Direj V Patel, M.Sc.
** *********** *****, ******, *******, Canada K2G 6N3, Tel: 613/825
5903(H); mobile 613/890 5803; ***************@*****.***
Objective Design Assurance based System Development and Integration
management
Over 15+ years in Design Assurance based development and integration
of hardware and software in Aerospace/Avionics (Fixed-wing aircrafts.
Helicopters, Satellite Systems), and Armoured Vehicles. In-depth
experience in:
- Hardware and Software Acceptance, Certification, Qualification,
Quality assurance, Configuration Management, Functional Performance,
Airworthiness and Safety;
- European Space Agency Advanced Research Technology and MIPAS satellite
systems;
- Compliance of Avionics Equipment, Software, hardware and Complex
Electronic Hardware to FAR/EASA/TCA/CAR Regulatory requirements for
Airworthiness Certification of Civilian and Military aircrafts
-Bombardier Challenger 604, CRJ 700, CRJ 900 fixed wing aircrafts;
Bell 412 CH146, Sikorsky S92/H92 CH148 helicopters, including Mission
and Flight Control systems; Fly-by-Wire (FBW) EFCS AFCS/PFCS Flight
Control, EGI Navigation, Communication, Flight management. Integrated
mission systems, Rotor and Bladefold systems, EICAS,
Advisories/Caution/Warning system, Nose-wheel landing gear,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Simulator, Ground and Flight Testing,
Mission and Flight planning, Electrical, EOIR, RadarIFFI, Hydraulics,
Sensors Actuators and Display systems, RadAlt, EGI GPS, Stall
computer, Flaps and Spoiler electronics, Landing system, Nose-Wheel
Steering systems, Windshield Heater system, CVR/FDR Recording, Fire
protection, Utility power, Health/Usage Monitoring IVMHS systems
- TAPV Tactical Armoured Vehicles: Software Supportability and Logistics
Support Analysis
- Integrated Modular Avionics DO297 architecture for incremental
acceptance and certification credits for Software application
software, modules, and platforms; for aircraft integration;
- RTCA/DO-178A, DO-178B, IMA DO-297, DO-254, ARP 4754A, ARP 4761, FAR
25, FAR 27, FAR 29, FAA Order 8110.49, DoD 2167, DO-160, TSOs, MSOs,
MIL-STD-217,MIL-STD-498,J-STD-016, Mil-Std-55110, MIL-HDBK-454,
AQAP110 etc; applicable Specification, Guidance and issue Papers, CAST
papers;
- System Safety Case Analysis, System Safety Analysis: Common Mode
analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, FTA FMEA, Functional Hazard Analysis,
MMEL Master Minimum Equipment for aircraft dispatchability,
- System Availability, Integrity, Resource management, Safety, Fault
Management and Health Monitoring; of platforms and hosted
applications; Robustness and endurance testing, Reliability and
Maintainability
- Vendor and Supplier OEM Management. Planning/Development/Verification
Lifecycle process Audits, First article acceptance, Source and
Conformity Reviews, product and process artefact reviews;
- Desk-top and Off-site surveys, and Design Reviews of vendor design,
Testing, V&V artefacts;
- System Integration Laboratory testing, Aircraft ground/flt, module.
Platform testing,
- Liaison with Regulatory authorities; Transport Canada, FAA, EASA,
Supplier DERs
- Requirement analysis, design changes, change impact and reusability
analysis
- System y, System Safety analysis,
- Product and Project Management: in multi-project environment, WBS,
Scope, Cost, Schedule
- Results driven proactive self-starter, guiding civilian and military
engineering teams
Canadian Citizen, Security Clearances: Secret level II: Canadian Controlled
Goods Program, NATO; and ITAR security
Relevant Experience & Notable Accomplishments
Feb 2014 to October 2014 (left to have total knee surgeries, full recovery
now completed) Available Jan 2015
Senior Avionics System Airworthiness and Safety Specialist
General Dynamics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Airworthiness, functional, performance and design assurance of hardware and
software in Marine Helicopters.
Accomplishments:
. System Type Certification Plans to meet certification requirements for
the various systems; ensured concurrence with stakeholders; Type
Certification Reports demonstrating compliance to Basis of
Certification (BoC); applicable FAR/CAR/EASA 29, AMC 29-2 regulation
requirements; Identified and resolved design vulnerabilities, improved
safety and achieved certification objectives for aircraft integration;
. Compliance to Safety, Performance, Functional, Operational, Integrity
and Availability requirements of various systems including Mission
Data Management System, Mission data Computer, Flight Management
Control Display Unit, EOIR, IFFT, Counter Measures, RadarIFFI, ASCD
etc.;
. Audit, Review vendor life cycle artefacts (requirements, design,
coding, Verification data),
. System safety Analysis, Functional Hazard Analysis, Design Assurance,
Certification Maintenance Requirements,, Aircraft operating
Instructions, safety and airworthiness requirements to airborne
RTCA/DO178B/254/; and non-airborne but safety critical systems to DO-
200A /278 requirements;
. Allocation of system resources, hosted function to system
architecture, appropriate design assurance, fault management for
safety and protection of aircraft and aircrew;
. Used Microsoft Project, Excel. Access, DOORS and Clear Quest database
for project management;
. Close liaison with Certification authorities, and the in-house and
Vendor system engineering project teams. Provided support and guidance
to engineering personnel to achieve design assurance objectives.
11/2013 to Feb 2014 Senior Reliability, Maintainability and Safety Engineer
Bombardier Aerospace, Toronto, Canada
Achievements: Q400 Twin engine ETOPS design Reliability for extended
flight operational range
. System Safety Analysis on the Q400 subsystems (Landing Gear systems,
Brake Monitoring, Avionics Cooling, Take-off warning systems, Stall
Protection, Navigation, MFD, FMCDU, Avionics Display system, Take-off
Warning system, SmartMultiFuncDisplay SMD68; Flight Control Systems,
Communication systems etc.) of Legacy (existing) twin engine
aircraft; and evaluating the design changes required to comply with
Design Reliability improvements required for Extended Operations; and
Diversions (ETOPS); identified and resolved design and operational
vulnerabilities, changes required to achieve extended flight time
objectives;
. FMECA, FHA, Common Cause, Fault Tree analysis for ETOPS requirements
for extension of non-stop mission time from 1 hour to the extended 4.5
hours, and 120 minutes of diversions - identified vulnerabilities in
design to preclude in-flight shut down and Diversions; Assessed
reliability growth data, and impact on continued safety for extended
flight hours;
. Minimum System and Equipment list required for continued safe flight;
maintenance and fault tolerance;
. Updated subsystem legacy FTAs based on Risk Spectrum to CAFTA v.6.0;
. Compliance to FAA; Transport Canada TCCA, and EASA requirements,
including compliance ETOPS requirements specified in to FAR 25
Appendix K, FAR25.3, TP6327E, 14CFR part 121, 25.1309, AC 120-42B,
CS 25.1309; for Extended Range of Operation for 2 engine ETOPS
Certification and Operation;
. Review of engineering drawings, wiring diagrams and schematics; and
life cycle artefacts;
. Identification of risks of potential loss of/erroneous detection,
design weaknesses, loss of CAW annunciation, degradation of
performance and impact of degraded operation on aircraft safety.
2/2002-10/2013 Senior Avionics Software and Systems Engineer,
Department of National Defence, Canadian Air Force Engineering,
Ottawa, Canada
Achievements: Bell CH146, Sikorsky CH 148, TAPV armoured patrol vehicle
. Hardware and software certification of various subsystems including
MAGR Navigation, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, SINCGARS communication,
Laser/Missile Aircraft protection, Laser marking & ranging and Flight
Management systems; Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System (FBW/FCS) Flight
control, Communication, Navigation, Monitoring, and Aircraft
management Avionics such as Avionics Management System, Mission
Planning and Data Management, Precise positioning SAASM embedded
Global positioning System and H-764 Advanced Configurable 24 channel
GPS, Integrated Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Flight Control AFCS,
PFCS, RVMS, Flight Director, Air Data Computer, IFF, Advanced Warning
Generator, Data Concentrator, Multifunctional Display EICAS, Flight
Management Control Display, Cockpit voice and Flight data recorder,
Emergency Locator, Electro-optics FLIR, MAWS, CMDS, Utility,
Intercommunication, Integrated Aircraft Health and Usage monitoring,
and Secondary Flight display recorders, Fault monitoring, IVHMS health
management, Senor data collection, Integrated Sensor System, And TAPV
Tactical Armoured Vehicle Control systems'
. Software and hardware compliance planning and determination of means
of compliance with Suppliers and Vendors, and identified
Vendor/Supplier compliance requirements throughout the lifecycle at
various stage covering planning, development, verification, quality
assurance, configuration management for acceptance, qualification and
certification;;
. Led FAA specified audits (SOI 1 to 4) verifying Supplier OEM
conformance to DO178B, DO254 and DO 297; FARs 27-1309, 29-1309,
ARP4754A, ARP 4761 objectives; TSO, MSO requirements - ensuring
subsystems complied with applicable regulations and airworthiness;
verification and validation of aircraft level requirements and their
allocation to the subsystems; Traceability and Coverage from aircraft
to test results;
. Verification of Proper vendor implementation of development plans and
standards, quality assurance, configuration control, integration,
verification, and certification activities;
. Compliance of Vendor development processes with DO178B and DO-254,
regulatory supplemental documents at required levels to meet safety
requirements. Included Common Cause Analysis (CMA, Particular and
Zonal risks) and failure analysis; Characterization of top level
failure events, acceptable failure rates, reliability requirements
. OEM SOI findings, vendor surveillance findings, reports on audits and
inspections, quality and configuration management, and adherences
policies/plans/procedures, and issues;
. Reviewed Supplier reliability lifecycle activities from conceptual
phase to acceptance testing, analysed screening and burn-in tests;
monitored and documented reliability growth throughout the lifecycle;
. Validation and verification of Supplier data on components, software,
complex electronic hardware, system/ design, quality and product/
environmental configuration control, tool qualification, change
requests, problem reports, and product Environment/E3 Test results;
. System safety assessments, Functional Hazard Assessment, hazard
mitigation, verified development errors had been identified, and
corrected to satisfy certification basis and its requirements.
Aircraft safety and security requirements allocated to subsystems
satisfied by system design, compliance with design assurance, hardware
design assurance and software levels, and intended level of aircraft
availability and integrity requirements;
. Robust partitioning, resource management and other protection and
safety features
. Environmental qualification testing to specified environmental
conditions;
. Partitioning analysis, verification of protection capabilities and
safety features during aircraft level integration; Fault management,
health monitoring; hierarchy for information reported to flight deck
and maintenance;
. Acceptance reports for certification authority approval; including
plans, requirements and evidence of compliance; end to end pilot in
the loop SIL, flight simulator, ground and flight test reports; and
test of FBW handling qualities; Flight Control SIL for design
validation and formal qualification testing;
. Integration and validation of pilot-vehicle interface, system level
functionality, avionics/electrical/ hydraulic integration and
validation, Hw/Sw I/O, Warning/caution annunciation etc;
. Developed basis for acceptance and Verified Compliance to availability
requirements, design assurance, safety features, fault detection,
design assurance, reliability and maintainability requirements,
control of shared and dedicated resources, allocation of aircraft
functions to system architecture, prevention of unintended
interactions, redundancy, dissimilar design, fault tolerance, health
monitoring; timing and scheduling strategies;
. Ensured systems acceptable for intended use and function. Addressed
safety related requirements allocated in system safety assessments,
partitioning ad protection strategies;
. Demonstrated how objectives of each lifecycle process from
requirements to design, implementation and verification were
satisfied, Reviewed/approve verification and validation data
compliance with requirements specifications, and acceptance criteria;
. Reviewed range of lifecycle data including Plan for Software/hardware
Aspects of Certification, System reqts specification,
software/hardware reqts spec, Development Plan and process, Software,
Design document, Module/platform/system acceptance
plans/requirements/ supporting compliance data; Test Plan/Description,
Performance Verification Test Procedure, Low Level Test Procedure,
Test Reports and Results, Performance Verification Test Reports, Low
Level Test Report, Software Verification Report, Sw Quality
Assurance, Source to Object Traceability Analysis, Sw Configuration
mgmt, Accomplishment Summaries, Source Control documents, Interface
Control Documents, Configuration Index, Version Descriptions, Tool
Qualification, Problem reports, Change requests, Impact analysis for
design, DAL and requirements changes, Issue papers; for compliance to
DO178B, DO297 and DO254 objectives;
. Tool qualification for development and verification;
. Modules and application software compliance with safety requirements,
intended criticality, failures, malfunctions, fault probabilities,
software and hardware design assurance levels, ACWS advisories and
cautions for crews; maintenance checks, installation limitations,
independence/isolation requirements and interface requirements;
. Provided guidelines to Vendors and suppliers that the Supplier OEM has
to meet according to newness, modification, COTS and previously
developed configurations: developed Control plans on applicability of
various DO178B/254 objectives, development standards, policies and
procedures, safety requirements, maintenance, health monitoring and
fault management/tolerance requirements, safety level definition,
means to prevent or limit erroneous feature, details of requirement
and criteria for the various lifecycle processes,
. Developed Standards and procedures manual to be followed by the
Vendors/suppliers; Developed qualification test requirements,
Developed Software/hardware requirement and verification process for
the various systems to show complainer to Do178B/254/4754 etc.
requirements;
. Guidance to OEM Suppliers/vendors that reduced product design cycles,
and development costs;
. Updating Basis of Certification (BoC) account for changes in FHA, Type
Design process, statement of operating Intent, provided status on the
certification activities;
. Resolution of Safety, Performance, Integration and development issues
resulting from integration of new capabilities, changes in
requirements & effects on safety and operation;
. Logistics Support for CH146 and TAPV. Analysed fault tolerance, and
fault management strategies implemented to achieve scheduled
maintenance with differed maintenance modes of operation; and verified
relevant configuration control strategies; Supportability, Endurance
and Reliability testing;
. Technical investigation and engineering analysis. Adequacy of
critical features such as Continuity of Functions, Protection of
blended solutions, Robustness of partitions, and High integrity fault
management. Monitored Supplier activities during redesign,
integration and test phases;
. Project management: Provided progress status, identified issues, risks
to scope, schedule and cost objectives. Prepared Work breakdown
structure, and PERT analysis; biweekly telecoms and audits;
. RTCA participated with RTCA in development of RTCA/DO-297 Integrated
Modular Avionics Guidance and Certification guide (ref. RTCA/DO-297,
p.90); and to the development of RTCA/DO178C certification guide;
provided inputs to model based development and certification tasks;
4/01- 12/01 Technical Leader
DY4 Systems, Kanata,
Achievements: COTS engineering and Avionics RTCA software development,
SVME179/180
. Vendor management for Commercial off the Shelf components, overcoming
obsolescence; coordinated component testing at supplier sites;
. Initiated RTCA/DO-178B and D0-254 compliant software and hardware
development processes for Single Board computer SVME179/180.
. Liaison with OEM Vendor, suppliers, customers and in-house groups
3/97- 4/01 Senior Engineering Aircraft System Specialist, Software
Certification, and Product Development
Bombardier Aerospace, Montreal, Canada
Achievements: Challenger 601, 604, CRJ 700, CRJ 900
. Reliability, Safety, Availability, Maintainability, Supportability
analysis, Failure modes effects and criticality analysis, system
safety analysis, development and assessment of Fault Tree analysis,
Common Cause and functional hazard analyses of aircraft hardware and
software systems and equipment in Challenger 600/601/604s, CRJ 700 and
900, and BD100 aircrafts (MilHdbk217) compliance to FAR25.1309
requirement for various aircraft systems including Stall Protection
Computer, Take-off Warning system, Flap and spoiler electronic control
systems and Actuators, Nose wheel steering, Horizontal Stabilizer, and
Wind shield heater
. Certification Maintenance Requirements
. PSSA, SSA, reliability requirements, and assurance level allocation
for system hardware and software, clarification of FHA assumptions,
fault tolerance, fail safe design features and reversion capabilities;
. Suppliers' software and hardware life cycle artefacts review and
approval of Suppliers' artefacts including System safety and Hazard
analysis. Prepared and reviewed hardware and software requirements,
design, coding, integration and test artefacts (PSAC, SDP, HDD, SDD,
SQTD, SQTP, SysRD, SwRD, SCM, SQA, HRD, SwRD, SRD and SDD, SCI, SAS.),
Software Metrics Reports, and verified compliance with safety, and
certification requirements compliance to DO254 and DO178 A and 178B
requirements;
. Implemented software certification strategy, and basis of products,
compliance planning and verification of activities with certification
basis;
. Implemented qualification and certification processes, providing
leadership on airworthiness and promoted adherence in the supplier/in-
house system engineering community,
. Assessed compliance to Certification basis including development
assurance processes;
. Proper documentation of technical data for certification credits,
including compliance data, airworthiness regulations, DO178B and DO-
254;
. Off-site surveys, installation evaluation, ground and flight testing,
installation support;
. System Safety Assessment, safety hazard, safety and protection
features, common cause analysis, failure modes, component failure
modes, and partitioning analysis;
. Technical investigation and engineering analysis of systems based on
field reports, resolved feasibility and risk issues with pusher
hysteresis, actuators, sensors and displays; and items from Field
report and FRACAS; examined and resolve degradation in performance and
detection time etc.
. Supported vendor certification activities with Regulatory authorities;
. System Integration verification and validation of test cases and
procedures, test environment, coverage analysis and traceability
analysis. Verified correlation between requirements, design,
implementation and verification data and special installation
information including load procedures, separation and isolation
provisions, EMI/HIRF, indirect lightning shielding requirements etc.
. Ensured new modules and platforms continued to safely perform intended
functions without adversely affecting existing systems; on and off
aircraft V&V testing; towards overall aircraft certification;
demonstrated each aircraft function, compliance to safety objectives
and regulations; using ground and flight testing; verification of
interactions, interfaces and connection between modules;
. Verified proper interactions between software and AEH applications,
robustness testing, impact on performance of individual applications,
satisfaction of safety, health monitoring, fault management,
partitioning and protection requirements;
. Evaluated impact of specific anomalies, loss of or erroneous
functions, malfunctions, addressing effectiveness of backup and
mitigation means; reusability of previously developed/certified
software;
. Evaluation of problem reports, corrections and impact analysis on
safety, function and performance;
. Resolution of potential failure conditions, parametric exceedances,
Functional and operational requirements under each mode of operation
(Taxi, take off, cruise, landing), take off warning systems;
. Updated MMEL Minimum Equipment List for Challenger and CRJ aircrafts
based on system assessments.
3/95- 3/97: Project Engineer
Litton Systems, Toronto, Canada
Achievements: Inertial Navigation System, Technology Transfer
. Successful technology transfer of INS product design, manufacturing
and component technology from General Motors in Milwaukee, USA. To
Litton Assessed Product architecture, Redesign requirements due to
technology obsolescence, Components engineering, and developed
training requirements;
. Worked 6 months with engineers at GM's Milwaukee USA plant on product
design, and Component Engineering and Reliability aspects.
2/93- 3/95 Senior Member of Technical Staff for Satellite Subsystem
COM DEV, Cambridge, Canada
Achievements: ARTEMIS, MIPAS satellites for European Space Agency, Rome,
Italy
. Design, development and qualification of the ARTEMIS and, MIPAS
satellite subsystems for Alenia Spazio. Achieved compliance to
stringent ESA reliability specifications, product assurance and
quality requirements, and software compliance to RTCA/DO-178B
requirements,
. Managed Components, PCB, Microwave circuit cards and assembly
qualification. Conducted Vendor qualification, management and audit;
product V&V, Environmental and Mechanical testing per IPC and RTCA/DO-
160;
. Presented reports on risks mitigated in design, manufacture, and
reliability to ESA Alenia Spazio; system reqt traceability, and
performance as specified at readiness and delivery;
. Managed preparation and checking of documents prior to release to
customer;
. Provided status reports and summary of accomplishments and compliance
activities;
. Reviewed vendor and in-house engineering drawings, schematics and
wiring diagrams.
.
Education
University of London (UK) B. Sc. Hons
Aspen University (USA) M. Sc. (Grade Point Average 3.97/4)
Professional Development
? MBA: Finance, Personnel Management, Organization Behaviour,
Managerial Accounting, and Intl Marketing
? FAA Functions and Requirements for Airworthiness certification, JAA
JAR145
? Reliability and 1309 Design Analysis for Aircraft Systems
? Technical Airworthiness Accreditation and Design Approval Courses for
Avionics for CRJ aircrafts
? Software Intensive Course in Software engg, Software Testing and
Quality Assurance Techniques, Practical Software Testing Methods
? DOORS Dynamic Object Orientated Requirements System, Primavera
? Human Factors and Modelling & Simulation
? VAPS 6.4/AT Rapid HMI prototyping and design
? Aircraft Certification Courses
? Maintenance Steering Group MSG-3
? DND Technical/Operational Airworthiness Management
? PFPS FalconView Electronic Map based Flight Planning System
? System Software Analysis
? DND Technical and Operational Airworthiness Management
? CAFTA/Relex Fault Tree Analysis Reliability Software; FMEA & Hazard
Analysis Course
? Software Project Management
? ARINC 429/ MIL-STD-1553B
? Integrated Logistics Support Analysis
? Six Sigma / Air Force 9000+
? Goal Structuring Notation
? LSAR Logistics Engineering, Software Support Analysis,
? Information Technology Projects Management, Integrated Information
Environment, IETM
? Microsoft Suite Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, MS Project; Outlook,
Visio, AutoCAD, FMECA Relex/CAFTA, UML, prototype building APB, VAPS
Application prototyping, DOORS, PFPS FalconView, Navitrak Moving Map
display, AF9000, Performa, RDIMS, DRIMS Information Management System