Guide · First article inspection · FAI paperwork
AS9102 first article inspection report: Forms 1, 2 and 3 explained
An AS9102 first article inspection report is three forms that together prove one thing: the first part off a new process matches every requirement on the drawing, and you can show where each number came from. The measuring is often the easy part. Packets get bounced for paperwork reasons: a wrong revision, a note nobody ballooned, a cert number left off. This guide walks through each form, shows an example part, and lists the mistakes that send a packet back.
Rather not build the packet yourself? Call or text 508-343-1219, or send the print through the quote form. Doing it in-house? Start with our free AS9102-style forms kit.
The three forms
What each form is for
| Form | What it proves | What goes on it |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1: Part number accountability | Which part, which drawing, which revision, and whether this is a full or partial FAI. | Part number and name, serial or lot, FAI report number, drawing number and revision, any additional design changes, manufacturing process reference, your organization and supplier code, PO number, detail or assembly, full or partial (with the reason), signature and date. Assemblies also list the subassembly and detail part numbers. |
| Form 2: Product accountability | That the right material went in and the right outside processes were done by the right people. | Each material, special process (heat treat, plating, anodize, passivation, NDT and so on) and functional test, with its specification number, the processor's supplier code where your customer requires an approved source, and the certificate of conformance or test report number that backs it up. |
| Form 3: Characteristic accountability | That every design requirement on the drawing was checked, and what the result was. | One line per ballooned characteristic: balloon number, drawing location (sheet and zone), whether it is a key or critical characteristic, the requirement with its tolerance, the actual result, the tooling or gage used where it matters, and a nonconformance report number for anything out. |
Your customer's purchase order decides which revision of the standard applies and whether they want their own forms instead. Check the PO and its quality clauses before you start, not after.
Example part
Walking one part through the forms
This is an example for illustration, not a real customer job. Say the part is a 6061-T6 aluminum bracket, drawing revision C, with two reamed holes on a true-position callout, a tapped hole, Type II black anodize, and a title block that says “break all sharp edges .005–.015” and “unless otherwise specified, ±.005”.
- Balloon the drawing first. Every dimension gets a number, and so does every requirement that is not a dimension: the material callout, the anodize spec, the thread callout, the edge-break note, the general tolerance block, and any flag notes. On a simple bracket that is easily 30 or more balloons, not the dozen dimensions you see at a glance.
- Form 1. Part number and revision C exactly as they appear on the drawing and the PO. It is a full FAI because it is a new part. Reference the traveler or router you built it on.
- Form 2. Two lines at least. The 6061-T6 bar, with the material spec from the drawing and the mill cert number. The Type II anodize, with its spec, the anodizer's name or supplier code, and their cert number. If the customer has an approved-processor list, the anodizer needs to be on it.
- Form 3. One line per balloon. The hole positions get their actual measured position values, not “OK”. The tapped hole gets “conforms” with the go/no-go thread gage named. The edge-break note gets its own line with how it was checked. Anything out of tolerance gets an NCR number, not a quiet re-measure.
- Sign and cross-check. Before it goes out, count balloons against Form 3 lines, check every cert number on Form 2 against the actual paperwork in the box, and confirm the revision matches on the drawing, Form 1 and the PO.
What bounces a packet
Eight mistakes that get an FAI sent back
- Revision mismatch. The drawing, Form 1 and the PO don't all say the same revision.
- Notes not ballooned. General tolerances, edge breaks, finish, marking and flag notes are design requirements too.
- “PASS” where a number belongs. Measured characteristics need the actual value. Pass/fail alone gives the customer nothing to review.
- No gage named on attribute checks. “Conforms” on a thread with no gage listed invites a question.
- Missing cert numbers on Form 2. Every material and special process needs the paperwork reference that backs it up.
- Unapproved special processor. If the customer requires approved sources for plating, heat treat or NDT, using someone off the list can sink the whole FAI.
- Partial FAI with no reason. A delta FAI should say what changed and point back to the last full FAI.
- Out-of-tolerance results with no NCR. A nonconformance needs a report number and a disposition, not a blank.
Want to know what the inspection side costs before you commit? See what drives first article inspection cost.
How we can help
FAI paperwork prep, quoted per part number
Send the print, the PO quality requirements and your certs, and we can balloon the drawing and prepare Forms 1 to 3 on AS9102-style forms or your customer's own layout, scoped and quoted per part number before any work starts.
Honest limits: we inspect to the drawing. We don't claim ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, AS9100 certification or ITAR registration, and this isn't a gage calibration lab. Results are measurement / pre-check reports, and your QA keeps final sign-off. If your customer requires accredited calibration or a certified FAI, we can help you route it to an accredited lab.
FAQ
AS9102 FAI reports: straight answers
What is an AS9102 first article inspection report?
It is the standard aerospace format for documenting a first article inspection. It has three forms: Form 1 (part number accountability) identifies the part, drawing and revision; Form 2 (product accountability) lists the materials, special processes and functional tests with their cert or report numbers; and Form 3 (characteristic accountability) lists every ballooned characteristic on the drawing with its requirement and actual result.
What is the difference between a full and a partial FAI?
A full FAI covers every characteristic on the drawing. A partial FAI, sometimes called a delta FAI, covers only the characteristics affected by a change, such as a new drawing revision, a process or tooling change, or a move to a new machine or location. Form 1 should say which one it is, and a partial FAI should state the reason and reference the earlier full FAI.
Can I write PASS or OK in the results column of Form 3?
For dimensions and other measured characteristics, customers usually expect the actual measured value, not just PASS or OK. Attribute checks, such as a go/no-go thread gage or a visual note, can be recorded as conforming, but name the gage or method used. Check your customer's requirements, since some spell this out.
Do notes and title-block tolerances need to be ballooned?
Usually yes. A full FAI is meant to account for every design requirement on the drawing, which includes drawing notes, flag notes, general tolerances, break-edge and finish notes, and material callouts, not just the dimensions with numbers next to them. Missed notes are one of the most common reasons a packet gets sent back.
Will you prepare my AS9102 packet?
We can prep FAI paperwork on AS9102-style forms or your customer's own layout, scoped per part number at quote, for your QA to review and sign. We inspect to the drawing; we do not claim ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation or AS9100 certification, and our results are measurement / pre-check reports. If your customer requires accredited calibration or a certified FAI, we can help you route it to an accredited lab.
Free FAI packet kit
AS9102-style Forms 1 to 3 that do the limit math, a ballooning checklist so no note gets missed, and a Gage R&R worksheet. Or have us prep the paperwork, quoted per part number, for your QA to review and sign.
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Send the print and PO requirements
Drawing and revision, the PO quality clauses, your material and process certs, and the deadline. We reply with scope and an estimated turnaround.
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