News
Quality Systems Certification Workshop

April 19, 2010, Alliston, Ont. – At the request of the Canadian aviation industry, the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC) has documented an occupational standard for Quality Assurance Auditors in the aviation sector.

Quality Assurance is a key component in all management systems including safety management (SMS). Quality systems auditors ensure an organizations’ processes are effective and compliant. To ensure consistent and repeatable outcomes – regardless of the specific individual performing the audit – it is important that auditors have equivalent knowledge and skill levels. As a result CAMC has introduced a certification process for system auditors in the aviation sector.

A workshop has been developed to prepare existing and potential auditors. The two day workshop focuses on the knowledge components detailed in the occupational standard and prepares auditors for certification.AvAd Inc. is pleased to be working with CAMC in making this workshop and certification preparatory session available to the aviation community.

AvAd is facilitating this workshop on June 9th and 10th, 2010. Location is to be the Flight Education Training Center of Toronto Airways Ltd. at the Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport (CYKZ) – 2833 – 16th Avenue, Box 100, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 0P8. There is a registration fee of $100.00 per attendee and a lunch will be included with this each of the two days. Start time will be 0830hrs each day.

The presenter for this session will be Bernie Wurster. Bernie has been in the aviation industry for almost four decades and is an active AME and pilot. His maintenance background includes the airframe/powerplant systems as well as avionics. During a long career with Air Canada he held various positions including being the PRT (Person Responsible for Training) and the Manager of Technical Qualifications. He has been involved in various Transport Canada committees including the CARAC committees for AME licensing, basic training and type training. In addition he has held positions on numerous college advisory or strategic boards. Bernie is a long standing member of the CAMC accreditation board and self employed providing services to the aviation industry principally in the areas of quality audits, policy development, technical support and training.

Those interested in participating in this session should contact Lorraine Glassford – Project Manager, AvAd Inc. by email at lorraine@bizav.ca for additional information.

Workshop Content . . .

The workshop covers the following topics:

• Quality assurance and quality control
• Quality management basics
• Quality assurance and safety management systems
• Audit basics
• Principals of auditing
• Measurement standards
• Preparing an audit program
• Checklists (developing and validating)
• Risk management as it applies to audits
• Typical quality assurance issues
• Scheduling audits
• Planning audits
• Sampling
• Audit meetings and briefings
• Audit evaluation methods
• Analyzing evidence
• Audit team leaders
• Findings and audit reports
• Audit rating systems
• Audit follow-up and corrective action plans
• Assessing root cause
• Improving audit performance

Day 1 of the workshop is focused on audit fundamentals as they apply to the aviation industry including the links between quality assurance and safety management systems.

Day 2 of the workshop is focused on the tasks associated with the performance of an audit, documentation, corrective action plans, and audit quality improvement.

With the introduction of safety management systems and the ongoing desire of organizations to improve product quality, business effectiveness, and safety; the role of the auditor has become one of the keys to success. This workshop combined with certification assures organizations of audit outcomes which achieve the business goals while at the same time provide a nationally recognized standard for aviation auditors.