AS9100 AS9110 & AS9120 Aerospace Certification Readiness Consulting & Internal Auditing | My ISO Consultants
Updated: Sep 18
AS9100 AS9110 & AS9120 Aerospace Certification Readiness Consulting & Internal Auditing
AS9100, AS9110, and AS9120 are aerospace quality management system standards used by different types of aviation, space, and defense organizations. Certification readiness is not simply a documentation project. It requires the organization to understand which standard applies, align the Quality Management System (QMS) with actual operations, implement the required controls, complete internal auditing and management review, address gaps, and be prepared to demonstrate effective implementation during an independent certification audit.
For organizations that do not have the internal resources or aerospace quality experience to manage that process alone, qualified consulting and internal audit support can shorten the learning curve, help identify weaknesses earlier, and keep the project focused on practical certification readiness.
2026 Standards Status: AS9100, AS9110, and AS9120 Are Still Current
As of September 2026, the currently published aerospace quality management standards remain the 2016-series versions of 9100, 9110, and 9120. The International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) is developing the next IA9100-series revisions and has released key-change support materials, but organizations should continue working to the currently published requirements until the new standards and official transition requirements are released.
That distinction matters for certification-readiness projects. Organizations can monitor the upcoming IA9100, IA9110, and IA9120 changes and strengthen areas that are already known weaknesses, but they should avoid rebuilding the QMS around draft requirements or assuming an unconfirmed transition deadline.
Which Aerospace Quality Standard Applies to Your Organization?
AS9100
AS9100 is the primary aerospace quality management system standard for organizations that provide aviation, space, and defense products and services. It is commonly used by aerospace manufacturers, precision manufacturers, component suppliers, engineering organizations, and other companies operating within aerospace supply chains.
AS9110
AS9110 is designed for aviation maintenance organizations, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations. It builds on the aerospace QMS framework while addressing requirements that are particularly important to maintenance activities and airworthiness-related operations.
AS9120
AS9120 is intended for distributors within the aviation, space, and defense supply chain. It places particular importance on areas such as traceability, control of externally provided products, documentation, product preservation, and prevention of counterfeit or suspect parts.
Choosing the correct standard should be based on what the organization actually does, the products or services it provides, customer requirements, and the certification scope. A company should not pursue a standard simply because a customer uses the term 'AS9100' generically.
My ISO Consultants provides AS9100, AS9110 & AS9120 consulting services for organizations that need help determining the appropriate certification path, evaluating the current QMS, implementing requirements, or preparing for certification.
What Does Aerospace Certification Readiness Actually Require?
A certification-readiness project should move the organization from its current operating condition to a management system that is both compliant and functioning in practice. The exact work depends on the maturity of the existing QMS, but most projects include the following elements.
Defining the certification scope and confirming which aerospace standard applies.
Performing a gap analysis against the applicable published requirements.
Reviewing existing procedures, records, workflows, responsibilities, and controls.
Developing or refining documented information where it is actually required or operationally useful.
Implementing process controls across the departments included in the QMS.
Addressing aerospace-specific requirements such as risk, product safety, configuration management, supplier controls, traceability, counterfeit-part prevention, and customer requirements where applicable.
Training personnel so the QMS is understood and followed in day-to-day operations.
Completing internal audits and management review before the certification audit.
Correcting identified nonconformities and verifying that corrective actions are effective.
Preparing personnel and objective evidence for the independent certification audit.
Why Internal Auditing Matters Before Certification
Internal auditing is not just a final checkbox before the certification body arrives. A strong internal audit tests whether the QMS is actually being implemented, whether records support the organization's processes, and whether weaknesses exist that could become certification-audit findings.
For aerospace organizations, this is especially important because certification readiness often depends on details that are easy to overlook during implementation: supplier controls, traceability, configuration changes, product safety responsibilities, risk controls, special customer requirements, and the consistency of records across departments.
Organizations that need independent audit support can also use My ISO Consultants' internal auditing services to evaluate system effectiveness and identify gaps before the certification audit.
Common Readiness Gaps That Can Delay Certification
The written QMS does not match how work is actually performed.
Required records exist inconsistently or cannot be traced to the applicable process.
Supplier approval, monitoring, or flow-down controls are weak.
Internal audits are too superficial or do not cover the full certification scope.
Corrective actions address symptoms without resolving root causes.
Management review is incomplete or does not evaluate required inputs and outputs.
Employees cannot explain their responsibilities or how their work affects quality.
Customer-specific or regulatory requirements have not been incorporated into relevant processes.
The organization has changed products, locations, suppliers, software, or processes without updating the QMS.
Certification preparation is treated as a documentation exercise instead of an implementation project.
Finding these issues during an internal readiness review is far less disruptive than discovering them during the certification audit.
What Should Aerospace Certification Readiness Consulting Include?
Consulting should be tailored to the organization's existing system rather than forcing every client through the same template. A company with an established ISO 9001 system may need targeted aerospace additions and implementation support, while an organization building its first formal QMS may need more extensive development.
Initial system and scope review.
Gap analysis and prioritized action plan.
QMS development or refinement.
Documentation and process-control support.
Aerospace-specific requirement implementation.
Employee and management guidance.
Internal audit and certification-readiness review.
Corrective-action support.
Preparation for the independent certification audit.
Post-certification maintenance and improvement support when needed.
A consultant can help prepare the organization for certification, but the certification decision must remain with an independent accredited certification body. The consultant's role is to help the organization build and demonstrate an effective system, not to guarantee a certification outcome or influence the certification body's decision.
Do All Aerospace Suppliers Need AS9100, AS9110, or AS9120 Certification?
No. Certification is not universally mandatory for every company that sells into the aerospace industry. However, many customers, prime contractors, and supply-chain programs require certification as a condition of doing business, and other organizations pursue certification because it strengthens supplier qualification, quality oversight, and customer confidence.
The correct decision depends on customer requirements, contracts, market expectations, the organization's role in the aerospace supply chain, and the business opportunities it is pursuing.
Preparing for the IA9100-Series Transition
The next IA9100-series revisions are an important future consideration, but they should not distract organizations from maintaining conformity to the standards that are currently in force. Companies pursuing certification now should build a strong, effective system around the current requirements and monitor official IAQG transition information as the new revisions are published.
Organizations with a disciplined QMS, effective internal audits, strong corrective action, and well-controlled processes will generally be in a better position to evaluate and implement future changes than organizations that postpone current system improvements while waiting for the next revision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which standard do we need: AS9100, AS9110, or AS9120?
The answer depends on your organization's role in the aerospace supply chain. AS9100 is commonly used by aerospace manufacturers and other organizations providing aviation, space, or defense products and services. AS9110 is designed for aviation maintenance organizations. AS9120 is intended for aerospace distributors. Customer requirements and the proposed certification scope should also be reviewed before selecting the standard.
Do we need an internal audit before an AS9100, AS9110, or AS9120 certification audit?
Yes. The applicable aerospace QMS standards require an internal audit program. Before initial certification, the organization should have sufficient internal audit evidence to demonstrate that the management system has been evaluated and that identified problems are being addressed.
How long does aerospace certification readiness take?
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of the organization, the standard being implemented, the condition of the existing QMS, employee availability, customer requirements, and how much implementation work is needed. A meaningful estimate should be based on an initial review rather than a fixed timeline that is applied to every company.
Can we start preparing for IA9100, IA9110, or IA9120 before the new revisions are published?
Organizations can monitor official IAQG information, strengthen the current QMS, and address known weaknesses now. However, final transition changes should be based on the published standard and official transition requirements rather than draft material or assumed deadlines.
Conclusion
AS9100, AS9110, and AS9120 certification readiness requires more than assembling procedures for an auditor. The organization needs a QMS that matches real operations, addresses applicable aerospace requirements, produces reliable objective evidence, and has been tested through internal auditing and management review.
If your organization is preparing for aerospace certification or needs help strengthening an existing system, My ISO Consultants provides aerospace certification readiness consulting for AS9100, AS9110, and AS9120 implementation, internal auditing, and certification preparation.
