AAR M-1003:2019 Requirements for Documentation & Records

When compared to ISO 9001:2015 & AS 9100:2016 (D), AAR M-1003:2019 contains the fewest number of pages prescribing requirements. However, of these 3 popular QMS standards, it is the only one requiring a formal Quality Manual (sec. 2.3.1).

Standard # of pages containing requirements
AAR M-1003:2019 13
ISO 9001:2015 19
AS 9100:2016 (D) 30

While all 3 standards continue to promote “antiquated” concepts, unlike the others, AAR M-1003:2019 still requires:

  • “Preventive Action” (rather than addressing the concept as “risk management”)
  • “Incoming Inspection” (rather than addressing “risk levels” and the efficiency of “Dock-to-Stock” for low risk, non-critical items)
# Required Documentation (e.g., procedures, plans) Sec.
1 “The facility shall establish, implement, and maintain a Quality Assurance Program, documented in a Quality Assurance Manual, according to the requirements of” AAR M-1003:2019. [The Quality Manual MUST include all of the requirements contained in sec. 2.3.2] 2.3.1
2 Define and document the organization's policy for quality, including objectives for quality and its commitment to quality. [Similar to ISO 9001:2015 sec. 5.2 “Policy”, 6.2 “Quality objectives and planning to achive them”, and 5.1 “Leadership and commitment”] 2.4.1.1
3 Develop an inspection and test plan in accordance with paragraph 2.5.2. 2.5.1.3
4 The facility shall establish and implement documented procedures for corrective action. 2.6.2
5 The facility shall establish and implement documented procedures for preventive action(s)… 2.6.3
6 The facility shall establish and maintain documented procedures to control all documents affecting quality, including, to the extent applicable, documents of external origin such as standards and customer drawings 2.7.1
7 The facility shall establish and maintain a master list or equivalent document-control procedure identifying the current revision status of documents. 2.7.2
8 Establish and maintain documented procedures to control, calibrate, and maintain all measuring and testing equipment and devices used to verify quality and to monitor special processes 2.8.1
9 Maintain documented procedures for the verification, storage, and preservation of the customer-supplied materials. 2.11.5
10 Adhering to documented procedures defining the work process where the absence of such procedures could adversely affect quality. 2.15.1
11 Establish and maintain documented procedures for handling, storage, preservation, and delivery of materials, products, and services (activities). 2.16.1
12 The facility shall maintain documented procedures to implement and control the application of the statistical methods. 2.20.5
13 The internal audits shall be performed in accordance with documented procedures (using appropriate checklists) by trained personnel who have the organizational freedom to document results. 2.21.3
14 The facility shall establish and maintain documented procedures for contract review such that, before submission of an offer by the facility or at the acceptance of a contract or order (statement of requirement), the offer, contract, or order shall be reviewed by the facility to ensure the following: the requirements contained in the subsections of 2.23.1 2.23.1
15 When servicing is specified in the contract or order, the facility shall establish and maintain documented procedures for performing, verifying, and reporting that the servicing meets the specified requirements. 2.23.2
16 The facility shall establish and maintain documented procedures to control and verify the design and development planning of the product in order to ensure that the specified requirements are met. Where product design, redesign, or modifications are not usually performed, the design procedures must address how adherence to existing design criteria is maintained. The facility must define the procedure when a design change is required. 2.24.1
17 The facility shall prepare plans for each design and development activity. The plans shall include the review, verification, and validation requirements that are appropriate to each design and development activity. The plans shall describe or reference these activities and define responsibility for their implementation. The design and development activities shall be assigned to qualified personnel equipped with adequate resources. The plans shall be updated as the design evolves. 2.24.2
18 The facility shall define organizational and technical interfaces between different groups who contribute to the design process and shall document, transmit, and regularly review the necessary information. The facility shall manage the interfaces between the different groups to ensure effective communication and clear assignment of responsibility. 2.24.3
19 The facility shall identify and document design and development input requirements relating to the product, including applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, functional and performance requirements, and, where applicable, information derived from previous similar designs and other requirements essential for design and development 2.24.4
20 The facility shall document the design and development output and express it in terms that can be verified against design-input requirements and validated (see paragraph 2.24.9). 2.24.5





# Required Records Sec.
1 Maintain calibration documents that include… all of the requirements identified in the subsections of 2.8.4 [Actually, a record] 2.8.4
2 Assess and document the validity of previous inspection and test results when measuring and testing equipment are found to be out of calibration. [Actually, a record] 2.8.7
3 Evaluate and select subcontractors based on documented assessments of their ability to meet contract and quality requirements.[Actually, a record] 2.9.1.3
4 Purchasing documents shall contain data clearly describing the items ordered, including… the requirements contained in the subsections of 2.9.2 [Actually, a record] 2.9.2
5 Identifying and maintaining equipment with documented preventive maintenance to ensure continuing conformity to specified requirements. 2.15.7
6 Ensuring that documentation for currently qualified personnel, processes, or equipment is maintained in accordance with the requirements of pertinent codes, standards, and specifications. [Actually, a record] 2.15.10
7 The facility shall maintain records identifying nonconforming materials, products, and services (activities), the nature and extent of nonconformance, its disposition, and evidence that repaired and reworked materials, products, and services (activities) have been inspected or tested in accordance with applicable documented procedures. 2.18.5
8 The facility shall maintain a completed Quality Assurance Program Evaluation Checklist, documenting the corresponding line item from the facility’s Quality Assurance Manual and supporting Quality Assurance Program procedure(s) that address each requirement in the current Specification M-1003. [Actually, a record] 2.19.1.1
9 Internal audit results shall be documented and include evidence of conformance and/or nonconformance of materials, products, and services (activities) to specified requirements. [Actually, a record] 2.21.4
10 The requirements are adequately defined and documented. Where no written statement of requirement is available for an order received by verbal means, the facility shall ensure that the order requirements are agreed to before acceptance and subsequently documented. [Actually, a record] 2.23.1.1
11 The facility shall maintain records of contract reviews. 2.23.4
12 At appropriate stages of design, formal reviews of the design and development results shall be planned and conducted to evaluate the ability of the results to meet design and development input requirements. The review shall identify any problems and shall propose appropriate resolution actions. Participants at each design review shall include representatives of functions concerned with the design and development stage(s) being reviewed. Records of such reviews shall be maintained and necessary actions shall be documented. 2.24.7
13 At appropriate stages of design, design verification shall be performed to ensure that the design and development output meets the design and development input requirements. The design and development verification measures and any necessary actions shall be recorded. 2.24.8
14 All design and development changes and modifications shall be identified, documented, reviewed, verified, and validated as appropriate and then approved by authorized personnel. 2.24.10
15 The facility shall maintain records of the review of changes and any necessary actions. 2.24.10.2