TÜV SÜD Auditors Confirm Manufacturer’s Best Practices

With the FAA Aircraft Certification Branch planning to begin visits to Light-Sport Aircraft manufacturers later this year, Flight Design says it has been awarded four certificates by the Certification Body of TÜV SÜD Management Service GmbH. Conducted in June, the inspections, which were requested by Flight Design, involve many hours of work by auditors and the manufacturer’s engineering, quality control, and administrative staff. They help prepare the company for an FAA or other government organization inspection.

The company was evaluated at its primary fabrication facility in Kherson, Ukraine. As a result, TÜV determined hat Flight Design, “has established and applies a quality management system for design, development, and manufacturing of light airplanes.” An audit was performed in compliance with EN 9104:2006 and TÜV auditors reported that “Proof has been furnished that the requirements according to EN 9100:2003 aerospace series quality management systems requirements, technically equivalent to AS 9100 and JISQ 9100, are fulfilled.” The certificate is valid until April 20, 2014.

Using similar criteria, Flight design earned a successful result with their final assembly facility in Kamenz, Germany for the “Assembly, check flights, and shipping of light airplanes.” The headquarters administrative offices in Kircheim unter Teck, Germany were given approval for the “Administration and sales of light airplanes.” And finally, the engineering division in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany received a certificate for the “Design, development, manufacturing, and sales of light airplanes.”

“After these repeat evaluations by the professionals at TÜV SÜD, our company is fully prepared for an FAA visit,” stated Flight Design GmbH CEO, Matthias Betsch. “But perhaps even more importantly, customers of our CT series aircraft can feel more confident in the best practices of our company.”

FMI: www.flightdesign.com