QA qualifications

[slycamel]

Are there any minimum qualifications required ,or guidelines published anywhere, on what would be required to be accepted as a member of a 145 MRO Quality Assurance Dept or even as MQA.

I know that it is up to the competent authority, who interview all form 4 holders.

Your thoughts/ comments.

[Rocket2]

Slycamel
I'm not aware of anything written down other than "the nominated person must be acceptable to the airworthiness authority". I have been form 4 approved as a QA Manager in 4 seperate & very diverse companies & have had to argue my case with the CAA surveyor in every case. All I can suggest is that if your working for an MRO then you might need to hold (or have held) appropriate licenses - for CRO's then relevant hands on experience (preferably at inspector level) will be expected. Get yourself on an ISO auditing course as there is no EASA equivilent that I'm aware of. PM me if I can help.
R2

[NutLoose]

have a look at http://www.easa.europa.eu/ws_prod/s/doc/E.2042-145.002_Syllabus_Part145_Detailed_070209.pdf

then Google any relevent AMC numbers

[happybiker]

The auditing course recommended by slycamel is important however I would also recommend attending a course which covers the basic concepts of quality systems. A number of organistions offering aviation courses also provide 1 or 2 day courses that cover this subject

I would also suggest researching and becoming familiar with safety management systems as these are integrated with company quality systems and come into effect in the UK from January 2009 for Part 145 and Part M organisations. The following CAA link provides useful info on this.

Safety Management Systems | Operations & Airworthiness | Safety Regulation (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=872&pagetype=90&pageid=9953)

[Rigga]

There are no "qualifications" for QA Engineers in a 145 MRO.

It is "advised" that they should preferably be qualified to a similar standard of the Fleet being audited (eg Twin-engined Jets can be used for Bizjets to large Pax Jets) Though many QA staff are Licenced, they don't really need a Licence to do auditing!

Only if the QA staff are signatories for C of A's or ARC's should they have a Licence, with a 'similar type', and need to hold a Form 4 (and/or CAA Form 458).

Happybikers comment re SMS is good, but may not be suitable for a new QA engineer in a sizeable QA dept.

QA Managers shall be acceptable to the authority to hold a Form 4 (as stated in Pt145) and a CAA Form 458 if needed, and the authority may ask that the Form 4 holder be trained in some subjects such as QA, Maintenance Programmes and Airworthiness techniques as a condition of that acceptance ("Small" MROs should note that one!)

Many QA courses are usually advertised in Flight Infernal - but I don't know of their value personally (I did BSI's ISO9001 courses)

[spannersatcx]

I may of gotten this wrong, but I thought the Safety Management System is a completely seperate entity to QA. QA being what QA has always been and SMS more to do with risk and safety management.

[Mr.Brown]

I thought you had to be bad on the tools to go into QA. :E
Get them off the tools before they do some damage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:E

[Rigga]

Spanners...
You're right. But many companies had already dealt wth technical and H&S investigations through a variety of sub-divisions within QA departments, hence the assumed connection.
However, some airlines and MROs are now splitting them from QA into different or even new departments.

Mr Brown,
If we didn't make them previously, however else would we know about all your current mistakes?