The IAQG quality management standard for aviation MRO — the systematic quality framework that major airline and defence customers expect from their maintenance supply chain alongside GCAA and GACA Part 145 regulatory approval.
AS9110 Rev C is built on AS9100 with modifications reflecting the specific quality and airworthiness requirements of aircraft maintenance. It addresses work order quality controls, airworthiness data management, human factors in maintenance, CRS documentation controls, and FOD prevention in maintenance environments. The UAE is home to Emirates Engineering, Etihad Airways Engineering, AMMROC, and numerous component MRO shops. Saudi Arabia has SAEI, Saudi Aramco aviation operations, and a growing fleet of locally maintained civil and military aircraft. Major airline and defence customers increasingly include AS9110 in supplier qualification requirements alongside Part 145 regulatory approval.
The distinction matters: GCAA and GACA Part 145 approval is the regulatory permission to maintain aircraft. AS9110 demonstrates to airline and defence customers that quality management goes beyond the regulatory minimum — which is why airlines like Emirates and Etihad include AS9110 in their component repair and overhaul approved vendor requirements.
Regulatory and Legal Compliance — UAE
| Regulatory Framework | How This Standard Applies |
|---|---|
| GCAA (General Civil Aviation Authority) Part 145 | GCAA regulates aircraft maintenance in UAE through the AMO approval programme. AS9110 builds on Part 145 regulatory structure. AS9110-certified organisations demonstrate systematic QMS beyond the Part 145 compliance baseline to airline customers |
| Emirates Engineering and Etihad Airways Engineering | Both airline MRO operations include AS9110 certification requirements in their supplier qualification programmes for component repair and overhaul supply chain |
| AMMROC (Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Centre) | AMMROC provides MRO services to UAE Armed Forces. AS9110 and equivalent quality standards apply |
| Air Arabia Engineering, flydubai, Wizz Air UAE | UAE carriers apply AS9110 requirements to component MRO supply chain through approved vendor programmes |
| Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) | DAE technical operations and supplier qualification programmes include AS9110 expectations for supply chain |
Regulatory and Legal Compliance — Saudi Arabia
| Regulatory Framework | How This Standard Applies |
|---|---|
| GACA (General Authority of Civil Aviation) Part 145 — Saudi Arabia | GACA regulates aircraft maintenance in Saudi Arabia. AS9110 is the quality management framework for GACA-approved MRO organisations demonstrating systematic quality to airline customers |
| SAEI (Saudi Aerospace Engineering Industries) | SAEI provides MRO under GACA approval. AS9110 is the applicable QMS standard for SAEI operations and supply chain |
| Saudi Aramco Aviation — Fleet Maintenance | Saudi Aramco's large corporate aviation fleet requires maintenance meeting international quality standards. AS9110 is the applicable framework for Aramco-qualified MRO suppliers |
| Saudia, flynas, flyadeal — Airline Supplier Requirements | Saudi carriers apply AS9110 requirements to component repair and overhaul suppliers through approved vendor programmes |
Where This Is Most Relevant — Key Locations
| Location | Industry / Application Context |
|---|---|
| Dubai — DAFZA (aircraft component repair stations) | Avionics repair, instrument overhaul, and component maintenance organisations — all AS9110 scope |
| Dubai — Al Maktoum International Airport area | Growing heavy maintenance and MRO hub. Third-party MRO operators; component shops |
| Abu Dhabi — Etihad Engineering base | Etihad's primary engineering base — heavy maintenance, line maintenance, and component shop operations |
| Sharjah — Air Arabia Engineering | Air Arabia maintenance operations with AS9110 supply chain requirements |
| Saudi Arabia — King Khalid Airport (Riyadh) | SAEI operations, Saudia Engineering base, growing third-party MRO activity |
| Saudi Arabia — King Abdulaziz Airport (Jeddah) | Saudia's major western region maintenance hub, growing third-party MRO activity |
What the Standard Requires
| Requirement Area | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Airworthiness data management | Control of AMMs, CMMs, SBs, ADs — currency, applicability, and access to current technical data |
| Task card quality controls | Quality gates in work package planning and task card management — the core production control document for maintenance |
| CRS and release documentation | Certificate of Release to Service, EASA Form 1, FAA 8130-3 issuance and records controls |
| Human factors in maintenance | Fatigue, communication failures, task interruptions — management approaches reducing maintenance error |
| FOD prevention in maintenance | Tool control, parts control, area FOD walks in all maintenance environments |
| Tooling and GSE management | Calibration, serviceability, and authorised use of ground support equipment |
Why Nathan ISO Consulting — What We Do Differently
Nathan ISO Consulting starts from your existing GCAA or GACA Part 145 quality manual and builds the AS9110 additions — not a replacement system. We have worked with MRO organisations across the UAE and know what Emirates Engineering and Etihad Airways Engineering supplier auditors look for.
| What We Do Differently | How It Benefits Your Project |
|---|---|
| We start from your AMO quality manual, not a blank page | Your existing Part 145 quality manual contains much of what AS9110 requires. We identify the gap and build additions — not a replacement system |
| We design the human factors programme practically | Human factors awareness training for maintenance personnel must be operationally meaningful. We design programmes that work in real maintenance environments |
| We connect airworthiness data management to your actual systems | Procedure documentation for technical library management and SB/AD tracking is built around your actual CAME system and document management infrastructure |
| We manage IAQG certification body selection for MRO scope | Not all IAQG-approved bodies have strong MRO sector competence. We identify bodies with relevant MRO auditing experience for your maintenance categories |
Frequently asked questions
No. AS9110 and GCAA Part 145 are separate requirements. Part 145 is regulatory; AS9110 is the airline customer quality qualification. AS9110 is required by major airline customers alongside Part 145 — not instead of it.
A Part 145 AMO has most foundational quality elements. The specific additions — human factors programme, task card quality controls, OASIS registration — typically require three to four months of focused work.
The human performance and limitation factors contributing to maintenance errors — fatigue, communication failures, task interruptions, complacency. AS9110 requires documented approaches to managing these factors.
Certificate of Release to Service — the document certifying that maintenance was performed in accordance with applicable requirements and the aircraft or component is safe to return to service.
Documented accountability for all tools entering and leaving a maintenance work area — preventing tools from being left inside aircraft structures or engines.
Yes. Landing gear, avionics, hydraulics, and powerplant overhaul organisations are within AS9110 scope.
Emirates Engineering includes AS9110 certification requirements in its supplier quality manual and purchase order quality clauses for component repair and overhaul supply chain.
A mandatory safety action issued by a civil aviation authority that must be accomplished by a defined compliance date. MROs must have documented processes for monitoring applicable ADs.
Yes. Organisations manufacturing components and performing maintenance hold both under a single integrated QMS.
Three to six months for an established Part 145 AMO. Human factors programme development and task card quality system integration typically drive the timeline.
Talk to Nathan ISO Consulting
Tell us your maintenance categories, regulatory approvals, and which customers are driving the AS9110 requirement. We scope the project from there.
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