Highlights from the 2016 RMC Aerospace Auditors Conference

Every year the Registration Management Committee of the American Aerospace Quality Group holds a workshop to update aerospace auditors of the latest decisions and best practices. The focus of this year’s workshop held July 21 and 22 in Ft Worth, TX was on the revisions to AS9100 and other changes to related aerospace quality management system standards.

Here are the significant take-aways we got from the workshop:

• AS9100D to be released on Sept 20, 2016 – we were assured that this is a firm date.
• AS9110 (the aviation maintenance organizations quality management system standard) to be released Nov, 2016.
• AS9101F (the standard that governs aerospace audits) to be released Nov 20, 2016 – the changes are primarily to forms, no changes to auditing requirements.
• Mandated aerospace auditor transition training for 9100 & 9101 to be available Nov 30, 2016 and will consist of a 9 hour on-line training and test.
• Supplemental Rule (SR003) to be published by Dec 2016 although AAQG hopes to issue it earlier, in September.  Should not be changed from current draft.  This document gives the requirements that governs the accreditation bodies’ timelines/rules for the transitions.
• No audits to AS9100C are to be performed after June 15, 2017. All audits that after that date must be to AS9100D.
• All AS9100C certificates will expire on Sept 15, 2018. Transition certificates to AS9100D will be good for three years of issue.
• OASIS Next Gen release to be Dec 3, 2016 with all functions available by April 22, 2017.  This is the database that lists all AS9100 series registered companies, all qualified accreditation bodies and all qualified aerospace auditors as well as other information related to AS registrations.  AS registered companies pay a $500 fee to be listed — it is a mandatory part of registration.

So what should AS9100 registered companies do now?  In the words of one of the presenters:

“The train has left the station, so organizations need to start their transition NOW!”

Even though AS9100D draft is not available, companies should purchase ISO 9001:2015 which contains 80% of the new requirements.  AS9100 specific add-ons are explained in several presentations available on the AAQG website.  A link to the one presented at the workshop is provided below. Note: ISO 9000:2015 should also be purchased as it contains all of the vocabulary and principles for ISO 9001.  They can be purchased through ASQ.org or ANSI.org.

Look forward to our future blog posts that will cover these topics:

• Human factors to consider when addressing non conformances and corrective actions, a new requirements of AS9100D.
• Addressing the counterfeit product requirements of AS9100D, including flow downs of those requirements to suppliers and reporting if counterfeit products are detected.
• New requirements in AS9100D for control of external providers (formerly known as suppliers). Note: a new AS standard is expected to be flowed down to suppliers, AS9145 on APQP/PPAP is in draft but no date is set yet for release.  These requirements should be familiar to those who have worked in automotive industry quality management system

Presentations from the workshop are available now on the AAQG website: http://www.sae.org/aaqg/audit_information/workshops.htm

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About the authors:  Tristan Buser-Molatore and Marcia Buser are preferred providers for OMEP specializing in implementing and auditing quality management systems for ISO 9001, AS9100 and ISO 13485.