QA AND QC LEADERSHIP
Within the framework of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR) Safety Management System (SMS), Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) perform complementary but distinctly different functions. Both are essential to maintaining aviation safety, yet they operate with different objectives, methods, leadership approaches, and behavioral expectations. QUALITY CONTROL Quality Control is primarily concerned with verifying that work has been completed correctly according to established standards, regulations, procedures, and operational requirements. It focuses on identifying defects, correcting non-conformances, and restoring compliance before unsafe conditions result in incidents or accidents. QUALITY ASSURANCE Quality Assurance, by contrast, evaluates whether the entire management system consistently produces safe outcomes, identifies trends, verifies the effectiveness of policies and risk controls, and continually improves organizational performance. Under the CAR SMS, these two e...