must meet requirements in the applicable Technical Standards Order (TSO). To meet those requirements the design documents are examined for compliance with the applicable Minimum Operating Performance Standards (MOPS) applicable to that sub-assembly. MOPS are published by expert industry groups such as: RTCA Inc., EUROCAE, and SAE.

When aircraft are produced to meet a given TC, each one need not be tested as rigorously but the confidence demonstrated by the TC is conferred, when the aircraft has been assigned a certificate of airworthiness