It is a requirement of EASA that all Part 145 organisations have an effective Internal Audit Process, moreover the obligation of the organisation to manage the specific competence off all those involved is clearly stated: – āThe organisation shall establish and control the competence of personnel involved in any maintenance, management and/or quality audits”
Whilst from a mandatory perspective the audit must ensure regulatory compliance, there is an opportunity to directly support the business processes in a positive way.Ā Delivered in the correct way with ābuy inā from all stakeholders and business area owners, performance audits can be extremely beneficial for the positive development of the organisation.
The auditing process encompasses the various activities which support the Planning, Management and best practice Auditing Techniques.
Compliance (Quality Assurance) sits alongside the Safety Management System and the need for a strong understanding of how Risk & Exposure can impact the organisation in a way which may not be observed with a purely compliance driven audit.
To deliver the most effective audit requires a clear understanding of the way the various organisational elements interact, in fact it is an essential requirement of a successful auditor. All compliance audits focus on the need to ensure that the underlying standard is achieved, the successful auditor will also be able to act objectively and impartially to identify any shortfalls which will be identified as non-conformities.
A successful Quality System requires a fully functioning closed loop system or process which typically deliversĀ compliance oversight processes and which provide for an effective environment for raising full awareness of any short falls or discrepancies as well as an understanding and support for the appropriate remedial action or mitigation. (Remembering this is ultimately the responsibility of the auditee not the auditor).
The Audit Management, Control and Oversight system should ensure that the established safety and quality procedures are fully complied with. In addition to plan and deliver audits, review findings perform root cause analysis and develop additional actions where necessary (under the specific control or guidance of the business area owner of post holder). In an effective Quality Management System QMS monitoring is a continuous process.
Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) offers regulatory and compliant training (including training which is specifically focused on the needs of the EASA Part 145 organisation) as well as the needs of other EASA approved organisations.
For details of available training courses please seeĀ www.sassofia.comĀ or emailĀ office@sassofia.com
