Meeting DO-254 and ED-80 Guidelines When Using Xilinx FPGAs

RTCA DO-254 and its counterpart in Europe, EUROCAE ED-80, are guidelines for the design of complex electronic hardware (CEH) for use in avionics systems. FAA advisory circular AC 20-152, dated June 30, 2005, made DO-254 an official requirement for suppliers of civil aviation avionics systems. DO-254 is a collection of best industry practices for design assurance of airborne electronic hardware. These guidelines advocate a top-down approach for design and verification of safety critical electronics and other avionics systems and represent the consensus of the aviation community. This white paper addresses how Xilinx can support customers in meeting these design assurance requirements with regards to Xilinx silicon, design software, internal configuration management, and internal validation processes.