DO-178C certification support for airborne software programs
SafeCode Consulting provides DO-178C certification support from initial process architecture through Level A development and certification evidence review. SafeCode's consulting staff has delivered DO-178C software through Level A, and brings that production program experience to every engagement.
What DO-178C certification support actually involves
DO-178C certification is not satisfied by understanding the standard — it is satisfied by producing a specific body of engineering artifacts demonstrating disciplined software development and rigorous verification. Programs routinely underestimate this until a DER or formal audit reveals gaps that are expensive to close late in the lifecycle.
SafeCode works at the engineering level: establishing or repairing Software Development Plans, Software Verification Plans, requirements architecture with complete traceability, structural coverage analysis, and the Software Accomplishment Summary. The goal is certification evidence that holds up, not documentation that merely exists.
Support areas
- Process architecture — Software Development Plans, Software Verification Plans, Software Configuration Management Plans, and Software Quality Assurance Plans that match program reality.
- Requirements engineering — High-level and low-level requirements with correct allocation, traceability, and interface definitions. See Requirements engineering services.
- Verification planning and execution — Test case and procedure development, coverage analysis, structural coverage planning for DAL A/B/C. See Verification and assurance services.
- Software Accomplishment Summary — Preparing the lifecycle data summary that formal reviewers and DERs examine.
- DER preparation and review support — Preparing artifacts and teams for DER engagement, finding remediation, and review participation.
- Program recovery — Diagnosing and correcting traceability debt, documentation gaps, and process departures before they become certification blockers.
Design assurance levels supported
- Level A — Catastrophic failure condition software
- Level B — Hazardous failure condition software
- Level C — Major failure condition software
Technology supplements
- DO-330 — Tool qualification
- DO-331 — Model-based development and verification
- DO-332 — Object-oriented technology and related techniques
Common questions
What does DO-178C certification support actually involve? Producing the engineering artifacts, verification evidence, and lifecycle documentation that a DER and FAA will review — Software Development Plans, requirements with traceability, test cases, structural coverage evidence, and the Software Accomplishment Summary. SafeCode provides hands-on support at the level the program requires.
What DO-178C design assurance levels does SafeCode support? SafeCode staff has direct experience through Level A — applicable to software whose failure would cause a catastrophic aircraft effect — including all associated independence, coverage, and structural coverage requirements.
Can SafeCode help a DO-178C program that is already in trouble? Yes. Program recovery is a core SafeCode competency — traceability debt, documentation not reflecting implementation, verification coverage gaps, and process departures that must be resolved before formal review.
Does SafeCode work with DERs and certification authorities? SafeCode supports organizations in preparing for and working with DERs and the FAA, including review preparation, finding remediation, and artifact production. SafeCode Consulting does not serve as a DER but provides the technical support that makes DER engagement productive.
What is the difference between DO-178C and DO-178B? DO-178C (2011) updated DO-178B with technology supplements for tool qualification (DO-330), model-based development (DO-331), and object-oriented technology (DO-332). New programs are expected to use DO-178C. SafeCode's consulting staff is experienced in both.
Contact SafeCode Consulting to discuss your DO-178C program.