A Professional Guide for Aircraft Manufacturers,MRO and 145 Repair Stations, 121 Air Carriers, 135 Air Operators. Download our online audit PDF for quick and easy compliance, just click and your all set to meet your requirements.
1. Regulatory Mandates for Aircraft Weighing
Because weight and balance are critical airworthiness functions, the FAA mandates strict oversight for Maintenance, Measuring, and Test Equipment (MTE).
14 CFR §121.373 / §135.431 – Requires operators to use CASS (Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System) to monitor calibration accuracy.
14 CFR §145.109 – The equipment, tools, and material must be those recommended by the manufacturer of the article (The scale OEM) or must be at least equivalent to those recommended by the manufacturer and acceptable to the FAA.
This page and the documents found here are designed to answer all "Vendor Audit" requirements set forth by the aviation regulatory requirement to conduct an audit.
2. The "Audit Checklist"
The Audit form for Calibration Providers is not the same as for an actual licensed facility that conducts work on actual aircraft, parts or components. This audit is specifically designed to answer the need to conduct an audit for Calibrated Equipment (Aircraft Weighing Equipment or Aircraft Scales), and it puts specific details in the QC's hand to comply with audit requirements. .
Airlines and operators perform audits to ensure "oversight and control." Your documentation must prove:
Requirement
Standard for Acceptance
Traceability
An unbroken chain of certificates back to NIST.
Lab Certification
Adherence to OEM scale manufacture details and specifications..
OEM Specs
Calibration must match Original Equipment Manufacturer tolerances. Operators are to return all equipment to the OEM for calibration or they must audit the lab to be use for Training, Equipment manual on hand, Proper test stands in accordance with the OEM use requirements.
3. Non-Certificated Provider Status
Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems does not own or operate under an FAA Air Agency Certificate, we are a GSE scale manufacture and our equipment can be used for aviation weighing needs.
Pre-award Audits: Operators must physically or via questionnaire "accept" into their vendor list our services as stated.
Technician Training: Our technicians are trained on Jackson specific equipment as well as other scale OEM equipment to conduct repairs and calibrations.
Pro-Tip for Growth: Many airlines use the C.A.S.E. Standard. Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems is not a C.A.S.E. member.
Vendor General Audit Questionnaire - JAWS | Aircraft Weighing Systems
JAWS | Aircraft Weighing Systems
Vendor General Audit Questionnaire
Vendor General Audit Questionnaire
Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems LLC
Audit Compliance Statement
This document has been specifically structured to comply with all standard requirements for FAA Vendor Audits and quality system evaluations. Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems (JAWS) provides high-precision weighing solutions that are acceptable to the Administrator for use on type-certificated aircraft as an OEM Tool Supplier.
Primary Regulatory References:
FAA Advisory Circular AC 145-9 (Guide for Quality Control)
US Army Technical Bulletin TB 43-180
NIST Handbook 44 (Specifications & Tolerances)
Technical Standards:
ASTM E74 (Calibration of Force-Measuring Instruments)
ASTM E4 (Force Verification of Testing Machines)
ISO/IEC 17025 (Accredited Primary Standards)
Contact Information
Vendor Name: Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems LLC
In-House: Morehouse ultra-precision load cells, calibrated by Morehouse Instrument Company.
Manufacturer Traceability: Morehouse Instrument Company calibrates all primary standards. These are owned by JAWS and used exclusively for internal testing machines.
Standards
Morehouse Instrument Company is ISO 17025 A2LA accredited (Certificate #1398.01). All calibrations are directly traceable to NIST (Government).
IV. Calibration of Customer Equipment
Customer equipment is inspected upon arrival. All JAWS-manufactured equipment undergoes OEM calibration procedures.
Service Interval: 12-month recommended interval (unless high-cycle use is identified).
Compliance: Listed in US Army TB 43-180 and compliant with US Government guidelines.
V. Quality System
Technical Standards:
Handbook 44 NIST, E74-13a, and E4-1 are followed. JAWS (Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems) is not an ISO certified company.
Issued Documents:
Certificates of Conformance, As-Received / As-Calibrated, Calibration Stickers.
VI. FAA / Regulatory Compliance
Jackson Aircraft Weighing Systems is an OEM Tool Supplier. We provide special tools and Ground Support Equipment (GSE). We do not hold FAA/EASA/DOT repair station certifications.