-secure it before the flight.
Example Sentence 2
During the annual inspection the inspector verified that all safety wiring on the exhaust clamps remained intact and properly twisted.