DO-297

Last updated

Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) Development Guidance and Certification Considerations
Abbreviation
  • DO-297
  • ED-124
Latest version8 November 2005 (2005-11-08)
Organization
DomainAviation
Website RTCA.org

DO-297, Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) Development Guidance and Certification Considerations is one of the primary document by which certification authorities such as the FAA and EASA approve Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) systems for flight. The FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 20-170 [1] refers to DO-297.

Along with ARINC 653 and DO-248, the DO-297 standard guides "Safety of flight for IMA systems" [2] DO-297 provides specific guidance for the stakeholders, defining the following roles [3]

The DO-297 standard formalizes the use of more powerful computing hardware to host multiple software functions of mixed safety-criticality. IMA produces benefits of reduced Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) by integrating into a single computing platform software functions that were formerly on separate (federated) computing systems. The standard describes how safety is maintained through the isolation provided by a partitioning environment, ensuring that independent functions cannot adversely impact one another's behavior.

History

The document was published by RTCA, Incorporated, in a joint effort with EUROCAE, completed in November 2005. The lessons learned in certifying early approaches to IMA in commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A380 helped inform the development of the standard. [4]

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RTCA DO-254 / EUROCAE ED-80, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware is a document providing guidance for the development of airborne electronic hardware, published by RTCA, Incorporated and EUROCAE. The DO-254/ED-80 standard was formally recognized by the FAA in 2005 via AC 20-152 as a means of compliance for the design assurance of electronic hardware in airborne systems. The guidance in this document is applicable, but not limited, to such electronic hardware items as

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">DO-160</span>

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Advisory circular (AC) refers to a type of publication offered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide guidance for compliance with airworthiness regulations, pilot certification, operational standards, training standards, and any other rules within the 14 CFR Aeronautics and Space Title. They define acceptable means, but not the only means, of accomplishing or showing compliance with airworthiness regulations. Generally informative in nature, Advisory Circulars are neither binding nor regulatory; yet some have the effect of de facto standards or regulations.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC 20-115</span>

The Advisory Circular AC 20-115( ), Airborne Software Development Assurance Using EUROCAE ED-12( ) and RTCA DO-178( ), identifies the RTCA published standard DO-178 as defining a suitable means for demonstrating compliance for the use of software within aircraft systems. The present revision D of the circular identifies ED-12/DO-178 Revision C as the active revision of that standard and particularly acknowledges the synchronization of ED-12 and DO-178 at that revision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FAA Order 8110.105</span> American regulatory order

FAA Order 8110.105A, Simple and Complex Electronic Hardware Approval Guidance, supplements RTCA DO-254 by explaining how FAA aircraft certification staff can use that document "when working on certification projects" and is recommended as a reference for developers applying for certification under DO-254. A particular focus is on clarification of the application of DO-254 guidance to "simple" custom micro-coded components as opposed to the more rigorous assurance expected of complex custom micro-coded components. Micro-coded devices are typically presumed to be complex components that cannot be verified through testing alone; however, some applicants have proposed their specific micro-coded device applications as simple components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC 20-152</span>

The Advisory Circular AC 20-152A, Development Assurance for Airborne Electronic Hardware, identifies the RTCA-published standard DO-254 as defining "an acceptable means, but not the only means" to secure FAA approval of complex custom micro-coded components within aircraft systems with Item Design Assurance Levels (IDAL) of A, B, or C. Specifically excluding COTS microcontrollers, complex custom micro-coded components include field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), programmable logic devices (PLD), and application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), particularly in cases where correctness and safety can not be verified with testing alone, necessitating methodical design assurance. Application of DO-254 to IDAL D components is optional.

DO-248C, Supporting Information for DO-178C and DO-278A, published by RTCA, Incorporated, is a collection of Frequently Asked Questions and Discussion Papers addressing applications of DO-178C and DO-278A in the safety assurance of software for aircraft and software for CNS/ATM systems, respectively. Like DO-178C and DO-278A, it is a joint RTCA undertaking with EUROCAE and the document is also published as ED-94C, Supporting Information for ED-12C and ED-109A. The publication does not provide any guidance additional to DO-178C or DO-278A; rather, it only provides clarification for the guidance established in those standards. The present revision is also expanded to include the "Rationale for DO-178C/DO-278A" section to document items that were considered when developing DO-178B and then DO-178C, DO-278A, and DO-330, as well as the supplements that accompany those publications.

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References

  1. "AC 20-170 - Integrated Modular Avionics Development. Verification, Integration and Approval using RTCA/DO-297 and Technical Standard Order C153". Federation Aviation Administration. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  2. VanderLeest, Steven H.; White, Dagan (2015). "MPSoC hypervisor: The safe & secure future of avionics". 2015 IEEE/AIAA 34th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC). IEEE. pp. 6B5-1-6B5-14. doi:10.1109/DASC.2015.7311448. ISBN   978-1-4799-8940-9 . Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  3. "Real-Time Operating Systems and Component Integration Considerations in Integrated Modular Avionics Systems Report" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 1 August 2007. p. 31. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  4. Spitzer, Cary R. (2006). "RTCA DO-297/EUROCAE ED-124 Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) Design Guidance and Certification Considerations". Digital Avionics Handbook. CRC Press. ISBN   9781138076983.