The Importance of Avionics Testing
Safety is non-negotiable in aviation and other safety-critical industries, where even the smallest failure can have significant consequences. Rigorous testing is essential to ensure that avionics solutions perform flawlessly before deployment, minimizing risks and maintaining compliance with strict industry regulations.
As aircraft systems become increasingly complex, the demand for comprehensive testing, validation and verification grows. Modern avionics rely on highly integrated hardware and software architectures, requiring sophisticated testing methodologies to detect and address potential failures before they reach operational environments. Ensuring system reliability, fault tolerance, and regulatory compliance is a cornerstone of avionics development, making advanced test solutions, processes, and expertise an indispensable part of the process.
The Cost of Failure
Modern avionics systems can account for approximately 30% of an aircraft’s total cost. Given this substantial investment, ensuring their reliability and longevity through rigorous testing is essential to minimizing operational costs over the aircraft’s lifecycle. However, despite the critical role of avionics in flight safety and performance, failure rates are often significantly underestimated.
Studies have shown that actual failure rates can be 7 to 20 times higher than predicted when using traditional system failure rate estimates. These discrepancies stem from various factors, including design errors, interface issues, system-level effects, and unanticipated environmental conditions. Harry W. Jones from NASA Ames Research Center explains:
“Failures are caused by design errors, interface problems, system level effects, unanticipated environmental effects, and operator error. Specific problems include misunderstood operational environment, use of low reliability components, manufacturing quality problems, inadequate and unrealistic testing, inaccurate reliability prediction techniques, inconsistencies in failure classification and data collection, and short-term management focus on cost and schedule leading to insufficient effort to improve reliability.”
The U.S. Department of Defense’s “Reliability and Maintainability Engineering Guidebook“ highlights that an effective reliability program includes activities such as failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) and reliability growth testing at both system and subsystem levels. These activities are maintained throughout design, development, production, and sustainment phases to ensure issues are identified and addressed early, thereby preventing increased costs and operational risks associated with late-stage failures.
Ultimately, investing in robust, well-planned testing strategies ensures that avionics systems perform reliably under real-world conditions, preventing costly delays, recalls, and safety incidents.
Performance’s Comprehensive Avionics Simulation Suite
Performance is a leader in avionics testing solutions, providing daily test support to major aerospace clients. With deep in-house expertise and a proven design portfolio, we develop cost-effective, customized test stations that ensure seamless integration, compliance, and reliability.
Our solutions test and validate avionics systems at every stage of development, simulating real-world conditions, injecting faults, and verifying performance to meet industry standards like DO-178C, DO-160, and DO-254. We specialize in printed circuit board (PCB) testing, signal integrity, electronic assemblies, radio frequency (RF) systems, and more, leveraging expertise in mechanical, electrical, and PCB design to create robust testing platforms.
Custom Test Stands: High-Performance Testing for Avionics Systems
Performance Software Custom Test Stand
Performance offers turnkey test stations that meet the most stringent customer and certification requirements. These fully integrated, custom-built test stands ensure avionics hardware meets all functional, environmental, stress, compliance, and certification demands, providing engineers with the tools necessary for in-depth validation and qualification.
Automated testing frameworks enhance efficiency and repeatability, while real-time data acquisition and analytics provide immediate insights for debugging and optimization. With plug-and-play configurations and modular scalability, our solutions integrate seamlessly into existing development workflows, helping meet certification deadlines and budgetary requirements while maintaining rigorous compliance standards.
Backed by a proven four-phase development process—concept definition, detailed design, manufacturing, and integration/testing—Performance delivers streamlined solutions that accelerate development cycles and improve system reliability. Our expertise in high-reliability testing for safety-critical avionics systems makes us a trusted partner for aerospace organizations that require precision, compliance, and performance at every stage of development.
The EDGE 5G-X™ Development Kit: Advancing the Next Generation of Testing
Performance Software Edge 5G-X™ Development Kit
Beyond custom test stands, Performance offers the EDGE 5G-X™ Development Kit—a cutting-edge, open-platform solution for testing and integrating advanced technologies like 5G communications and more. This robust, tabletop test kit provides developers with a hands-on environment to accelerate data analytics, onboard maintenance (OMS), data loading, ground-based communications, and other connected capabilities.
Delivering Trusted Testing Solutions for the Aerospace Industry
Performance’s array of avionics testing solutions, including the Comprehensive Avionics Simulation Suite and the EDGE 5G-X™ Development Kit, is designed to meet the evolving demands of modern aerospace development. With expertise in software, hardware, electronics, mechanical systems, and specialized areas like field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) validation, PCB testing, and compliance certification, Performance ensures that avionics systems meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance.
By leveraging decades of experience and a commitment to innovation, Performance continues to be a trusted partner in avionics testing, helping customers bring safety-critical aerospace solutions to market with confidence.
Let us put your next mission to the test. Contact us today to learn more.
