Vance Hilderman

Chief Technical Officer, AFuzion

Mr. Vance Hilderman is a 35-year avionics safety-critical engineering expert. Holding a BSEE and MBA from Gonzaga University, and a Masters in Computer Engineering from USC (Hughes Fellow), Mr. Hilderman has focused on safety-critical aviation and avionics software, safety, systems, hardware development and related technical certification solutions for his entire career. In 1990, Mr. Hilderman co-founded TekSci with Mr. Bill Hubbard which successfully became the largest independent avionics/certification software services company in the world; Mr. Hilderman developed the world’s first DO-178, DO-200, DO-278, and DO-254 training which 90% of the world’s aviation companies have procured and has performed 170+ Gap Analysis on DO-XXX and ARP4754A/4761 to eighty-plus companies onsite in thirty countries. Mr. Hilderman has consulted for 70% of the world’s largest 200 aviation development companies worldwide and his contributions are flying in most of the world’s aircraft and systems relied upon daily throughout the world. He has also developed advanced technologies and solutions for ARP4761, Real-Time Operating Systems, and Multi-Core computing per FAA/EASA CAST-32A. Governments throughout the world personally request Mr. Hilderman to provide onsite aviation certification services including auditing, gap analysis, mentoring, design, and training to their personnel in the USA, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, UK, South Korea, Spain, Israel, and Turkey.

Mr. Hilderman was the principal founder of HighRely Inc, in 2005, owning 25% of the voting rights, an aviation software/system certification company which was acquired by Atego/Artisan in 2011 with Mr. Hilderman remaining as Chief Technical Officer of Aviation/Certification Services through 2013. Mr. Hilderman also invented and developed the first certification gap analysis for DO-178, DO-278A, DO-200, ARP4754A, and DO-254, and mentored over 75 safety-critical product companies in establishing cost-effective development for avionics projects.

Technically, Mr. Hilderman is a Systems and Software/Computer engineer, and focuses upon developing system and software requirements, design, code, and tests. He also is an expert on certification strategies for both airborne and ground-based aviation (CNS/ATM) systems. Mr. Hilderman was a scientist for Hughes Aircraft where he focused upon ground-based surveillance and radar systems with airborne interfaces. Hilderman is the principal author of the world’s best selling book on avionics certification, specifically on DO-178C and DO-254 and has authored 30+ technical papers covering aviation systems and software development and certification. Professional organizations have selected him to be their sole trainer in DO-178C, DO-254, and ARP4754A including Aviation Electronics Europe, Aerospace Tech Conferences, SAE, and DASC. Hilderman trains over 2,000 engineers in DO-XXX and ARP4754A each year and is the sole trainer designed for these entities in those specified fields.

Mr. Hilderman believes his strengths are integrity, relationship building, pro-active professional leadership in motivating engineers to peak performance, all combined with continual technical innovation. Safe Skies.