Full AS9100 Rev D and ISO 9001 implementation — from initial gap assessment through final registrar audit. Built around how your operation actually works, not around a generic consulting template.
I implement both AS9100 Rev D and ISO 9001 — often in tandem for organizations building toward aerospace certification from an ISO foundation.
The aerospace industry standard. Required by most prime contractors and Tier 1 suppliers as a condition of doing business. AS9100 builds on ISO 9001 and adds aerospace-specific requirements around risk management, configuration management, operational planning, and product/service realization. I guide small aerospace organizations through the full certification process — from initial gap assessment through Stage 2 audit.
The global quality management standard — and the foundation beneath AS9100. ISO 9001 is the right starting point for organizations that need a solid, auditable QMS but aren't yet serving aerospace customers with AS9100 requirements. It's also the right choice for organizations that want to build toward AS9100 over time without starting over. I implement ISO 9001 systems built to survive audit — not just to satisfy a checklist.
A proven implementation sequence refined across three decades of aerospace QMS work. The goal at every phase is the same: no findings at Stage 2 that could have been caught earlier.
I personally evaluate your current state against the standard you're pursuing — clause by clause. I look at what you actually do, not just what your documentation says. Many organizations have processes that already work and just need to be formalized. The output is a clear picture of where you stand, what needs to be built, and a realistic implementation plan with timeline and cost estimate.
I build or revise your QMS documentation — quality manual, procedures, forms, and records — written for the people doing the work, not for the auditor. Everything is designed around your operation, not a template. Where intelligent automation tools reduce ongoing burden, I integrate them. Where they don't add value, they're absent. The result is a system your team can actually maintain.
Procedures are only useful if the team understands them. I work with your people directly — on the floor, not in a classroom — to implement the system and train the individuals who need to use it. The most important outcome at this phase isn't a signed training record. It's a team that understands why the system exists and how to use it without prompting.
Before the registrar audit, I conduct a full internal audit to find and close any remaining gaps. Your team should never be surprised by a registrar finding that we could have caught ourselves. I audit against the same criteria the registrar will use — and I document findings the way a registrar will expect to see corrective actions documented.
I support your team through the registrar audit — Stage 1 document review and Stage 2 on-site audit. I help prepare your team for what to expect, coach on how to respond to auditor questions, and manage the response to any findings that arise. The goal is certification on the first attempt. That's what a well-executed implementation delivers.
Every engagement delivers a functioning quality management system — one that works on your floor, survives your registrar audit, and your team can maintain without me.
Quality manual, procedures, work instructions, and forms — written for your team, in plain language, reflecting how your operation actually works.
Written report documenting every identified gap, prioritized by compliance risk, with effort estimates and a recommended action sequence.
A phased, realistic timeline built around your production schedule and team capacity — not around a consulting firm's project timeline.
Role-specific training for the people who need to use the system. Training records documented and ready for registrar evidence requirements.
Full pre-certification internal audit with findings documented, rated, and corrective actions closed before the registrar audit begins.
On-site presence through Stage 1 and Stage 2. Preparation, coaching, and finding response — through to certification.
Certification is achievable for any small aerospace organization — but it requires real commitment. The timeline is realistic. The workload is manageable. The outcome is worth it. But there are things worth knowing before you start.
The work happens in your organization, not just in mine. Successful certification requires management engagement, team participation, and internal champions who take ownership of the system. I build the system and guide the process — your team has to use it and maintain it.
Nine to twelve months is realistic for most shops — and that's genuinely fast compared to what organizations attempting DIY implementation typically experience. The timeline depends on your current QMS maturity, organization size, and how much time your team can dedicate to the process.
The system has to survive the shop floor, not just the audit room. I've seen plenty of QMS implementations that passed Stage 2 and fell apart within 18 months because the system was built for auditors, not for the people doing the work. Every decision I make in a documentation build is tested against that standard.
I work with small aerospace manufacturers — the 5 to 75 employee shops that can't justify a full-time quality manager but can't afford to fail an audit.
You have a business reason to certify and a timeline that's not entirely under your control. The goal is to get certified correctly without losing production time or creating a QMS no one will maintain. That's exactly what this engagement is designed for.
Template-based systems and generic consultants who don't understand aerospace produce QMS implementations that pass Stage 2 and then quietly collapse. If your current system exists on paper and nowhere else, it's not a failure — it's a starting point.
Some shops certify before a customer requires it — to open doors, to differentiate from competitors, or because leadership recognizes that a functioning QMS reduces operational risk regardless of the audit outcome. That's a good reason to certify.
If the goal is a certificate rather than a functioning quality system, I'm not the right consultant. The registrar will issue the certificate either way — but the organizations I work with are building systems that actually reduce risk and improve operations, not just satisfy an audit.
A free 30-minute call is the fastest way to get a realistic picture of your timeline, your gaps, and what the process would look like for your specific operation. No generic estimates — a real conversation about where you are.
No pitch. No obligation.