This conference paper was submitted for presentation at the NAFEMS World Congress 2025, held in Salzburg, Austria from May 19–22, 2025.

Abstract

The aircraft certification process for both civil and military air systems carries the reputation of being a costly, paper-centric process [1]. Applicants seeking to achieve certification must provide copious amounts of data and test evidence to establish the engineering pedigree of the aircraft. One of the promises of digital engineering is the use of high-fidelity engineering models as a superior source of data for authorities to find compliance with airworthiness regulations. This approach uses engineering simulation models as the authoritative source of truth for making airworthiness determinations and risk assessments. However, there are practical obstacles to real adoption of model-based aircraft certification. This paper will detail these challenges to achieving model-based aircraft certification '“ and propose ways to overcome them - in four categories: Culture: Travel by aircraft is one of the safest forms of transportation, in part due to rigorous airworthiness standards and processes. As a result, the aircraft certification culture is reluctant to change. Pathfinder projects that have been formulated to show the value of model-based aircraft certification. The paper will propose next steps to develop a positive certification culture around use of models in the certification process. Competency: The rapid onset of digital engineering tools has created a specialized skillset around the design, construction, and format of the model and its corresponding data. Recently a European aircraft industry consortium stated that there is a need to increase 'œawareness, trust, skills, knowledge, training, experience and mindsets' among engineers using models in the certification process [2]. The paper will discuss some of the airworthiness credentialing efforts underway and the potential to develop training tailored for model-based aircraft certification. Collaboration: The current aircraft certification involves generating data and sending the results to the airworthiness authority to be reviewed at another time. In contrast, digital models offer the possibility of collaborating in the model in real time and conducting the showing and finding of compliance simultaneously. The full paper will discuss some of the obstacles that must be overcome to enable collaboration in the model, to include availability of regulatory personnel, configuration control of the model, and the ability of models to accurately simulate failure conditions. The paper will also explore the possibility of augmenting collaboration with artificial intelligence to assist the showing and finding of compliance. Credibility: The aircraft certification process moves at the speed of trust. A recent guide to certification by analysis (CbA) stated that 'œdeveloping methods to ensure credible simulation results is critically important for regulatory acceptance of CbA.' [3]. For engineers to trust models as the authoritative source of truth will require ways show the credibility of the models through appropriate processes and metrics, which will be discussed in the paper. The paper will provide recommendations for near-term steps that the community can take to promote progress in each of these four areas. Finally, the paper will identify areas where additional research and pathfinder programs would be valuable to enable model-based aircraft certification. References: 1) Jiacheng Xie, Imon Chakraborty, Simon I. Briceno and Dimitri N. Mavris. "Development of a Certification Module for Early Aircraft Design," AIAA 2019-3576. AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum. June 2019. 2) Fabio Vetrano, et al., 'œRecommendations on Increased Use of Modelling and Simulation for Certification / Qualification in Aerospace Industry,' AIAA-2024-1625. 3) Timothy Mauery, et al., 'œA Guide for Aircraft Certification by Analysis, NASA/CR-20210015404, May 2021.