RTCA DO-186

RTCA DO-186
Title	RTCA DO-186
Status	Published
Org	RTCA
First published	1997
Domain	Aviation avionics safety

RTCA DO-186 is a technical standard published by RTCA, Inc. addressing airborne equipment standards for navigation and surveillance systems. It provides guidance for manufacturers, certification authorities, and operators involved with avionics devices used in air traffic control environments, aiming to harmonize requirements across regulatory bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The standard interfaces with other norms from organizations like EUROCAE, ICAO, and SAE International.

Overview

DO-186 specifies performance and installation requirements for certain classes of airborne surveillance and datalink equipment used in civil aviation operations involving authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and agencies participating in International Civil Aviation Organization policymaking. It complements documents from EUROCAE Working Group 73, ICAO Annex 10, and SAE G-10 groups by detailing system-level considerations for interoperability with ground systems managed by entities like National Air Traffic Services and Nav Canada.

Scope and Purpose

The scope covers system performance, testing, and operational interfaces for avionics components that interact with air traffic infrastructure overseen by bodies including the Department of Transportation (United States), Transport Canada, and national civil aviation authorities such as the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). Its purpose is to ensure equipment interoperability with surveillance networks operated by organizations like FAA Terminal Automation Modernization and Replacement Project, EUROCONTROL, and regional providers such as Airservices Australia.

Technical Specifications

Technical content addresses signal processing, software design assurance, and electromagnetic compatibility with standards from DO-178B/C and DO-254 for avionics software and hardware assurance. It references radio-frequency parameters found in ICAO Annex 10, timing and synchronization practices used by systems like Global Positioning System receivers and GLONASS modules, and data-link formats compatible with protocols from ARINC family specifications. Test methods draw on environmental standards published by RTCA DO-160 and hardware assurance practices promoted by SAE AS9100.

Certification and Compliance

Certification guidance aligns with procedures employed by Federal Aviation Administration certification offices, European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification programs, and standards enforcement by agencies such as Transport Canada Civil Aviation. Compliance assessment uses processes comparable to DO-178C level determinations and hardware assurance matrixing akin to DO-254, coordinated with certifying authorities including Joint Aviation Authorities legacy frameworks and modern ICAO audit mechanisms.

Implementation and Use Cases

Typical implementations appear in airborne transponders, surveillance receivers, and datalink terminals integrated into platforms manufactured by suppliers like Honeywell International Inc., Collins Aerospace, Thales Group, and Garmin. Use cases include terminal-area operations overseen by facilities like Terminal Radar Approach Control centers, oceanic surveillance coordination through International Civil Aviation Organization procedures, and surface movement surveillance managed by airport operators such as Heathrow Airport Holdings and Los Angeles World Airports.

History and Revisions

The document originated in the late 1990s amid harmonization efforts involving RTCA, Inc. and EUROCAE committees responding to advances in surveillance technology pioneered during projects like NextGen and SESAR. Revisions and maintenance have involved stakeholders from Federal Aviation Administration, European Commission, and industry consortia including Aerospace Industries Association and Airlines for America. Iterations referenced evolving guidance from ICAO, updates in DO-160 environmental procedures, and software assurance changes introduced in DO-178C.

Related Standards and Interoperability

Interoperability is maintained through cross-references with DO-178C, DO-254, DO-160, ICAO Annex 10, and EUROCAE ED-12 outputs. Coordination with systems using Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast protocols, Traffic Collision Avoidance System integrations, and aeronautical data exchange standards like those from ARINC ensures operational compatibility across platforms certified by authorities such as the Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Category:Aviation standards