Overview

This one-week course provides a practical, certification-focused understanding of aircraft system safety, tailored to engineers and flight test personnel operating in military and complex aviation environments. Delivered by experienced flight test engineers with a strong military background, the course bridges the gap between theoretical safety analysis and real-world application within certification and flight test programs.

Course Objectives:

Participants will gain the capability to:

• Develop and assess aircraft system safety cases
• Apply safety methods in line with certification requirements (e.g. EMAR / CS-25 / MIL frameworks)
• Confidently interface with airworthiness authorities
• Identify and mitigate certification and operational risks early in the program
• Contribute effectively to certification-relevant safety activities
• Support or lead safety assessments in flight test programs
• Reduce risks of delays, redesign, and certification findings

Topics:

• Introduction to safety engineering
• Aircraft Design Process and Systems Engineering
• Reliability and failure theories
• Regulatory and Certification Frameworks: ARP4754A, ARP4761, DO-178C, DO-254
• Functional Hazard Assessment (FHA)
• Preliminary System Safety Assessment (PSSA)
• System Safety Assessment (SSA)
• Common Cause Analysis (CCA)
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA/FMECA)
• Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
• HIRF and Lightning Strike Compliance
• Design Assurance Levels
• Flight Deck Ergonomics

Training Approach:

• Strong focus on practical application, not theory alone
• Case studies derived from real aircraft programs
• Interactive exercises with direct instructor feedback
• Small group format to ensure high individual learning impact (max. 6 students)
• Delivered by instructors with first-hand experience in real industry flight test and certification programs

Prerequisites:

• basic English language proficiency
• basic understanding of engineering principles