William Houser, left, representing the registrar of Bureau Veritas, presents NAWCAD Aircraft and Prototype Systems Division Head Chad Miller with the aerospace standard AS9100C certification. The certification provides customers with quality management assurance and allows the division to be on level with industry. (U.S. Navy photo by Curtis Cook)
NAWCAD division earns aerospace quality management certification
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — The Aircraft and Prototype Systems Division (APSD) received the aerospace standard AS9100C certification at a ceremony held at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River beach house July 16.
“The certification provides assurance to our NAVAIR customers that we will provide quality products based on the same aviation standards used in industry,” said Robb Lake, chief engineer for aircraft prototype systems. “When a customer comes to us, it gives them the confidence that they are going to get a quality product that meets or exceeds their requirements with embedded safety.”
The International Aerospace Quality Group established and maintains the AS9110C standard. In general, quality management systems combine different aspects of management and production to provide measurable consistency to products and services.
“Customers are making this certification mandatory in order to get their business,” said William Houser, who presented the award on behalf of the registrar of Bureau Veritas, a testing, inspection and certification group. “But this group didn’t just do it for that reason. They did it to get better. They had a real vision to do the best they can for the warfighter. That was music to our ears.”
As part of the Air Vehicle Modification and Instrumentation Department, APSD designs, builds and installs prototype systems for the air vehicles that support the NAVAIR and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) missions. Earning the AS9100C certification helps meet the various NAVAIR product requirements, such as rapid response prototyping, flight test modifications and life cycle support.
APSD is responsible for rapid response prototyping, which blends the speed of flight test air vehicle modification and life cycle support, allowing NAVAIR to field new capabilities rapidly and deliver them directly to warfighters in theater.
“This certification is a challenging process to complete,” NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. Mark Darrah said at the ceremony. “Not many can do what you have done. This accomplishment should give you all great pride.”