Streamline the aircraft certification process – Part 3: Linking the digital and the physical
Aircraft certification requires extensive testing and validation to meet regulatory and safety standards. Traditional methods over-rely on physical prototypes, leading to delays, rising costs and inefficient verification cycles.
The problem? Testing happens too late, catching compliance issues after the design phase. Virtual and physical tests don’t sync, causing data mismatches. Manual tracking slows verification, increasing rework.
What’s the solution? A digital thread that connects simulation with real-world testing to ensure faster, more efficient compliance validation.
This blog is the final part of a three-part series on modernizing aircraft certification:
- Integrate certification with product development
- Establish a continuous, traceable chain of data
- Link the digital with the physical
This post focuses on the third key element: Syncing virtual and real-world testing for seamless verification.
Why virtual & physical testing must work together in aircraft certification
Traditional way: Siloed testing delays compliance approvals.
Physical tests are conducted late in the development cycle, leading to costly design changes and unexpected compliance issues. Virtual simulations and real-world testing operate independently, creating data mismatches and inefficiencies. Manual documentation and fragmented verification processes slow down certification, increasing rework and extending project timelines.
Modern way: A digital thread synchronizes virtual simulations with real-world test data, eliminating redundant testing and reducing risk.
A connected validation strategy helps teams validate earlier by using simulation to detect compliance risks before physical testing begins. Sync test and design data to ensure seamless verification across development phases. Use real-world data to refine models and improve simulation accuracy based on actual test results. Accelerate approvals by reducing reliance on physical testing and streamlining compliance tracking. With a digital-first approach, teams spend less time troubleshooting compliance and more time innovating.
How Siemens Xcelerator enables smart testing
Siemens Xcelerator reduces the risks associated with traditional physical testing by enabling a closed-loop process that continuously links virtual and physical validation. This approach helps teams:
- Identify compliance risks earlier by validating designs before physical testing begins
- Ensure full traceability throughout the development process to maintain data integrity
- Automate compliance tracking to reduce reliance on manual processes and streamline verification
- Minimize late-stage surprises that lead to costly redesigns and extended certification timelines
- Accelerate certification approvals by optimizing both time and resources
Future-proofing aircraft certification
By linking digital and physical testing, aerospace companies can reduce risk, speed up verification and achieve certification faster.
This concludes our three-part series on modernizing the aircraft certification process. Want to learn more? Explore more resources including case studies and FAQs here. Missed part 1 or part 2? You can catch up here:
