DO-178B

DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is a guideline dealing with the safety of <a href="/facts/Safety-critical/vhVc7NJU">safety-critical</a> software used in certain airborne systems. It was jointly developed by the safety-critical working group RTCA SC-167 of the <a href="/facts/Radio_Technical_Commission_for_Aeronautics/z4RnpLbH">Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics</a> (RTCA) and WG-12 of the <a href="/facts/European_Organisation_for_Civil_Aviation_Equipment/LJS9R05c">European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment</a> (EUROCAE). RTCA published the document as RTCA/DO-178B, while EUROCAE published the document as ED-12B. Although technically a <a href="/facts/DO-178C/nQoCfzL6">guideline</a>, it was a de facto standard for developing <a href="/facts/Avionics_software/UUzEK4F4">avionics software</a> systems until it was replaced in 2012 by <a href="/facts/DO-178C/nQoCfzL6">DO-178C</a>. 
The <a href="/facts/Federal_Aviation_Administration/PYsXt3YT">Federal Aviation Administration</a> (FAA) applies DO-178B as the document it uses for guidance to determine if the software will perform reliably in an airborne environment, when specified by the <a href="/facts/Technical_Standard_Order/2Ng5EvF6">Technical Standard Order</a> (TSO) for which certification is sought. In the United States, the introduction of TSOs into the airworthiness certification process, and by extension DO-178B, is explicitly established in Title 14: Aeronautics and Space of the <a href="/facts/Code_of_Federal_Regulations/gxfzmbCN">Code of Federal Regulations</a> (CFR), also known as the <a href="/facts/Federal_Aviation_Regulations/GjfHWDyh">Federal Aviation Regulations</a>, Part 21, Subpart O.

DO-178B open-in-new

DO-178B