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A well-rounded approach to measuring the success of your aircraft maintenance department can involve many factors, however the most important measurables should always be safety and quality. The most effective method of ensuring the safety and quality within a maintenance department is through the utilization of an effective Quality Assurance Program.
Effective quality assurance programs establish a structure to allow for the validation of compliance with established organizational policies and procedures related to each function of the operation or department. The program also provides the structure to address non-compliances discovered during audits or brought to attention during normal operations outside of the audit period. Each program includes provisions for the rectification of non-compliances, as well as validation of each rectification on an ongoing basis. The collective information accumulated with an effective program is invaluable in assessing the overall safety and quality within your department or organization.
In North America and the European Union, air operators working under the regulations applicable to the FAA FAR’s 121/125/135, Transport Canada CAR’s 706, and EASA Part-ORO, and aircraft maintenance organizations working under the regulations applicable to the FAA FAR’s 145, Transport Canada CAR’s 573, and EASA Part-M and Part-145, are familiar with quality assurance, as each respective organization is required to implement and maintain an effective quality assurance program independently, or in conjunction with their safety management system if applicable.
Since the incorporation of quality assurance programs into the regulations pertaining to aircraft maintenance, the industry has seen a noticeable increase in both the safety and quality of the services or products provided, leading to a decrease in operational occurrences year after year. Investment into the program, which include managerial level support and the ongoing training and development of the personnel within each organization has resulted in a continued positive culture of prioritizing safety and quality above all else.
In this same time, the aircraft maintenance industry has noticed a correlation between safety and quality in relation to increased profitability and longevity. In effect, customers choose to continue to do business with organizations which can produce repeatedly safe and quality services and products.
Although the requirement for a quality assurance program does not currently apply to most business aviation operators, considering that the majority of operators carry out aircraft maintenance working under the regulations of FAA FAR 91, Transport Canada CAR 604, and EASA Part-NCO and Part-NCC, it could be argued that the utilization of an effective quality assurance program would be a valuable investment in continually ensuring the safety and quality of maintenance carried out on company operated aircraft.
At the request of some of our current business aviation customers, TrainingPort.net is excited to announce the upcoming release of a full suite of topics to support Aircraft Maintenance Quality Assurance.
Lessons currently in development for future release are:
Quality Assurance Programs for Maintenance, QA Policies and Processes, QA Manual Development, Roles and Responsibilities, Risk Management, Auditor Training, Compliance Monitoring, Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Action Planning, Records and Documentation, and Continuous Improvement.
For more information, please contact your regional sales representative, or visit our website at www.trainingport.net
– Josh Johnston
Maintenance and Quality Assurance Specialist, Spectra Aviation Ltd.