The ARINC825 Standard

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  • The ARINC825 Standard – ARINC Specification 825: General Standardization of CAN (Controller Area Network) Bus Protocol for Airbome Use, was prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) and published by ARINC in 2007. ARINC has since published subsequent revisions. Users are encouraged to check with ARINC as to the status of this standard.
  • ARINC Specification 825 defines a communication standard for airborne systems using CAN, which is viewed as an important data transfer medium for current and future aircraft. 
  • Airbus and Boeing were instrumental in the development of this standard.  The supplier community also participated in industry meetings that were organized by ARINC and open to the public.
  • The use of ARINC Specification 825 is voluntary in nature. Current production aircraft have used CAN as an ancillary subsystem bus to ARINC 664, Part 7, (Deterministic Ethernet). ln some aircraft, CAN buses have been used to link sensors, actuators and other types of avionics devices that typically require low to medium data transmission volumes during operation. ln this role, CAN complements higher capacity data networks to support systems that control other systems; for example, flight deck information flow and display.
  • General Aviation aircraft system architectures may employ CAN as one of the major avionics buses or even as the avionics backbone network. ln this role CAN may fulfill the requirements of a flight safety critical network. ARINC Specification 825 defines the CAN bus in a way that embraces both philosophies. However, in all cases, users are required to follow applicable regulatory documents published by the FAA, EASA and/or other regulatory bodies.
  • ARINC Specification 825 is being considered in the definition of related aircraft interfaces, for example, ARINC Specification 826 (software dataload) and ARINC Specification 812A (Galley lnsert Communication). Copies of ARINC Standards may be obtained from https://www.arinc.com/cf/store/.  
  • More information may be obtained from ARINC: www.aviation-ia.com/aeec.
  • ARINC825 is documented on Wikipedia in English and German.
  • The CAN Aviation Alliance, consisting of Innovative Control Systems, LP. , Stock Flight Systems and Wetzel Technology have turned the original hardware/software system which was used to ensure the consistency and integrity of the ARINC specification 825 during the standardization process, into a set of products suitable for ARINC825 system designers, equipment vendors, aircraft OEMs and airlines.