ARP 4754A & ARP 4761 Online Training: Intro to Design Assurance (AV-CERT-101)

Course overview

AV-CERT-101 is the foundation of the ConsuNova avionics certification curriculum. It explains, in plain terms, what design assurance means for civil aircraft and systems and why Development Assurance Levels (DAL) sit at the heart of every certification program.

Starting from the safety objectives defined in ARP 4761, the course shows how assurance levels are assigned and how those levels ripple through the development activities, verification rigor, and supporting evidence required by ARP 4754A. It is the recommended starting point before any DO-178C or DO-254 course.

What you will learn

• How design assurance and safety objectives relate across the aircraft, system, and item levels
• What each Development Assurance Level (DAL A–E) means and how it is assigned
• How DAL drives the depth of development and verification activities
• Where ARP 4754A and ARP 4761 fit alongside DO-178C and DO-254
• How to read and plan the certification artifacts expected by the authorities

Who should take this course

Engineers, managers, and quality staff new to airborne systems certification who need a solid foundation before deeper DO-178C, DO-254, or ARP 4754 training.

Course outline

1. The development assurance framework — how ARP 4754A/B governs civil aircraft and system development and where it sits above DO-178C and DO-254.
2. The safety basis — how ARP 4761 safety objectives establish the need for assurance in the first place.
3. What each DAL means — Development Assurance Levels A through E and the rigor each implies.
4. Allocation across levels — how function and item assurance levels (FDAL and IDAL) are assigned from aircraft to system to item.
5. Planning the evidence — the certification artifacts the authorities expect and how DAL shapes them.

How development assurance levels flow through a program

Development assurance is the thread that ties the whole certification effort together, and the Development Assurance Level is the dial that sets how much rigor each activity needs. The level is not arbitrary: it is derived from the severity of the failure conditions identified in the ARP 4761 safety process, then allocated as a Function Development Assurance Level (FDAL) and Item Development Assurance Level (IDAL) down through the architecture. Once a level is assigned, it determines how many objectives apply, how much independence is required, and how deep verification must go.

Understanding this flow early is what prevents the two most expensive mistakes on a program: over-assuring items that a sound architecture could have justified at a lower level, and under-assuring items that the safety assessment actually demands be higher. AV-CERT-101 builds that mental model before you commit to DO-178C or DO-254 detail.

What you will be able to do afterward

After AV-CERT-101 you will be able to explain how safety objectives, development assurance levels and the ARP 4754A/B and ARP 4761 processes connect, interpret what a given DAL requires, and approach a DO-178C or DO-254 program knowing why each objective exists.

How this course fits your certification path

AV-CERT-101 is the recommended starting point for the entire catalog. It leads into AV-CERT-210 (ARP 4754 planning), AV-CERT-300 (ARP 4761 safety assessment) and the DO-178C and DO-254 tracks. For a written primer, see our ARP 4754 explained guide. Prefer instructor-led? Explore our full ARP 4754 & 4761 training courses.

How on-demand training works

Every ConsuNova module is delivered online and self-paced, so you can learn on your own schedule. Each purchase includes 30-day access with unlimited views and downloads for one user, and a certificate of completion is issued automatically when you finish the module.

Your instructors

This module is authored and delivered by ConsuNova’s senior certification authorities, giving you both FAA and EASA perspectives on compliance:

Reza Madjidi FAA DER Consultant

Provides FAA Designated Engineering Representative expertise on U.S. avionics certification.

Martin Beeby EASA CVE Authorized

Brings EASA Certification Verification Engineer authority on European avionics compliance.

Frequently asked questions