DO-254 Online Training: Overview & PHAC (HW-CERT-101)

Course overview

HW-CERT-101 introduces DO-254 and the planning objectives that govern airborne electronic hardware certification. It shows how the hardware plans fit together.

The course centers on a walkthrough of a PHAC template — the Plan for Hardware Aspects of Certification — explaining how it should be organized and what reviewers expect.

What you will learn

• The structure of DO-254 and the hardware lifecycle
• The hardware planning objectives and the role of each plan
• How a PHAC template should be organized and written
• What reviewers look for in hardware planning data
• How planning shapes hardware development and verification

Who should take this course

Hardware engineers, managers, and DERs new to DO-254 who need a clear grounding in the process and the PHAC.

Recommended prerequisite: AV-CERT-101 — Introduction to Design Assurance (ARP 4754A & ARP 4761)

Course outline

1. DO-254 structure and lifecycle — the hardware design processes and the supporting processes that run alongside them.
2. The hardware plan set — how the PHAC, Hardware Design Plan, Hardware Verification Plan, Hardware Process Assurance Plan and Configuration Management Plan interlock.
3. Purpose of the PHAC — why the Plan for Hardware Aspects of Certification is the top-level agreement between the project and the certification authority.
4. Inside a PHAC template — system and hardware overview, design assurance level, lifecycle, hardware design data, and the Stages of Involvement.
5. Writing and reviewing — how to organize a PHAC so it reads cleanly and what reviewers check first.

What the PHAC is and why it comes first

The Plan for Hardware Aspects of Certification is the keystone of a DO-254 program. It is effectively the compliance contract with the FAA or EASA: it summarizes the system and the hardware item, states the design assurance level, describes the hardware lifecycle and the processes that will be followed, and lists the data that will be produced as evidence. Because it is agreed early — typically at the first Stage of Involvement — the PHAC sets expectations for everything that follows.

A vague or incomplete PHAC is one of the most common causes of downstream churn. When the plan does not clearly define the lifecycle, the verification approach or the data to be delivered, teams end up reworking artifacts late in the program to satisfy reviewers. Getting the PHAC right is the cheapest insurance a hardware program can buy.

What you will be able to do afterward

After HW-CERT-101 you will understand how the DO-254 plan set fits together, what belongs in each section of a PHAC, and how to write planning data that a certification authority will accept with minimal back-and-forth. You will be ready to move from planning into development with a clear picture of the objectives ahead.

How this course fits your certification path

HW-CERT-101 follows the DO-254 & A(M)C 20-152A overview and sets up the plans you will build in HW-CERT-110 (Hardware Design Plan) and HW-CERT-120 (Hardware Verification Plan). For background reading, see our DO-254 explained guide. Prefer instructor-led? Explore our full DO-254 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