Aircraft Certification Requirements

EASA Title FAA Title

CS-22 Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes
CS-23 Normal, Utility, Aerobatic and Part 23 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND
Commuter Aeroplanes COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES
CS-25 Large Aeroplanes Part 25 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES
CS-27 Small Rotorcraft Part 27 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT
CS-29 Large Rotorcraft Part 29 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY
ROTORCRAFT
CS-31GB CS-31HB (Gas Balloons) (Hot Air Balloons) Part 31 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: MANNED FREE BALLOONS
CS-E Engines Part 33 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: AIRCRAFT ENGINES Aircraft and Equipment
CS-P Propellers Part 35 AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: PROPELLERS
CS-LSA Light Sport Aeroplanes
CS-VLA Very Light Aeroplanes Certification
CS-VLR Very Light Rotorcraft
CS-34 Aircraft Engine Emissions and Fuel Part 34 FUEL VENTING AND EXHAUST EMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR
Venting TURBINE ENGINE POWERED AIRPLANES
CS-36 Aircraft Noise Part 36 NOISE STANDARDS: AIRCRAFT TYPE AND AIRWORTHINESS
CERTIFICATION
February 2023 – Paul HOPFF
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Type Certification Process Aircraft Certification Requirements

The process for civil aircraft by which type certification is achieved comprises four steps. These are outlined below, but additional
details can be found from EASA (2010), Type certification and FAA Order 8110.4C
1. Technical Overview and Certification Basis The product designer presents the project to the primary certificating authority ▪ Certification requirements for civil aircraft are derived from ICAO Annex 8 Airworthiness
(PCA) - EASA in EU, FAA in USA - when it is sufficiently mature. The certification team and the set of rules (Certification Basis) of Aircraft and the ICAO Airworthiness Manual, Part V State of Design and State of
that will apply for the certification of this specific product type are established. This agreed certification basis remains unchanged
for a period of five years for an aircraft, three years for an engine. Manufacture.
2. Certification Programme The PCA and the designer define and agree on the means to demonstrate compliance of the product ▪ Each ICAO contracting state then establishes its own legal framework to implement the
type with every requirement of the Certification Basis. Also, at this stage the level of regulatory involvement is proposed and
agreed.
internationally agreed standards and recommended practices. In Europe, EASA has
taken this role for all EU Member States.
3. Compliance demonstration The designer has to demonstrate compliance of the aircraft with regulatory requirements: for all
elements of the product e.g., the airframe, systems, engines, flying qualities and performance. Compliance demonstration is done ▪ Procedures for certification of aeronautical products (aircraft, engines and propellers) are
by analysis combined with ground and flight testing. The PCA will perform a detailed examination of this compliance
demonstration, by means of selected document reviews and test witnessing.
published in each state. In the EU, these are contained in EC Regulation 748/2012
Annex I - Part 21, whereas in USA they are within FAR Part 21. These “Part 21”
4. Technical closure and Type Certificate issue When technically satisfied with the compliance demonstration by the designer,
the PCA closes the investigation and issues a Type Certificate. For European-designed aircraft, EASA delivers the primary
regulations also include procedures for the approval of design organisations (Sub-part J)
certification which is subsequently validated by other authorities for registration and operation in their own countries, e.g. the FAA and production organisations (Sub-part G). These processes are known respectively as
for the USA. Similarly, EASA will validate the FAA certification of US-designed aircraft. This validation is carried out under a Design Organisation Approval (DOA) and Production Organisation Approval (POA).
Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the states concerned.

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 ICAO Standards ICAO Specifications

▪ Standards And Recommended Practices (SARPs) are technical specifications adopted by

the Council of ICAO in accordance with Article 37 of the Convention on International Civil
Aviation in order to achieve "the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations,
▪ A Recommended Practice is defined by ICAO as "any specification for
standards, procedures and organization in relation to aircraft, personnel, airways and
physical characteristics, configuration, material, performance, personnel or auxiliary services in all matters in which such uniformity will facilitate and improve air
procedure, the uniform application of which is recognized as desirable in the navigation".
interest of safety, regularity or efficiency of international air navigation and to ▪ SARPs are published by ICAO in the form of Annexes to Chicago Convention. SARPs do
which Contracting States will endeavour to conform in accordance with the not have the same legal binding force as the Convention itself, because Annexes are not
international treaties. Moreover, States agreed to "undertake to collaborate in securing (...)
Convention".
uniformity", not to "comply with". Each Contracting State may notify the ICAO Council of
▪ ICAO phraseology: “should” differences between SARPs and its own regulations and practices. Those differences are
published in the form of Supplements to Annexes.

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ICAO Standards ICAO Standards

▪ Typically, it takes approximately

two years for an initial proposal for
a new or improved Standard,
▪ A Standard is defined by ICAO as "any specification for physical
Recommended Practice or
characteristics, configuration, material, performance, personnel or procedure,
procedure to be formally adopted
or approved for inclusion in an the uniform application of which is recognized as necessary for the safety or
Annex or a PANS. Occasionally, regularity of international air navigation and to which Contracting States will
this timescale can be expanded or conform in accordance with the Convention".
compressed depending on the ▪ ICAO phraseology: “shall”
nature and priority of the proposal
under consideration.

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 Minimum Operational Performance Standards The « Aircraft-Bible »: ICAO Annex 6
▪ A MOPS provides standards for specific equipment(s) useful to designers, manufacturers, installers
and users of the equipment. The word "equipment" used in a MOPS includes all components and
units necessary for the system to properly perform its intended function(s). The MOPS provides the
information needed to understand the rationale for equipment characteristics and requirements
stated. The MOPS describes typical equipment applications and operational goals and establishes
the basis for required performance under the standard. Definitions and assumptions essential to
proper understanding are provided as well as installed equipment tests and operational performance
characteristics for equipment installations.

▪ Compliance with these standards is recommended as one means of assuring that the equipment will
perform its intended function(s) satisfactorily under all conditions normally encountered in routine
aeronautical operations. A MOPS may be implemented by one or more regulatory document and/or
advisory document and may be implemented in part or in total. • Part I – International Commercial Air Transport – Aeroplanes
▪ MOPS are developed by the RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics – USA) and/or • Part II – International General Aviation - Aeroplanes
Eurocae (Europe).
11 • Part III – International Operations - Helicopters 9

Radio Technical Commission for The « CNS-Bible »: ICAO Annex 10

Aeronautics (RTCA)
• Volume I: Radio Navigation Aids
▪ RTCA is a US non-profit organization, founded in 1935
• Volume II: Communication Procedures
▪ 20 active committees with multiple working groups
▪ Develops industry standards in co-operation with aviation regulators (FAA / EASA etc.) • Volume III: Communication Systems

▪ Standards are developed and drafted by Special Committees (SC) and are approved • Volume IV: Surveillance and Collision
Avoidance Systems
by the Program Management Committee.
• Volume V: Aeronautical Radio Frequency
▪ Minimum Operating Performance Standards (MOPS) Spectrum Utilization
▪ RTCA develops Minimum Operating Performance Standards for aviation-based • Volume VI: Communication Systems and
technology, i.e., avionics Procedures related to RPAS C2 Link

▪ RTCA is an official observer of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

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 Technical Standard Orders (TSO) Radio Technical Commission for
Aeronautics (RTCA)
▪ The Documents of RTCA include:
▪ A TSO is a minimum performance standard for specified materials,
▪ Operational Services and Environment Definition (OSED) Document the environment in
parts, and appliances used on civil aircraft.
which equipment will operate.
▪ When authorized to manufacture a material, part, or appliances to a TSO ▪ Operational, Safety, & Performance Requirements (SPR).
standard, this is referred to as TSO authorization. Receiving a TSO
▪ Operational Safety Assessment (OSA); Operational Performance Assessment (OPA)
authorization is both design and production approval. (Communication, Navigation, Surveillance).
▪ Receiving a TSO Authorization is not an approval to install and use the ▪ Interoperability Requirements (INTEROP).
article in the aircraft. It means that the article meets the specific TSO, ▪ Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS).
and the applicant is authorized to manufacture it. ▪ Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) Assuring equipment will perform its
intended functions.

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Technical Standard Order (TSO) The European Organisation for Civil Aviation
Authorization Equipment (EUROCAE)
▪ EUROCAE deals exclusively with aviation standardization, for both airborne and ground
systems and equipment.
▪ Receiving a TSO authorization is approval to manufacture an article that ▪ Formed in 1963 as a European forum focusing on electronic equipment for air transport.
may be installed on an aircraft only after showing that the article meets ▪ EUROCAE documents are widely referenced by ICAO and EASA as means of compliance
the specific airworthiness requirements (certification basis) of a particular to European Technical Standard Orders (ETSOs) and other regulatory documents.
aircraft model. In other words, receiving a TSO authorization means that ▪ To achieve the desired global harmonization of aviation standards, EUROCAE has close
an article meets a minimum performance requirement independent of the cooperation with RTCA and SAE International.
article's intended installation on an aircraft.
▪ Note – Approx 50% of the EUROCAE Working Groups (WG) work jointly with RTCA,
▪ A separate FAA/EASA approval is required to install the article on an and another 10% with SAE.
aircraft. ▪ EUROCAE documents (ED) are developed by the Working Groups (WG) composed of
voluntary experts from the member organisations of EUROCAE and – in case of joint
activities – RTCA and SAE.
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 RTCA DO-260B What is an ETSO approval?

▪ The ETSO (European Technical Standard Order) authorization represents

▪ RTCA DO-260B/EUROCAE ED-102A (1296 pages!)
one way (and not the only way) to have parts and appliances approved. This
▪ “This document contains Minimum Operational Performance Standards is an optional step which ensures that a part or appliance complies with a
(MOPS) for airborne equipment for Automatic Dependent Surveillance- minimum performance standard.
Broadcast (ADS-B) and Traffic Information Service – Broadcast (TIS-B)
▪ In all cases, the installer must apply for an installation approval on-board the
utilizing 1090 MHz Mode-S Extended Squitter (1090ES). The supporting
aircraft.
hardware can be incorporated within other on-board equipment, or
alternatively, the ADS-B equipment may be a separate avionics unit.” ▪ He/she can use the ETSO authorization, and he/she complements it to
demonstrate that the installation complies with the applicable certification
basis for the changed aircraft.

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RTCA DO-260B Example: Mode S Transponder

▪ Section 1 of this document provides information and assumptions needed to

understand the rationale for equipment characteristics and requirements
stated in the remaining sections.
▪ Section 2 contains the minimum operational performance standards for the
equipment.
▪ Section 3 describes the performance required of the installed equipment.
Tests for the installed equipment are included when performance cannot be
adequately determined through bench testing.
▪ Section 4 describes the operational characteristics of the installed
« DO-260B »
equipment, self test features, and controls.

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 Example: Mode S Transponder Example: Mode S Transponder

« DO-160E » « TSO-C112e & TSO-C166b »

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Environmental Conditions and Test TSO-C112e & TSO-C166b

Procedures for Airborne Equipment “PURPOSE. This technical standard order (TSO) is for manufacturers applying for a TSO authorization (TSOA) or letter of
design approval (LODA). In it, we (the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA) tell you what minimum performance standards
(MPS) your ATCRBS/Mode Select (Mode S) airborne equipment must first meet for approval and identification with the
applicable TSO marking.”
▪ This document defines a series of minimum standard Requirements:
environmental test conditions (categories) and applicable a. Functionality.
test procedures for airborne equipment. The purpose of b. Failure Condition Classifications.
these tests is to provide a laboratory means of determining c. Functional Qualification. → RTCA/DO-260B, Section 2.4.
the performance characteristics of airborne equipment in
d. Environmental Qualification. → RTCA/DO-160D, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for
environmental conditions representative of those which may Airborne Equipment
be encountered in airborne operation of the equipment. e. Software Qualification. → RTCA/DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment
Certification
f. Electronic Hardware Qualification. → RTCA/DO-254, Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic
Hardware.
DO-160x -- ED-14x
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 Emission of Radio Frequency Energy Environmental Conditions and Test
Procedures for Airborne Equipment

▪ DO-160G, Environmental Conditions and

Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment is a
standard for the environmental testing of
avionics hardware. It is published by the
Setup for Radiated
RF Interference Test Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics
(RTCA), initially in 1975.
▪ ED-14G - Environmental conditions and test
procedures for airborne equipment.
Coordinated with RTCA, EUROCAE/ED-
14G and RTCA/DO-160G are identically
worded.
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Example: Mode S Transponder Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures

for Airborne Equipment
▪ Temperature and Altitude ▪ Power Input
▪ Temperature Variation ▪ Voltage Spike
▪ Humidity ▪ Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility - Power Inputs
▪ Operational Shocks and Crash Safety ▪ Induced Signal Susceptibility
▪ Vibration
▪ Radio Frequency Susceptibility (Radiated and Conducted)
▪ Explosion Proofness
▪ Emission of Radio Frequency Energy
▪ Waterproofness
▪ Lightning Induced Transient Susceptibility
▪ Fluids Susceptibility
▪ Lightning Direct Effects
▪ Sand and Dust
▪ Icing
▪ Fungus Resistance
▪ Salt Spray ▪ Electrostatic Discharge
« DO-178 » ▪ Magnetic Effect ▪ Fire Flammability

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 ARINC Standards Software Considerations in Airborne
▪ ARINC IA cooperatively establish consensus-based, voluntary aviation technical standards that no Systems and Equipment Certification
one organization could develop independently.
▪ The AEEC develops engineering and technical standards for airborne electronics of common interest ▪ DO-178C, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and
Equipment Certification is the primary document by which the
to all segments of the aviation community.
certification authorities such as FAA, EASA and Transport
▪ Technical standards adopted by the AEEC are published as ARINC Standards by the ARINC Industry Canada approve all commercial software-based aerospace
Activities secretariat. ARINC Standards describe avionics, cabin systems, protocols, and interfaces systems.
used by more than 10,000 air transport and business aircraft worldwide.
▪ The document is published by RTCA, Incorporated, in a joint
▪ There are three classes of ARINC Standards: effort with EUROCAE, and replaces DO-178B. The new
▪ ARINC Characteristics: Define the form, fit, function, and interfaces of avionics, cabin systems, and aircraft document is called DO-178C/ED-12C and was completed in
networks. November 2011 and approved by the RTCA in December 2011.

▪ ARINC Specifications: Define the physical packaging or mounting of avionics and cabin equipment, ▪ On 19 Jul 2013, the FAA approved AC 20-115C, designating DO-
communication, networking and data security standards, or a high-level computer language. 178C a recognized "acceptable means, but not the only means,
for showing compliance with the applicable airworthiness
▪ ARINC Reports: Provide guidelines or general information found by the aviation industry to be preferred
regulations for the software aspects of airborne systems and
practices, often related to avionics maintenance and flight simulator engineering and maintenance.
equipment certification."

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ARINC Standards by Aircraft Generation Design Assurance Guidance for

Airborne Electronic Hardware

Digital Aircraft & Analog Aircraft &

Networked Aircraft
Flight Simulators Flight Simulators

Characteristics ARINC 700-Series ARINC 700-Series ARINC 500-Series

ARINC 600-Series
Specifications ARINC 800-Series ARINC 400-Series
ARINC 400-Series

ARINC 600-Series
Reports ARINC 800-Series ARINC 400-Series
ARINC 400-Series

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RTCA DO-254 / Eurocae ED-80 30
 ARINC Characteristic 718A-1 – Mark 4 ATC ARINC Standards
TRANSPONDER (ATCRBS/MODE S) ▪ 400 Series ARINC Specifications and Reports provide a design foundation for equipment specified per the
ARINC 500 and 700 Series. They include guidelines for installation, wiring, data buses, databases, and general
▪ “This Characteristic provides design guidance for the development and installation of a Mark 4 transponder guidance.
with Extended Interface Functions (EIF) intended primarily for airline use. It describes the desired operational
▪ 500 Series ARINC Characteristics define analog avionics installed on older aircraft such as the B-727, DC-9, and
capabilities and defines standards which are necessary to achieve interchangeability.”
DC-10, and early models of B-737, B-747, and A-300 aircraft. These standards are provided for reference and
▪ “This Characteristic provides standards for:” not recommended for use in new aircraft type designs.
▪ Form factor
▪ 600 Series ARINC Specifications and Reports define enabling technologies that provide a design foundation for
▪ Control features
equipment specified per the ARINC 700 Series of digital avionics systems. Among the topics covered by
▪ Connector pin allocation
Specifications are data link protocols.
▪ Interwiring
▪ Interfaces ▪ 700 Series ARINC Characteristics define digital systems and equipment installed on current-model production
aircraft. They include definitions of form, fit, function, and interface for Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) in a
▪ “These provisions promote interchangeability of equipment from different manufacturers. The minimum
operational and performance capabilities of this unit are further described in the related RTCA and EUROCAE federated architecture.
Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) documents for the Mode S transponder and the ▪ 800 Series ARINC Specifications and Reports define enabling technologies supporting the networked aircraft
Airborne Data Link Processor.”
environment. Among the topics covered in this series is fiber optics used in high-speed data buses.
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Aircraft Installation of Equipment Example: Mode S Transponder

▪ Initial installation is covered under the Type Certificate (TC).

▪ Modifications rquire a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).
▪ A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is an FAA or EASA approved major
modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller.
As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed ‘supplemental’. As its name
suggests, an STC is a certificate. It defines the product design change, states
how the modification affects the existing type design, and lists serial number
effectively. It also identifies the certification basis, listing specific regulatory
compliance for the design change.

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Example: Replacement of transponders

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