AS9100 Certification Requirements: A Practical Guide for Aerospace Organizations

Core AS9100 Certification Requirements

Quality Management System Structure

Organizations must establish and maintain a documented QMS that:

• Defines scope and boundaries

• Identifies processes and their interactions

• Establishes quality objectives

• Demonstrates leadership commitment

• Maintains controlled documented information

The system must be operational — not just documented.

Risk Management and Risk-Based Thinking

AS9100 requires formal risk management at multiple levels:

• Organizational risk

• Operational risk

• Product realization risk

• Supplier-related risk

Risk identification, mitigation planning, and monitoring must be structured and evidence-based.

Product Safety

Aerospace organizations must implement processes that:

• Identify safety risks

• Control safety-critical characteristics

• Monitor safety performance

• Escalate safety concerns appropriately

Product safety is a dedicated aerospace enhancement beyond ISO 9001.

Configuration Management

Configuration management ensures:

• Product definition control

• Design change tracking

• Revision control

• Traceability of modifications

• Alignment between documentation and production

Auditors heavily sample configuration controls during certification audits.

Counterfeit Part Prevention

Organizations must establish processes to:

• Prevent counterfeit or suspect parts

• Verify supplier authenticity

• Maintain traceability

• Control nonconforming materials

This requirement is critical for aerospace supply chain integrity.

Operational Planning and Control

AS9100 requires structured planning of product realization, including:

• Production controls

• Validation where required

• Process monitoring

• Inspection and testing

• Release authorization

Operational discipline is a major audit focus area.

Supplier Management

Organizations must implement:

• Supplier selection criteria

• Performance monitoring

• Risk-based evaluation

• Flow-down of requirements

• Corrective action management

Supplier performance directly impacts certification outcomes.

Internal Audit and Management Review

Certification requires evidence that:

• Internal audits cover all AS9100 clauses

• Process effectiveness is evaluated

• Nonconformities are corrected

• Management reviews include required inputs

• Leadership evaluates system performance

These elements demonstrate system maturity and oversight.

Documentation Requirements Under AS9100

While AS9100 is process-based, required documented information typically includes:

• Quality policy

• Quality objectives

• Process maps

• Risk registers

• Configuration records

• Production records

• Inspection records

• Supplier evaluation records

• Corrective action records

• Internal audit reports

Documentation must be controlled and traceable.

Common Challenges with AS9100 Certification Requirements

Organizations frequently struggle with:

• Underdeveloped risk processes

• Weak configuration control

• Informal supplier oversight

• Insufficient production traceability

• Treating AS9100 like ISO 9001 without aerospace enhancements

• Limited leadership engagement

AS9100 demands operational rigor beyond general quality standards.

How Wintersmith Advisory Supports AS9100 Certification Requirements

Wintersmith Advisory supports aerospace organizations by:

• Conducting structured gap assessments

• Designing aerospace-specific QMS frameworks

• Integrating risk and configuration management

• Strengthening supplier controls

• Executing internal audits

• Facilitating management reviews

• Preparing teams for certification audits

We do not issue certification.
We prepare your system to meet AS9100 certification requirements confidently and defensibly.

Are You Prepared to Meet AS9100 Certification Requirements?

If your customers require AS9100 certification or you are entering aerospace markets, understanding the certification requirements is the first step.

AS9100 is not a paperwork exercise — it is a structured operational system aligned to aerospace reliability, traceability, and safety expectations.

When implemented correctly, AS9100 certification requirements become a framework for disciplined growth and long-term customer confidence.