Aerospace Engineering Experts Discuss Alleged Defect in Aeronautics Suite

Case Overview

This case involves an alleged product defect in a comprehensive aeronautics sensor suite by the defendant, where the manufacturer’s fuel cell would malfunction intermittently and negate the aircraft’s ability to monitor its surroundings. The malfunction was, claimed the plaintiff, a violation of the applicable quality assurance standards in the aerospace industry. The defect in the sensor suite had been identified as the cause behind a number of incidents involving aircraft equipped with the affected units, as the planes had been utilized for critical aerial photography projects until the defect caused them to be grounded. The plaintiff claimed that a critical piece of aeronautics equipment that was manufactured by the defendants was defective, while the defendants countered that the plaintiff user did not follow the procedures in ‘AS 9100’, and if they did, that they wouldn’t have sent these materials to the customers.

Questions to the Aviation expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your familiarity with aerospace product quality assurance.

With 30 years of experience in aerospace technology and quality assurance, I have plenty of experience serving in a quality control capacity hands-on in the aerospace industry, starting with my role as a senior quality engineer at a major aerospace company. I also trained many engineers on product approvals and conducted inspections of malfunctioning aerospace equipment and equipment failures as part of my previous work. When events such as the one described above occurred, all parts would be reviewed, including product quality control practices and manufacturer practices.

Can you speak knowledgeably to the standards in AS9100 and how they may apply to this case?

I am definitely able to speak knowledgeably to the standards of AS9100; I was part of a group at my former company that was responsible for maintaining AS9100 standards, and was part of a writing team that drafted policies to make the AS9110 standard more applicable. I was responsible for building the AS9100 standard system from the ground up while at a major aerospace company, developing a system that met AS9100 standards and regulations for manufacturing production and maintenance. Further, I reviewed standards for quality assurance on a daily basis.

About the expert

This extremely qualified expert has 30 years of experience in quality assurance and quality control engineering, specifically in the aerospace field. In addition to this expert's role as Manager of Regulatory and System Integrity with Parker Aerospace's Customer Support Operations, this expert was an active participant in the Americas Aerospace Quality Group, both as FAA Liaison for the organization and a member of the AS9110 writing team. This expert represented Parker Aerospace on the Aerospace Industries Associations Civil Aviation Regulatory and Safety committee and participated as a member of that committees' manufacturing and maintenance working group and led successful initial certification efforts for both ISO 9001 and AS9100. This expert also developed quality system processes and documentation compliant to both AS9100 and 14 CFR Part 21, resulting in the FAA's acceptance of a single Parker Aerospace quality management system that encompasses 11 manufacturing locations in the United States and Mexico. Additionally, this expert has experience in quality management in small and mid-sized manufacturing organizations in electronics, computer system assembly and integration, machining, deep draw metal forming and precision injection molding.

E-079020

Specialties:

Aviation