- DAL
- Design Assurance Level, a safety criticality rating from level A-E, with level A/B being the most critical and requiring the most stringent DO-254/DO178B process
- Level A: Where a software/hardware failure would cause and or contribute to a catastrophic failure of the aircraft flight control systems.
- Level B: Where a software/hardware failure would cause and or contribute to a hazardous/severe failure condition in the flight control systems.
- Level C: Where a software/hardware failure would cause and or contribute to a major failure condition in the flight control systems.
- Level D: Where a software/hardware failure would cause and or contribute to a minor failure condition in the flight controls systems.
- Level E: Where a software/hardware failure would have no adverse effect on the aircraft or on pilot workload.
- DER
- Designated Engineering Representative, an individual, appointed by the FAA to approve or recommend approval of technical data to the FAA. These individuals can work for a specific company (such as Boeing) or be independent consultants and serve as DERs to many other companies.
- DO
- Document, from RTCA
- DO-178B
- Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification, an aviation industry standard since 1992. A DO-178C standard is imminent.
- DO-254
- Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware, put into effect on FPGA/ASIC designs via AC 20-152 in 2005
- DO-297
- Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) Development Guidance and Certification Considerations
- EASA
- European Aviation Safety Agency, EU counterpart of FAA, pronounced "ee ah sa"
- ED-12
- EU equivalent of DO-178B
- ED-80
- EU equivalent of RTCA/DO-254
- EUROCAE
- European Organization for Civil Aviation Equipment, equivalent of RTCA in the US, pronounced "Euro Kay"
- FAA
- Federal Aviation Administration, the US authority governing aviation
- FAR
- Federal Aviation Regulation, a set of requirements (US) that determines airworthiness of an aircraft. For example, large aircraft are subject to FAR 25 certification. See also JAR.