As general aviation aircraft grow more advanced, so do the avionics systems that help keep pilots safe in today’s increasingly complex airspace. The process at the FAA for evaluating and certifying these avionics components is extremely detailed and requires collaboration among several key players. FAA human factors specialists, flight-test pilots, and engineers are all involved in certifying certain avionics products.
Among the areas to consider in the certification process are intuitiveness, reliability, and most important, safety. Everything, from a unit’s button shapes and display colors to its reliability under rigorous testing scenarios, is carefully weighed. In cases where the system is highly integrated, complex, and/or performs critical functions, FAA uses a formal assessment process that involves scenario-based evaluations by multiple pilots. A careful look at users’ capabilities and limitations is also employed throughout the testing and evaluation process.
For more information on how FAA human factors research helps improve general aviation safety, check out the article “Factoring in the Human in Avionics Certification” in the January/February 2010 issue of FAA Aviation News.
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