Safety arguments in aircraft certification

Safety cases have been used as basis for safety assurance in a number of fields such as offshore installation, railway operations, nuclear plants, and air traffic control. Despite the increased adoption of safety cases in the above-mentioned areas, there is only limited usage of safety arguments for the certification of an aircraft design. This paper will explore reasons as to why clear, comprehensive and defensible arguments are necessary in aircraft certification and discuss potential issues in relation to the introduction of safety arguments in aircraft certification.