DO-160, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment is a standard for environmental test of avionics hardware published by RTCA, Incorporated.

Introduction

The DO-160 standard was first published on January 25, 1980 to specify test conditions for the design of avionics electronic hardware in airborne systems. Since then the standard has undergone subsequent revisions up through revision G.

Purpose and applicability

This document outlines a set of minimal standard environmental test conditions (categories) and corresponding test procedures for airborne equipment. The purpose of these tests is to provide a controlled (laboratory) means of assuring the performance characteristics of airborne equipment in environmental conditions similar of those which may be encountered in airborne operation of the equipment.
The standard environmental test conditions and test procedures contained within the standard, may be used in conjunction with applicable equipment performance standards, as a minimum specification under environmental conditions, which can ensure an adequate degree of confidence in performance during use aboard an air vehicle.
The Standard Includes Sections on:

Name	Description
Standard conditions
Temperature Temperature Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...	This checks the effects of temperature on the system. Condensation also can be a factor coming from cold temperatures.
Altitude Altitude Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...	These tests check the effects (in terms of performance) of altitude, including loss of cabin pressure on the device/system/equipment. Factors tested include dielectric Dielectric A dielectric is an electrical insulator that can be polarized by an applied electric field. When a dielectric is placed in an electric field, electric charges do not flow through the material, as in a conductor, but only slightly shift from their average equilibrium positions causing dielectric...  strength, cooling under low pressure, and resilience to rapid change in air pressure. The norm defines the different temperature profiles under which the equipment must be tested. Due to the variety of aircraft, the equipment are classified in categories.
Temperature Temperature Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...  variation
Humidity Humidity Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...	These tests under humidity check the effects of water dripping / splashing on the unit (corrosion Corrosion Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen... ).
Shock Shock (mechanics) A mechanical or physical shock is a sudden acceleration or deceleration caused, for example, by impact, drop, kick, earthquake, or explosion. Shock is a transient physical excitation....  & Crash safety	This aircraft type dependent test checks the effects of mechanical shock. Crash safety test insures the item does not become a projectile in a crash. The norm describes the test procedure for airborne equipment.
Vibration Vibration Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...	Aircraft type dependent test checks the effects of vibration.
Explosion proof
Water Water Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...  proof
Fluid Fluid In physics, a fluid is a substance that continually deforms under an applied shear stress. Fluids are a subset of the phases of matter and include liquids, gases, plasmas and, to some extent, plastic solids.... s susceptibility Susceptibility *In physics, the susceptibility of a material or substance describes its response to an applied field. There are many kinds of susceptibilities, for example:These two susceptibilities are particular examples of a linear response function;...	Aviation related fluids susceptibility
Sand Sand Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...  & Dust Dust Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
Fungus Fungus A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...  resist	This checks the materials for decomposition in warm moist climates.
Salt Salt In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...  & Fog Fog Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
Magnetic effect	This ensures that the aircraft's compass is not affected.
power Electric power Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...  input	Input power conducted emissions and susceptibility, transients, drop-outs and hold-up. The power input tests simulate conditions of aircraft power from before engine start to after landing including emergencies.
Voltage spike Voltage spike In electrical engineering, spikes are fast, short duration electrical transients in voltage , current , or transferred energy in an electrical circuit....
Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility
Induced Signal Susceptibility
RF Radio frequency Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...  emission and susceptibility	Radio frequency Radio frequency Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...  energy: -- radiated emissions and radiated susceptibility (HIRF HIRF HIRF is an acronym for High Intensity Radiated Fields and refers to radio frequency energy of a strength sufficient to cause adversely effect either the performance of a device subjected to it, or to a living organism. A microwave oven is an example of this principle put to controlled, safe... ) via an (Electromagnetic reverberation chamber Electromagnetic Reverberation Chamber An electromagnetic reverberation chamber is an environment for electromagnetic compatibility testing and other electromagnetic investigations. Electromagnetic reverberation chambers have been introduced first by H.A. Mendes in 1968... ).
Lightning Lightning Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...  susceptibility	Direct and indirect effects depending on mounting location; includes induced transients into the airframe/wirebundle.
Icing Icing Icing may refer to:* Atmospheric icing, occurs when water droplets freeze on objects they contact, very dangerous for aircraft* Aufeis, also called icing, a sheet-like mass of layered ice that forms from the freezing of successive flows of groundwater...
ESD Electrostatic discharge Electrostatic discharge is a serious issue in solid state electronics, such as integrated circuits. Integrated circuits are made from semiconductor materials such as silicon and insulating materials such as silicon dioxide...	This checks for resilience vs ESD in handling and operation.
Flammability Flammability Flammability is defined as how easily something will burn or ignite, causing fire or combustion. The degree of difficulty required to cause the combustion of a substance is quantified through fire testing. Internationally, a variety of test protocols exist to quantify flammability...

The user of the standard must also decide interdependently of the standard, how much additional test margin to allow for uncertainty of test conditions and measurement in each test.

Resources

• FAR
  Federal Aviation Regulations
  The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
  
   Part 23/25 §1301/§1309
• FAR
  Federal Aviation Regulations
  The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
  
   Part 27/29
• AC 23/25.1309
• RTCA DO-160

Certification in Europe

• Replace FAA with EASA
  European Aviation Safety Agency
  The European Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with offices in Cologne, Germany, which has been given regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. It was created on 15 July 2002, and it reached full functionality in 2008, taking over functions...
  
  , JAA
  Joint Aviation Authorities
  The Joint Aviation Authorities, or JAA, was an associated body of the ECAC representing the civil aviation regulatory authorities of a number of European States who had agreed to co-operate in developing and implementing common safety regulatory standards and procedures...
  
   or CAA
  Civil Aviation Authority
  This is a list of national and supra-national civil aviation authorities.-See also:* Air route authority between the United States and the People's Republic of China* National Transportation Safety Board -External links:****...
  
  
• Replace FAR
  Federal Aviation Regulations
  The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...
  
   with JAR
• Replace AC with AMJ

See also

• avionics
  Avionics
  Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
  
  
• hazard analysis
  Hazard analysis
  A hazard analysis is used as the first step in a process used to assess risk. The result of a hazard analysis is the identification of risks. Preliminary risk levels can be provided in the hazard analysis. The validation, more precise prediction and acceptance of risk is determined in the Risk...
  
  
• RTCA/DO-254
  DO-254
  RTCA/DO-254, DESIGN ASSURANCE GUIDANCE FOR AIRBORNE ELECTRONIC HARDWARE is a document providing guidance for the development of airborne electronic hardware, published by RTCA, Incorporated.-Outline of contents:1...
  
  
• ARP4761
  ARP4761
  ARP4761, Guidelines and Methods for Conducting the Safety Assessment Process on Civil Airborne Systems and Equipment is a standard from the Society of Automotive Engineers . In conjunction with SAE ARP4754, ARP4761 is used to demonstrate compliance with 14 CFR 25.1309 in the U.S...
  
  
• ARP4754
  ARP4754
  ARP4754 is a standard from SAE, dealing with the development processes and certification of Aircraft systems. EUROCAE jointly issues the document as ED–79...
  
  
• HIRF
  HIRF
  HIRF is an acronym for High Intensity Radiated Fields and refers to radio frequency energy of a strength sufficient to cause adversely effect either the performance of a device subjected to it, or to a living organism. A microwave oven is an example of this principle put to controlled, safe...
  
  
• Reliability (semiconductor)
  Reliability (semiconductor)
  Reliability of semiconductor devices can be summarized as follows:# Semiconductor devices are very sensitive to impurities and particles. Therefore, to manufacture these devices it is necessary to manage many processes while accurately controlling the level of impurities and particles...
  
  
• MIL-STD-810
• RTCA/DO-178B
  DO-178B
  DO-178B, Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification is a document dealing with the safety of software used in airborne systems....
  
  

External links

• RTCA.org is where the publication can be acquired

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