15:20 - 16:20   Paper 6

Reusable Software Components for Safety / Mission Critical Applications

Hamid Mirab, Lynuxworks

A quantum leap has been achieved with reusability of software for safety-critical systems. Previously, any software used in airborne systems could only be approved when installed on a hardware platform in an aircraft environment. A new policy released by the Federal Aviation Administration in December 2004, called Advisory Circular 20-148, recognizes that software components can be accepted as meeting RTCA/DO-178B guidelines independent of a hardware platform. The Reusable Software Component (RSC) process allows for “portability” of the certification effort across hardware platforms and projects enabling economies not previously seen in safety critical software development. The RSC is an important aspect of controlling software development costs as well as improving time-to-market and quality of software systems, especially where the system needs to go through a rigorous certification process. This paper examines the benefits of following AC 20-148 guidance as well as how RSC acceptance of a time-space partitioned Real Time Operating System has been achieved.