NOTE: This position paper has been coordinated among representatives of certification
authorities from North and South America, and Europe. However, it does not constitute
official policy or guidance from any of the authorities. This document is provided for
educational and informational purposes only and should be discussed with the appropriate
certification authority when considering for actual projects.
1
Simple Electronic Hardware and RTCA Document DO-254 and EUROCAE
Document ED-80, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic
Hardware
1.0 Purpose
This CAST paper provides clarification to the guidance in RTCA document DO-
254 and EUROCAE document ED-80 for simple electronic hardware, such as
simple custom micro-coded components and devices, to assist applicants and
developers in their demonstration of compliance, and to ensure their safe
implementation in airborne systems.
2.0 Background
RTCA document DO-254 (EUROCAE document ED-80), Design Assurance
Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware, was published in April 19, 2000.
However, this document has only been recently recognized by some of the
certification authorities as an acceptable means of compliance for satisfying the
relevant regulations (typically, xx.1301, xx.1309 and 33.28, where xx refers to
CS/FAR/JAR 23, 25, 27 or 29)), when custom micro-coded components and
devices (such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field
Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs))
are used in airborne systems. Since the date of publication, the aviation
community has gained experience using DO-254/ED-80. However, many
applicants and developers are uncertain on several points regarding the
document’s guidance for simple electronic hardware such as simple custom
micro-coded devices. Some feel the definition and the guidance for simple
hardware components as stated in DO-254/ED-80, are ambiguous and may be
interpreted differently among applicants and developers as well as the
certification authorities. Currently, there does not exist any harmonized policy or
guidance from the certification authorities to specifically address the safety and
airworthiness requirements for simple electronic hardware; however, some
applicants are proposing to use the guidance in DO-254/ED-80 to obtain
certification approval of simple custom micro-coded components and devices that
support critical aircraft functions. The certification authorities need to clarify the
guidance in DO-254/ED-80 for simple custom micro-coded components and
devices to ensure their safe implementation in airborne systems and to ensure
consistent application of the guidance.
3.0 References
a. RTCA/DO-254 (EUROCAE ED-80), Design Assurance Guidance For
Airborne Electronic Hardware;
