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Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Mission Complete! Kitty Hawk Technologies Becomes AS9100 Revision D Certified

With the help of: Pennsylvania Manufacturing Extension Partnership

About

Since its inception in 2013, Kitty Hawk Technologies has been driven by one overriding mission-- to partner with its customers to maximize their successes and minimize their risks. As a Department of Defense (DOD) supplier, engineering support firm, rapid prototyping center and systems testing facility located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and King George, Virginia, Kitty Hawk Technologies works with government, defense, and industry customers providing a myriad of complex services and products – many of which are highly confidential or special-mission-sensitive. They also run a variety of special scenario simulations and models for DOD products and systems.

The Challenge

In order to maintain its current workforce, grow a future workforce, enhance its reputation in the marketplace and set itself apart from the competition, Kitty Hawk Technologies knew it had to implement an AS9100 Revision (Rev.) D quality management system (QMS). By becoming AS9100 Rev. D compliant, Kitty Hawk Technologies would be part of the gold standard within its industry, would retain customers that were planning to require such certification for all vendors in the future and could potentially secure new clients as well.
Best in breed. Kitty Hawk Technologies works in several different locations with various economic ecosystems. NEPIRC is by far the best in terms of its proactiveness and support.
— Dave Suhosky, President & CEO

MEP's Role

Kitty Hawk Technologies selected NEPIRC, part of the Pennsylvania MEP and the MEP National Network™, as its external resource to assist in the AS9100 Rev. D implementation process because of NEPIRC’s well-known expertise in this area.

 

Through this intensive engagement, NEPIRC provided on-site training and documentation review activities to highlight specific issues that might arise during implementation of the organization’s AS9100 Rev. D QMS. NEPIRC’s subject matter expert then worked with the Implementation Team to develop a comprehensive AS9100 QMS implementation schedule that identified all required activities that would need to be performed and the associated completion dates of these activities. This was done to ensure a successful implementation of the AS9100 Rev. D QMS within the agreed upon timeframe.

NEPIRC also provided internal auditor training for 15 Kitty Hawk Technologies employees to teach them the proper techniques for leading, conducting and reporting on internal audits, as well as the follow-up requirements.

Lastly, NEPIRC conducted a pre-assessment audit using a Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB) certified auditor to determine and validate conformance of the Kitty Hawk quality system to the AS9100 Rev. D standard.  This pre-assessment audit served as one full round of the internal audits required for AS9100 Rev. D. Ultimately, the company achieved its AS9100 Rev. D certification from DEKRA.

Created January 13, 2023