Certification by Analysis [CbA]

Discover how Certification by Analysis reduces costs, shortens timelines and lowers risk in aerospace engineering.

Accelerating Aircraft Certification with Smarter Testing and Trusted Simulation

Aircraft certification is one of the most demanding, costly and time-critical phases in aerospace development. As aircraft systems grow in complexity, traditional, test-heavy approaches are increasingly constrained. While the A&D industry has long leveraged simulation and its capabilities have advanced significantly, its full potential in certification remains underutilized due to siloed processes, limited traceability and lack of governance.

Certification by Analysis (CbA) introduces a transformative shift from a purely test-centric, physical model to a hybrid testing strategy in which high-fidelity simulation plays a central role in demonstrating compliance.
Explore the full roadmap to Certification by Analysis and smarter testing.

The Path To Certification By Analysis

Building credibility in simulation and smarter testing for aircraft certification.

A New Approach: Certification by Analysis & Smarter Testing

CbA transforms certification by shifting from a purely physical test pyramid to a hybrid testing approach:

Virtual analysis supports and replaces selected physical tests
Lower-level validation builds confidence for higher-level simulation
Certification evidence becomes traceable, repeatable and scalable

What is Smarter Testing?

Smarter testing connects virtual and physical testing into a unified workflow, enabling:

Early insight into aircraft behavior
Reduced reliance on large-scale physical tests
Continuous validation through simulation
Stronger traceability between requirements, tests and results

Validated Industry Demonstration

AIRBUS has successfully demonstrated the Smarter Testing approach, powered by the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform, on a structural wing test demonstrator. The project validated the methodology of integrating simulation and physical testing within a model-based data environment, with a virtual twin at the center of the process.

Industry Perspective

This industry article, published by Digital Engineering, highlights how certification is evolving and why simulation is becoming essential in managing complexity, cost and timelines. It is a detailed outlook of how aerospace leaders now integrate simulation to validate designs long before building a physical prototype. This hybrid approach combines virtual and physical testing to streamline compliance with regulatory bodies such as the FAA and EASA.

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