Industry experts explain what to expect from the upcoming aerospace industry standard in its newest incarnation, and discuss why AS9100 remains so effective.
The AS9100 standard remains one of the most well-known and successful models of an industry-operated-and-driven standard in existence today. AS9100 was released in 1999 by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the European Association of Aerospace Industries and is regularly attuned to marketplace needs. Currently in its third incarnation—Revision C, which was released in 2009—aviation, space and defense companies all have a vested interest in the standard, and many require compliance with AS9100 as a requisite for doing business.
To stay true to its function of responding to industry needs, AS9100 is undergoing another amendment: Revision D. According to the Americas Aerospace Quality Group (AAQG), the standard must remain compliant with ISO 9001 (the quality management system standard upon which it is based) which itself is due for an upgrade in September 2015. As it stands,