audit preparation

An aviation school under EASA 147 will be subjected to at least an annual audit. As such the audit preparation is very important. Many may be wondering, including the management and the staff of a 147 school, what to do to prepare for the audit. This is mainly caused by the misconception that audit and quality is the concern of quality department. In reality, in is the opposite, it is an issue for everyone, especially for the managers in production units (or training for 147 organisation)

Definition of Quality

There is a slight different between the ISO system and the aviation counterpart. For ISO, the customers is of pinnacle important, so the quality will relate to customers satisfaction, whereas the Civil Aviation will be more on meeting the requirements of the regulations.

Sources of the audited elements

What are the process or procedures to be audited. We may track the flow of the actual regulations and the sources of the important procedures and processes.

The local authority in Malaysia is following the EASA system. The requirements are republished with some changes to adapt to the local needs in 2 documents, AN 1201 on the training organisation and 1101 on the syllabus.

A training organisation is required to have his own MTOE, Maintenance Training Organisation Exposition, with the policy and processes to show compliance to the local requirements.

Under the AN 1201, the main headings includes...

1. facilities requirements - It gives a broad requirements which can be open to interpretation. The classroom must be conducive for learning, good light, low noise level etc..

2. Under personal requirements, it mentions about the needs to have the accountable manager who will have the resources to enable the training quality is observed. There is the need to have the management team to ensure compliance to the regulations.

2a. The requirement on instructors, examiners and assessors - qualification and maintenance of skills and knowledge.

3. The Process include, how you select your trainers and keep them current. It will include the selection of students and the training and examination processes.

Expected Audits Proceeding

We can divided the audits into 2 groups:

1. The initial Audit - This is normally a thorough audit to enable the organisation to be qualified for the 147 status. It should cover the major processes and at least complete a cycle of the product.

For example:

a. It will include the elements of 147 requirements qnd the part 66 requirements.

b. It will include a batch of students - for the intake to the graduation, including how the trainings were planned and implemented.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, the approach to audit is different from ISO and the Department of Civil Aviation. The ISO will definitely concern about the business and the products, but Aviation is too focused on process compliance, so it is possible to have a 147 school with tip-top processes BUT not producing the qualified students.