Finally, the long and arduous process that appears to be a requisite phase in the development of an international quality management system standard appears to be nearing an end. Though the AS9100:2009 and AS9101:2009 (checklist) have been available for quite some time, the aerospace industry has anxiously been awaiting the release of AS9104, the final document to complete the trilogy of aerospace standards.

Even though this standard is the least well-known to most people in the aerospace industry, its importance cannot be overlooked. AS9104 is actually made up of three standards: AS9104-1, AS9104-2, and AS9104-3. Combined, they provide the structure that accreditation bodies such as ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB), and certification bodies such as National Quality Assurance (NQA), need to carry out effective certification audits. They also include requirements that affect almost every decision your certification body (CB) makes.

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