10.0 OVERVIEW OF AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE CERTIFICATION
This section is an overview of the certification process for aircraft and engines with respect
to software aspects of airborne systems and equipment, and is provided for information
purposes only. The certification authority considers the software as part of the airborne
system or equipment installed on the aircraft or engine; that is, the certification authority
does not approve the software as a unique, stand-alone product.
10.1 Certification Basis
The certification authority establishes the certification basis for the aircraft or engine in
consultation with the applicant. The certification basis defines the particular regulations
together with any special conditions which may supplement the published regulations.
For modified aircraft or engines, the certification authority considers the impact the
modification has on the certification basis originally established for the aircraft or engine. In
some cases, the certification basis for the modification may not change from the original
certification basis; however, the original means of compliance may not be applicable for
showing that the modification complies with the certification basis and may need to be
changed.
10.2 Software Aspects of Certification
The certification authority assesses the Plan for Software Aspects of Certification for
completeness and consistency with the means of compliance that was agreed upon to
satisfy the certification basis. The certification authority satisfies itself that the software
level(s) proposed by the applicant is consistent with the outputs of the system safety
assessment process and other system life cycle data. The certification authority informs the
applicant of issues with the proposed software plans that need to be satisfied prior to
certification authority agreement.
10.3 Compliance Determination
Prior to certification, the certification authority determines that the aircraft or engine
(including the software aspects of its systems or equipment) complies with the certification
basis. For the software, this is accomplished by reviewing the Software Accomplishment
Summary and evidence of compliance. The certification authority uses the Software
Accomplishment Summary as an overview for the software aspects of certification.
The certification authority may review at its discretion the software life cycle processes and
their outputs during the software life cycle as discussed in subsection 9.2.