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This white paper explains the benefits of the Model-Based Design (MBD) approach and Object-Oriented Technology (OOT) that DO-178C provides. It also specifically focuses on the usage of Models and COTS Qualifiable tools that automate or facilitate the verification and validation of avionics applications constructed from Models in order to ensure that there is no unintended function. Software running in Aircraft cockpits has dramatically increased in complexity since DO-178B's revision in 1992. Furthermore, over the past 20 years, software development methods have made significant leaps forward and DO-178B has begun to show its age with respect to the new technology introduced to facilitate software development. This year the newly revamped DO-178C standard sets the certification process record straight by embracing modern technology.

By introducing the concept of a separation between graphics and logic, interpreted runtime architecture, and defined communication protocol, the ARINC 661 standard has addressed many of the concerns that aircraft manufacturers face when creating cockpit avionics displays. However, before kicking off a project based on the standard, it is important to understand all aspects of the standard, as well as the benefits and occasional drawbacks of developing with ARINC 661 in mind. This white paper will first provide an overview of ARINC 661 to clarify its concepts and how these relate to the development process. The paper will also describe the benefits of using a distributed development approach, and will outline practical, real world considerations for implementing an ARINC 661-based solution. Finally, readers will learn how commercial tools can be used to simplify the creation of displays following the standard to speed development and reduce costs.

Embedded Graphics developers depend on both in-house and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) tools. While both offer significant advantages throughout the development process, many resulting custom in-house solutions only support a narrow set of embedded platforms, do not meet the performance requirements for some embedded configurations, and may make it difficult to upgrade hardware in future. In addition, if prototyping and deployment groups developing an application using in-house tools are not perfectly aligned, it may not be possible to re-use the work done in the prototyping phase, resulting in the need to completely re-write the application code. To overcome these restrictions, engineers can invest in tools that support a vendor-agnostic C++ Port Kit.