In aerospace, "good enough" is not a quality strategy.
A part can be beautifully made and still be noncompliant if it was not produced under the right controls, to the right design data, with the right approvals and records.
That is why 14 CFR Part 21 matters. It governs FAA certification procedures for products and articles, including design approvals, production approvals, airworthiness certificates, and related approvals.
For aerospace manufacturers, compliance starts long before final inspection. It begins with design data, configuration control, approved processes, supplier requirements, production planning, inspections, tests, and records.
The hurdle is that aerospace manufacturing is deeply interconnected. Engineering changes, customer requirements, supplier processes, special processes, inspection criteria, and serialized parts all need to stay aligned.
A small disconnect can create a big issue.
Wrong revision? Problem. Missing inspection evidence? Problem. Supplier process change without approval? Problem. Nonconformance disposition not tied to approved data? Problem.
What manufacturers should pay attention to:
The most important question is not "Did we make the part correctly?" It is "Can we prove we made the approved configuration, using approved methods, under an approved system?"
Bottom line: In aerospace, quality is not just what you produce. It is how confidently you can prove conformity.