Providing a high level language to produce user-modifiable airborne software

Honeywell Air Transport Systems has developed a means for allowing airlines to customize the operation of on-board flight deck communications software for the Boeing 777. The airlines will use a high level programming language to describe the desired logic of the function on a ground-based workstation, which translates it into a set of airplane-loadable low level commands. Once loaded on the plane, this data is verified and processed to perform the user-specified flight deck operations. By providing the airlines with a programmable communications system, Honeywell provides the users with flexibility to make changes when they need them without costly on-board software changes and re-certification procedures