DO-160 EMC and Environmental Testing
RTCA DO-160 is the industry recognized standard for avionics qualification. It covers EMC and the evaluation of equipment for power input variations and transients. It also tests for a wide range of environmental stresses. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)reference DO-160 as the requisite qualification for aircraft certification. Of the 25 sections listed in DO-160, nearly all are covered by services at Elite. In addition, aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, and others include DO-160 requirements, plus their additional qualification testing and here again, Elite is setup to support these OEM specific requirements. Elite regularly participates in the DO-160 development committee to provide input on the latest test methods and technology considerations.
Elite services for DO-160 testing and related aviation testing include:
- Test plans and procedures written by experienced EMC experts.
- EMC testing to Sections 15-22, and 24 for the most current DO-160G plus all legacy revisions DO-160C/D/E/F.
- DO-160 EMC, electrical, and environmental stress testing at One Location.
- Final test reports are recognized and results accepted by all major aircraft OEMs.
DO-160 Testing Facilities, Chambers, Equipment
Our DO-160 EMC testing is performed in state-of-the-art absorber lined shielded chambers (ALSE), reverberation and mode tuned/stirred chambers, as well as several specialty ground-plane test benches. The amplifiers, receivers, and other equipment used for these tests are the best in the industry and able to perform nearly all tests in Sections 15-22.
| Absorber Lined Shielded Enclosures (ALSE) | ALSE chambers configured for DO-160 EMC testing. Several chambers include expansive ground planes to position multiple LRUs and to layout harnesses and cabling for maximum exposure. |
| Mode Stirred/Tuned Enclosures | Elite’s “Reverb” chambers are used for High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) testing. |
| Radiated Susceptibility (Section 20) | ALSE (CW/SW): 200-400V/m from 10kHz to 40GHz ALSE (PM): up to 1500V/m from 1-18GHz Reverb (CW/SW): up to 1000V/m, from 100MHz-18GHz Reverb (PM): up to 4000V/m from 1-18GHz. |
| Bench Test Stations | Bench test stations are provisions for lightning tests, electrical loads testing, and various other unique procedures that don’t require a shielded chamber environments. |
| Power Systems Tests | 60kW Programmable Power Supplies for DO-160G Section 16. Voltage variations, dips, interrupts, sags, and other power supply variations. 1500VDC/60A Bi-Directional Power Supply and Load. 800VDC/100A DC supply. LISNs up to 800VDC and up to 200Amps. |
| Lightning Test Systems | Elite has multiple Thermo Scientific ECAT Lightning Test Systems. Cable Induction– RTCA DO-160F/G Waveforms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, Single & Multi-stroke up to Level 5. Ground Injection– RTCA DO-160F/G Waveforms 1, 2, 4, 5a, Single & Multi-stroke up to Level 5. Multiple Burst – Waveform 3 (level 5) and 6H (level 3) |
Elite's DO-160 Testing Capabilities
| Section | Test Description | Elite |
| 4.0 | Temperature and Altitude | ✔ |
| 5.0 | Temperature Variation | ✔ |
| 6.0 | Humidity | ✔ |
| 7.0 | Operational Shocks and Crash Safety | ✔ |
| 8.0 | Vibration | ✔ |
| 9.0 | Explosion Proofness | ✔ |
| 10.0 | Waterproofness | ✔ |
| 11.0 | Fluids Susceptibility | ✔ |
| 12.0 | Sand and Dust | ✔ Dust Only |
| 13.0 | Fungus Resistance | |
| 14.0 | Salt Spray | ✔ |
| 15.0 | Magnetic Effect | ✔ |
| 16.0 | Power Input | ✔ |
| 17.0 | Voltage Spike | ✔ |
| 18.0 | Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility | ✔ |
| 19.0 | Induced Signal Susceptibility | ✔ |
| 20.0 | Radio Frequency Susceptibility | ✔ |
| 21.0 | Radio Frequency Energy Emission | ✔ |
| 22.0 | Lightning Induced Transient Susceptibility | ✔ |
| 23.0 | Lightning Direct Effects | |
| 24.0 | Icing | ✔ |
| 25.0 | Electrostatic Discharge | ✔ |
| 26.0 | Fire, Flammability | ✔ |
ISO 17025 Accredited & Experienced
Elite is ISO 17025 accredited for RTCA DO-160 Aerospace EMC, Lightning, and Environmental Stress Testing in one location.
Elite’s staff includes iNarte Certified EMC Test Engineers to perform experienced testing with trusted results.
Contact Our RTCA DO-160 Testing Specialists
The rigorous requirements of DO-160 testing require expertise gained from experience. Elite’s industry-leading team of engineers understands the tests and how to apply them to your product.
Adam Grant
Technical Sales / Senior EMC Engineer
Mark Stojkovich
Military & Aerospace EMC Team Leader
Thomas Klouda
Vice President / Director of Engineering
How can we help you accomplish your goals?
Contact us today to discuss your commercial aircraft test requirements and how Elite can help.
