What first article inspection proves
First article inspection (FAI) shows that a production process can make a part that meets every requirement on the drawing. In aerospace, the format is set by AS9102, and the current Rev C was published in July 2023 (GNDCTL). For a quality inspector, the FAI report (FAIR) is the most scrutinized document you will produce.
What changed in Rev C
According to GNDCTL, Rev C:
- Renamed several Form 1 fields.
- Removed the Form 2 signature.
- Added a requirement field to capture embedded software.
- Requires the reviewer and approver to be different people.
- Requires the reason for full or partial FAI on every FAIR.
The three forms
| Form | Name | What the inspector records |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Part Number Accountability | Part number, revision, FAIR identifier, reason for full or partial FAI, part type and BOM detail (with sub-component FAIR references for assemblies), whether there is a nonconformance, reviewer and approver |
| Form 2 | Product Accountability | Each material, special process and functional test defined as a design characteristic, with spec number and revision, supplier and approval code, and a traceable certificate number |
| Form 3 | Characteristic Accountability, Verification and Compatibility Evaluation | One row per ballooned characteristic: reference location, designator (key and critical flagged), requirement as drawn, actual results, nonconformance reference |
Ballooning: do it first and do it completely
GNDCTL’s advice is to balloon the drawing before touching Form 3. Every dimension, tolerance, note, GD&T frame and flag note gets one unique balloon, which becomes one characteristic number and one Form 3 row. Then reconcile: the highest characteristic number must equal the balloon count. Missing a balloon, or a flagged characteristic, is a common reason FAIRs are rejected.
Full, partial or delta
| Type | When | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Full FAI | First production of a new part | Every characteristic |
| Partial FAI | A change affects some characteristics | Only affected characteristics |
| Delta FAI | A partial FAI that references the original FAIR | Changed characteristics plus reference |
A new or delta FAIR is needed when a design, process, tooling or location change affects fit, form or function, and may also be needed after a production lapse if the customer specifies it. A new FAIR is not needed for each serial number (GNDCTL).
The mistakes that get FAIRs rejected
GNDCTL lists these as the most common:
- Inconsistency across the three forms: mismatched part numbers, revisions or FAIR IDs. The most frequent failure.
- “Pass” for measurable characteristics instead of actual values.
- Certificates to outdated spec revisions compared with the drawing.
- Non-customer-approved special process suppliers (Nadcap alone is not enough).
- “On file” instead of a certificate number.
- Missing flagged characteristics.
- The same person reviewing and approving the FAIR.
An inspector’s FAI routine
- Confirm drawing revision and part number with engineering.
- Balloon the drawing completely, including notes.
- Fill Form 3 with actual measured values; flag key and critical characteristics.
- Collect certificates; check each spec revision against the drawing and each special process supplier against the customer-approved list.
- Fill Form 2 with real certificate numbers.
- Complete Form 1, including reason for FAI.
- Reconcile part number, revision and FAIR ID across all three forms.
- Hand to a reviewer who is not the approver.
Who you work with
- Quality engineers: drawing interpretation and FAI planning.
- Machinists and operators: production of the first article.
- Supplier quality: certificates and special process approvals.
- Metrology: measurement methods and calibrated equipment.
- Customer source inspectors: FAI acceptance.
Checklist
- Drawing revision confirmed
- Every characteristic ballooned and reconciled to Form 3
- Actual values recorded for measurable characteristics
- Certificates match drawing spec revisions
- Special process suppliers customer-approved
- Part identity consistent across forms
- Reviewer and approver are different people
How AskDona helps
FAIR rejections usually come from small inconsistencies across many pages. AskDona reads the drawing, the three forms and the certificates together and flags mismatched part numbers or revisions, missing characteristics and certificates to the wrong specification revision, with page citations. Run a sample FAIR consistency check on your last rejected FAIR. AskDona shows the evidence; your inspectors and quality engineers decide.
Editor’s note: AS9102 is a copyrighted SAE/IAQG standard; this article summarizes an industry guide rather than the standard’s text. Customer requirements may add to AS9102. The LinkedIn count was supplied by the client.
FAQ
What is the current revision of AS9102? Rev C, published July 2023.
What are the three AS9102 forms? Form 1 Part Number Accountability, Form 2 Product Accountability, Form 3 Characteristic Accountability.
What is the difference between partial and delta FAI? A delta FAI is a partial FAI that references the original FAIR.
Can the same person review and approve a FAIR? No. Rev C requires different people.
References
All pages opened and checked by October 23, 2026.
| Source | Type | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| GNDCTL: How to fill out AS9102 forms (updated Oct 14, 2026) | Industry guide | Rev C changes, forms, ballooning, FAI types, common mistakes |