AAR M-1003 Quality Assurance Audit Requirements During the COVID-19 Pandemic

​The AAR is providing this notice to the industry as questions have arisen in regard to obtaining and maintaining AAR M-1003 Certifications during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This announcement supplements AAR Circular Letter C-13545 “Restart of AAR Inspections and Audits".
The following guidance is hereby issued and will remain in place until further notice is made by Circular Letter announcement:

1. North America (Canada, US, Mexico):
   M-1003 Quality Assurance certified facilities are required to be audited with normal onsite audits.  The AAR has auditors physically located in all the three countries and can travel unless they are restricted by local, state, or federal COVID-19 guidelines.  If an M-1003 Quality Assurance certified facility is operating and there are no travel restrictions in place, that facility must allow onsite M-1003 Audits.  In the case that travel restrictions are in place the AAR will preferably reschedule the audit to a mutually agreed upon date when travel is not restricted.  AAR Auditors are considered essential workers and may be exempt from some travel restrictions.
2. International (Outside of Canada, US, Mexico):
   The AAR Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) has temporarily approved remote (virtual) M-1003 Quality Assurance Audits in-place of face to face/onsite audits for facilities in countries that have travel restrictions associated with COVID-19.  Remote Auditing is approved for compliance year one, compliance year two, and recertification audit types.  Initial Certification audits will be managed on a case-by-case basis.  M-1003 Quality Assurance Certified Facilities are encouraged to work with their AAR Accredited Auditor as it will take both parties to ensure compliance to the program requirements.

In person audits will replace remote auditing for M-1003 Quality Assurance certifications for any specific country once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted for that country.

Please submit questions to Don Guillen or Mark Rusovick with the Quality Assurance Committee at QA@aar.com.