AS9110 Aerospace Management System – Maintenance Repair and Overhaul
What is AS9110 and who is it for?
AS9110 is the international management system standard for maintenance, repair and overhaul, (MRO), organisations providing services to the aviation, space and defence (AS&D) industries. It’s part of the AS9100 series of standards operated by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).
First published in 1999, the standard was most recently updated in 2016 to bring it into alignment with the updated ISO 9001, the quality system standard upon which it is based.
AS9110 is specifically for organisations of all sizes involved the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft for the commercial, private and military aviation industry. With the size of the global aircraft fleet projected to reach over 38,000 by 2024 these services play an important role in helping to ensure aircraft safety and airworthiness through robust quality management systems1.
What are the benefits of AS9110 certification?
Quality and safety are critical for the AS&D industry. It’s therefore important that any organisation in its supply chain is able to demonstrate its commitment to these areas, and to the need for continual improvement to ensure they are able to keep pace with this rapidly evolving industry.
Achieving certification requires substantial commitment, but the rewards, in turn, can be significant. They include:
- Demonstration of commitment to quality, safety and continual improvement.
- More efficient operations and reduced costs.
- Greater transparency helps engender client trust.
- Opening the door to high value bids and tenders.
- A workforce that is more motivated and engaged.
While AS9110 is not a regulatory requirement, it is recognised worldwide as an indicator of quality and is frequently cited in procurement specifications as a condition for suppliers. Achieving it can therefore bring significant competitive advantage.
What are the requirements of AS9110?
The route to certification is the same as for AS9100, but with the addition of specific requirements critical to aircraft maintenance.
Organisations will need to demonstrate that they meet the requirements of the standard’s 10 clauses. Based on the requirements of ISO 9001, they address:
- The context of an organisation – identification of all aspects of an organisation’s ecosystem, including its entire supply chain, current topical issues, industry developments and beyond.
- The responsibilities of top management – an organisation’s leadership is accountable for the effectiveness of the QMS.
- Planning – includes the development and implementation of planning processes to address risks that could affect product quality and safety.
- Support – the resources that must be available to deliver an effective QMS.
- Operations – stringent controls over the planning and implementation of an organisation’s processes.
- Improvement – identifying opportunities for improvement to support the QMS and improve customer satisfaction.
The standard is not overly prescriptive, instead it allows organisations to adapt it to their specific needs. This includes the format of the quality manual. This can take the form of a conventional manual, if that suits the organisation, but it could also be in the format of for example, a video or other medium that can be a means of demonstrating, communicating and managing compliance.
What are the steps to obtaining AS9110 certification?
The journey to AS9110 starts with reading the standards. A copy can be bought direct from. Then:
- 1
Read and understand the standard
Solidify understanding of the standard and what’s required to implement it within your organisation. - 2
Take action
Ascertain if your organisation is ready to implement AS9110. You will need to meet all of the requirements of the standard to achieve certification. Since AS9110 is based on ISO 9001, our ISO 9001 online gap assessment tool could give you an initial indication of your organisation’s progress towards AS9110 certification.
- 3
Choose a certification body
As soon as you’re confident you meet the requirements of AS9110, you can arrange a certification audit. This will require the services of an accredited, independent third-party certification body such as NSF. - 4
Receive audit recommendation
The audit will identify any nonconformities. For minor nonconformities, you’ll be given a time period within which these must be addressed and evidence of the work done to rectify them submitted to the certification body. Major nonconformities usually require a new audit to be scheduled. Once all the requirements of the standard are met, the auditor will recommend certification. - 5
Certification is granted
Celebrate earning AS9110! It’s a significant achievement that can open the doors to new and valuable opportunities for your organisation. Make sure you communicate your success widely.
You will also be listed on the Online Aerospace Supplier Information System, (OASIS), database, managed by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), that serves as a centralized repository for data related to companies certified under the AS9100 series of standards.
As with all QMS, continual improvement lies at the heart of AS9110 certification. To ensure ongoing compliance, certification follows a three-year cycle of annual audits with a recertification audit taking place at the end of the three-year period.
Why choose NSF for AS 9110 certification?
As an ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredited third-party certification body, NSF issues thousands of certificates. We are actively engaged in the creation and maintenance of the auditing and oversight standards, including those for the aerospace industry. Our experts have many decades of experience in helping organisations to successfully navigate the requirements of quality management system standards such as the AS9100 series.
If you already have ISO 9001 certification, we can work with you as you take the step up to AS9110 certification. We work hard to provide outstanding customer service and take pride in the high scores we receive in our client satisfaction survey.
Transfer your certification
What is an integrated management system?
AS9110 is based on ISO 9001. As such, it follows the same structure of this and other management system standards. This structure is known as Annex SL. Adopting a consistent structure ensures that management systems can be more closely aligned and integrated, helping to deliver efficiencies in an organisation integrating two or more management system standards. At NSF, we can support you in the implementation of multiple standards. Contact us for more information about the benefits of an integrated management system.
Source
1 Statista (2025), Global aircraft MRO market - Statistics & Facts
