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

Benefits of Certification by Analysis

By adopting CbA and smarter testing, aerospace manufacturers can:

Reduce Risk in Physical Testing

Minimize costly late-stage failures by validating performance earlier with simulation.

Shorten Certification Timelines

Resolve issues sooner and avoid delays tied to prototype availability and test scheduling.

Lower Program Costs

Reduce dependence on expensive physical tests and avoid rework.

Explore More Design Possibilities

Evaluate multiple configurations virtually without building physical prototypes.

Strengthen Regulatory Confidence

Provide transparent, traceable and validated simulation evidence aligned with regulatory expectations.

Scale with Computational Power

Leverage high-performance computing to handle complex, large-scale simulations efficiently.

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