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DO-178B and DO-178C Standards

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DO-178B and DO-178C Standards

DO-178B and DO-178C Standards

"The Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification" standards, also known as RTCA DO-178B, are standards used in the certification of aviation systems. As would be expected from such critical systems, software reliability must be guaranteed. DO-178B serves as a guide for this purpose. The standards were published by Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), in collaboration and joint work with European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment  (EUROCAE), as DO-178B in 1992 and DO-178C in 2011. DO-178C is an updated version of DO-178B. Since their contents are nearly identical, they will be referred to as DO-178 from this point forward. Due to RTCA, the standards are known as DO-178B in the USA and as ED-12B in Europe. Both organizations accept each other's certifications.

DO-178 standards provide higher reliability and stability, reusability, lower lifecycle cost, lower maintenance cost, and faster software compliance.

According to DO-178 guidelines, all aviation software must be assigned a Design Assurance Level (DAL) based on the consequences of system failure. Level E means "no effect on safety," while the highest level, Level A, means "catastrophic." Standards define various process objectives that vary depending on the software level.

Higher DAL levels mean more objectives that must be met. However, it should be noted that DO-178 alone does not guarantee system safety. Additionally, necessary tests must be performed to provide objective evidence of achieving the desired safety criteria. It should also be noted that the assigned DAL level depends on the aircraft type.

After the DAL level is determined, the planning process and development process must be carried out in sequence. And a verification process must be carried out in parallel throughout these processes.

The following plans must be produced as part of the planning process:

The development process consists of all activities related to the design and production of DO-178 software that meets the system requirements of the project. This includes the design and implementation of software as well as high and low-level software requirements.

Finally, in the verification process, the verification steps planned during the planning process must be carried out. As a result, necessary evidence must be produced, and this evidence must be presented to certification authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These organizations oversee all areas of civil aviation both in their own countries and on international waterways.

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