Ensure Quality Aviation Equipment

Safety and quality assurance go hand in hand in the transport sector. The aviation industry is no different. Individuals boarding planes, helicopters, and a space shuttle shouldn’t be exposed to dangers and accidents.Ensure Quality Aviation Equipment. A worker repairing a plane hull.

As such, there should be various quality assurance and control measures in place spanning across all stages. Authorities must regulate the aviation sector, including crucial manufacturing, maintenance, and training operations. Doing so can help improve clients’ satisfaction and enhance a carrier’s reputation.

Here are some ways to ensure quality aviation equipment:

Taking Quality Assurance And Quality Control To Heart

Quality assurance (QA) is a preventative approach to making an excellent product using specific manufacturing standards. As such, QA hopes to avoid the creation of a defective product by focusing on manufacturing processes.

On the other hand, quality control (QC) is a reactive approach that applies after product creation. It seeks to ensure that the output isn’t defective or subpar. Manufacturers are subject to First Article Inspections to ensure their products adhere to specific standards. Both QA and QC are essential in indicating safety and product excellence.

Compliance Of The Guidelines Set By Regulatory Bodies

The aviation sector has embraced technology with the use of avionics software. As such, aviation and aerospace operations should be protected from potential cyber security threats with robust protection.

As aviation software is highly critical to safety in the aerospace and aviation sectors, it must meet the standards set by regulatory bodies. Besides complying with the best practices recommendations, manufacturers must adhere to the safety regulations by getting the DO-178 B/C certifications.

On top of internal policies, aviation and aerospace manufacturers must follow guidelines set forth by the governments and private sectors. These government- and industry-recommended practices are developed by regulatory bodies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), technical working groups and advisory boards, and aerospace industry manufacturers. The Department of Defense (DoD), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) also help regulate the aerospace sector.

Creating Internal Quality Assurance Structures

An aerospace precision machining company and other manufacturers hire experienced professionals to oversee the entire QA and QC processes in the aviation sector. A quality assurance manager typically heads the department, manned by other professionals licensed by the respective civil aviation authorities in their territories.

This department’s mandate comes from the quality assurance program that every organization must possess to implement quality systems. Most internal processes have an internal monitoring program and stringent workflows that ensure internal and external safety and quality assurance policies are followed, leading to high-quality aviation equipment.

Quality assurance practices also involve monitoring critical activities such as flight operations, aircraft maintenance, and personnel training, among other core safety and quality assurance tasks. These activities are performed based on internal and industry standards and per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Establishing Quality Management System

Besides the internal monitoring program and a QA department, organizations must set up a quality management system (QMS) not only to ensure compliance but to guarantee its commitment to enhancing its processes. QMS is defined as the structure, accountabilities, processes, and resources needed to develop constant enhancements while delivering top-notch products.

Quality systems check outputs or products for flaws, which makes it partly a QC undertaking. At the same time, it also aims to suggest improvements in the processes—being that it focuses on continual upgrades. In cases of deficiencies in quality standards, QMS must allow organizations to find avenues to resolve the issue.

Performing Timely Quality Audits

Quality assurance auditors are also a fixture in the aviation sector. They’re an integral part of any quality assurance activity as they allow organizations to identify weaknesses proactively. These professionals are tasked with spotting flaws and analyzing the manufacturing processes to pinpoint the procedures and factors most likely to have caused the issue. While not involved in rectifying processes, QA auditors are in charge of how entities can improve quality. 

After performing an audit, these individuals submit their findings in a report addressed to the QA or other concerned units. Depending on the identified problem sources, auditors may advise organizations to correct or upgrade specific procedural methods or a skills re-training program to some staff. The team will periodically check the progress and impact of the remedial actions done by the concerned organization.

Bottom Line

The aviation industry has stringent safety and quality rules that may be difficult to meet. Industry players, however, must implement quality control and quality assurance mechanisms to guarantee security and quality. Manufacturers can meet industry and government regulations with these systems in place while delivering the best products and services.