Aircraft supplier Lee Aerospace has earned the new Nadcap Aero Structure Assembly accreditation, becoming the first company to receive the credential that recognizes a standardized approach to quality assurance and limits redundant audits in the aerospace industry. “As an active member of Nadcap, when the opportunity to be the first company for accreditation in a pilot program presented itself, we jumped at the chance,” said Lee Aerospace director of quality Tommy Howland.

The accreditation audit, which was performed September 10-14 at Lee Aerospace, encompassed areas such as fastening, electrical bonding, bushing and bearing installation, and sealing of aerospace assemblies and components. The scope and criteria for the audit and accreditation were developed by a Nadcap task group that included representatives from companies such as Northrop Grumman, Spirit AeroSystems, Airbus, and BAE Systems.

Based in Wichita, Lee Aerospace is an FAA Part 145 repair station and operates from more than 150,000 sq ft of facilities, supplying windows, parts, and aerostructures to aircraft OEMs. Nadcap is a program that brings together technical experts from government and industry to improve quality assurance and reduce costs throughout the aerospace industry and is administered by the nonprofit Performance Review Institute.