DO-254 Configuration Management (avionics/do254/configuration-management)
Use when the task is DO-254 configuration management for airborne
electronic hardware: classifying a hardware change, deciding the
ECR/ECO path, and maintaining the hardware configuration index.
The logic handles nominal categories and identifiers only, so no
physical quantities and no unit conversions apply.
Domain quick reference
- DO-254 hardware configuration management keeps baselines of
hardware lifecycle data and controls changes through engineering
change requests and orders (ECR/ECO).
- The hardware configuration index (HCI) identifies each item, its
revision, and the baseline it belongs to.
- A change class (1 or 2) sets the depth of control: class 1
requires a formal ECR/ECO, a baseline update, and reverification.
- Class 1 applies when form, fit, or function changes, when any
safety effect is present, or when the item is complex AEH.
- Class 2 changes are documented and reviewed, but do not force
reverification or independent review.
- Complex hardware changes are reviewed independently of the design
activity that proposed them.
- DO-254 is accepted via FAA AC 20-152A.
Workflow
- Collect the change attributes: hardware class, safety effect,
and whether form, fit, or function changes.
- Classify with change_class to get the change class and its
rationale.
- Map the class with cm_actions to the CM actions: baseline
update, ECR/ECO, reverification, independent review.
- Record the item in the HCI with hci_entry (item, revision,
baseline).
- Attach every ECR/ECO and its disposition to the baseline.
Pitfalls
- Treating a simple item's change as class 2 when a safety effect
exists; safety effect alone forces class 1.
- Skipping reverification on a class 1 change.
- Reviewing a complex hardware change with the same people who
proposed it, which breaks independence.
- Recording an HCI entry without the baseline identifier.
Behavior contract (gate 3)
The change classification, CM action mapping, and HCI formatting
logic is exercised by the gate 3 contract test:
scripts/test_config_mgmt_logic.py against
scripts/config_mgmt_logic.py (stdlib unittest, offline). Run:
python3 scripts/test_config_mgmt_logic.py
Compliance
- Standards referenced, not reproduced: DO-254 text is proprietary
(RTCA/EUROCAE); summary-only per standards-map.yaml.
- compliance: STANDARDS-REF, gated: false.
1---2name: configuration-management3description: Use when you must determine the DO-254 configuration management action for a hardware change: classify the change class, decide whether a formal engineering change order (ECR/ECO) with reverification applies, and produce the hardware configuration index (HCI) entry against the current baseline. A change to form, fit, or function, any safety effect, or complex hardware is class 1 with baseline update, reverification, and independent review; otherwise class 2 uses documented but lighter review. Trigger: do 254 hardware configuration, change class, engineering change order, ecr, eco, configuration baseline, hardware configuration index, hci.4license: Apache-2.05---67# DO-254 Configuration Management (avionics/do254/configuration-management)89Use when the task is DO-254 configuration management for airborne10electronic hardware: classifying a hardware change, deciding the11ECR/ECO path, and maintaining the hardware configuration index.12The logic handles nominal categories and identifiers only, so no13physical quantities and no unit conversions apply.1415## Domain quick reference1617- DO-254 hardware configuration management keeps baselines of18 hardware lifecycle data and controls changes through engineering19 change requests and orders (ECR/ECO).20- The hardware configuration index (HCI) identifies each item, its21 revision, and the baseline it belongs to.22- A change class (1 or 2) sets the depth of control: class 123 requires a formal ECR/ECO, a baseline update, and reverification.24- Class 1 applies when form, fit, or function changes, when any25 safety effect is present, or when the item is complex AEH.26- Class 2 changes are documented and reviewed, but do not force27 reverification or independent review.28- Complex hardware changes are reviewed independently of the design29 activity that proposed them.30- DO-254 is accepted via FAA AC 20-152A.3132## Workflow33341. Collect the change attributes: hardware class, safety effect,35 and whether form, fit, or function changes.362. Classify with change_class to get the change class and its37 rationale.383. Map the class with cm_actions to the CM actions: baseline39 update, ECR/ECO, reverification, independent review.404. Record the item in the HCI with hci_entry (item, revision,41 baseline).425. Attach every ECR/ECO and its disposition to the baseline.4344## Pitfalls4546- Treating a simple item's change as class 2 when a safety effect47 exists; safety effect alone forces class 1.48- Skipping reverification on a class 1 change.49- Reviewing a complex hardware change with the same people who50 proposed it, which breaks independence.51- Recording an HCI entry without the baseline identifier.5253## Behavior contract (gate 3)5455The change classification, CM action mapping, and HCI formatting56logic is exercised by the gate 3 contract test:57scripts/test_config_mgmt_logic.py against58scripts/config_mgmt_logic.py (stdlib unittest, offline). Run:59python3 scripts/test_config_mgmt_logic.py6061## Compliance6263- Standards referenced, not reproduced: DO-254 text is proprietary64 (RTCA/EUROCAE); summary-only per standards-map.yaml.65- compliance: STANDARDS-REF, gated: false.
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