Comparison between EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) and ISO-9001

EASA PART-145 (JAR-145)
1). EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) is set of requirements for approval to be granted by European authorities to only commercial aircraft maintenance organisation, located in their member countries, and if the organisation is located outside EC, need for such approval has to be justified.
2). Purpose of EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) is to allow an organisation to perform maintenance of aircraft to a specified scope of work according to EASA approved procedures. (Not necessarily an indicator of level of quality)
3). EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) restrict the approved organisation to only carry out approved / allowed activity within approved scope of work.
4). EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) does not call for establishing a certain specific QMS for compliance. It states only requirements to be complied.
5). EASA PART-145 ((JAR-145) is stringent in requirements and means of their compliance's. Moreover, it is industry specific.
6). EASA PART-145 ((JAR-145) approval audit is conducted only by EASA nominated auditors.
7). EASA PART-145 ((JAR-145) requirements are revised and updates issued even twice a year and not after a specified period, compliance to latest updates sometimes.
8). EASA PART-145 ((JAR-145) maintenance organisation exposition (MOE), which is its Procedures manual has to fulfil very specific and stringent requirements and it is to be approved by EASA nominated authorities.
9). Primary objective of PART-145 approved organisations is to remain in compliance with authorities requirements and MOE procedures to satisfy the EASA designated Authorities.
10). EASA PART-145 ((JAR-145) requirements are the Law of Land of EU countries.
ISO 9001 2000:
1). ISO is an international standard based on 8 quality management principles, specifies requirements for a quality management system to be complied, for any organisation, or industry.
2). Purpose of ISO is to demonstrate that organisation has reached to a certain level of quality management. (An indicator of level of quality)
3). ISO never restrict you to perform any operation beyond your business scope.
4). ISO describes the specific QMS to be established and its compliance in detail.
5). ISO is relatively liberal/general in requirements and not industry specific.
6). ISO certification audits may be carried out by any ISO certification agency.
7). ISO-9001 standard updates are issued after a specified period of every 5 years and for conversion from an older version to the latest, a very comfortable grace period is allowed.
8). ISO-9001 standard requirement to prepare a Procedures manual is not strict/stringent to prior approval of the certification auditors.
9). Primary objective of ISO 9000 certified organisation is to promote their business through practising ISO QMS to fulfil their Customer's satisfaction.
10). ISO 9000-2000 is still a Quality Standard and its compliance & certification is Voluntary.
For the long-term goal of quality improvement, the standards such as EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) are going to be the aviation standards of the future.
Unlike ISO 9000 or MBNQA, EASA PART-145 (JAR-145) is an industry specific standard, its scope is narrow and it applies only to organisation engaged in the maintenance of commercial or aircraft components.