Gogo AS9100 Case Study

Meeting AS9100 Certification Goal

The leading global aero-communications service provider, Gogo’s products and services are installed on thousands of aircraft operated by the leading global commercial airlines and thousands of private aircraft, including those of the largest fractional ownership operators. Headquartered in Chicago, Ill., the company has additional facilities in Broomfield, Col. and locations across the globe, and is home to more than 800 employees located in several cities across the United States and abroad.

CHALLENGE:

When Gogo set its sights on Boeing as a customer, AS9100 certification became a necessity. A larger company with multiple locations and a lot of complexity required additional time, effort, and resources. Gogo contracted with simpleQuE due to the company’s resource team and availability to meet tight deadlines.

“Obtaining AS9100 certification was a critical achievement necessary to support strategic business initiatives for the company,” said Patrick Byrnes, Gogo’s Manager Supplier Quality, Aviation Quality. “The increasing demand for Gogo’s services both domestically and internationally requires a high level of commitment to quality in everything that we do. Early on in our pursuit of certification, we realized that Gogo was not your typical aerospace company; rather, a unique mix of telecom, internet dot-com, and aerospace professionals all working together towards a common goal. It was imperative to solicit professional guidance to support this certification effort due to the size, span, and complexity of Gogo.”

SOLUTION:

The simpleQuE project began with a certified AS9100C auditor onsite within four days of initial contact, in response to Gogo’s request for a gap assessment and to determine the level of effort and actions needed to obtain certification. The simpleQuE team started in January 2014 with the goal of obtaining AS9100 certification by the end of the year.

RESULT:

Utilizing five simpleQuE employees to support the project, the team was able to complete the certification audit one month early and 20 percent under budget. In less than 12 months, Gogo is now one of about 6,700 companies in the US that has achieved AS9100 certification.

“Our partnership with simpleQuE was essential in achieving our goals,” said Byrnes. “The company’s expertise, guidance and support resulted in Gogo not only becoming an AS9100-certified organization but also in developing efficiencies and business processes improvements throughout the company.”

Added Arbela Takhsh, Gogo’s SVP of Quality, “Obtaining AS9100 certification reflects Gogo’s continued commitment to meeting and exceeding the increasingly stringent industry quality requirements, and affirms our dedication to total quality and regulatory compliance. The addition of AS9100 certification for commercial aviation complements our existing quality management system and industry accreditations, and strengthens our commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.”

“As air-travelers, we appreciate Gogo’s services first hand,” said Jim Lee, simpleQuE president. “It is always fun to work with a client who we use their product as a consumer. We travel by air frequently and have a need for Gogo’s communication services in-flight. Achieving this certification with Gogo is satisfying both personally and professionally to our team members.”

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