Next-generation aircraft programs — eVTOL, supersonic, and hypersonic vehicles among them — are pushing into airspace and performance envelopes the existing regulatory framework wasn't originally written for. That doesn't mean certification is optional; it means the certification basis has to be built deliberately, often through special conditions and close, early coordination with the FAA.
Where programs get into trouble
The most common certification delays we see on emerging aircraft programs come from the same root cause: certification planning starts too late, after major design decisions are already locked in. Retrofitting a certification basis onto a finished design is far more expensive than building it in from concept.
Our approach
Aries Aero Systems engages early — at certification planning and means-of-compliance definition — so that engineering, software (DO-178C), hardware (DO-254), system safety (ARP4761/4754A), and environmental qualification (HIRF, lightning, DO-160) work is scoped against an agreed certification basis from day one.
If your program is navigating novel certification territory, we'd welcome a conversation.