Guide
How do you read the three AS9102 first article inspection forms, and what can a non-aerospace buyer borrow?
AS9102 first article inspection is the aerospace standard method, published by SAE, for proving that the first production part matches every requirement on the design record, documented on three forms: part accountability, materials and processes, and characteristic results. A non-aerospace buyer can borrow the structure (a ballooned drawing, a line for every characteristic, traceable material and process certificates, and clear re-inspection triggers) without requiring an aerospace quality system.
By Saola Manufacturing engineering team · Published · Updated
What a first article report should contain when you move a part to a new overseas supplier is covered in the first article inspection guide, and the larger automotive-style approval package is in the PPAP for non-automotive parts guide. This page reads the AS9102 forms themselves, field by field, so you can decide which parts to ask for.
On this page
What is AS9102, and which revision applies?
AS9102 is the SAE aerospace standard that establishes the requirements for performing and documenting first article inspection; the current revision is AS9102C, published June 2023. Its requirements add to, and do not replace, the customer's own requirements.
The SAE record lists the revisions as the original issue of August 2000, Revision A in 2004, Revision B in 2014 and Revision C in 2023, and its scope states that the requirements are complementary, not alternative, to customer and regulatory requirements (SAE AS9102C record). In practice that means an aerospace prime usually adds its own guideline on top. GKN Aerospace, for example, publishes a supplier guideline on recurring report mistakes, written to Revision B, which states that the report must comply with AS9102 and that suppliers must also check customer requirements (GKN Aerospace FAIR common mistakes, 2022).
The standard itself is a paid SAE document, so the field descriptions below come from open customer guidance and general practice, not from the standard's text. If your contract names a revision, use the forms from that revision.
What does each of the three forms record?
Form 1 identifies the part and says whether this is a full or partial first article, Form 2 lists the materials, special processes and functional tests with their certificates, and Form 3 lists every characteristic with its requirement, measured result and method. The ballooned drawing ties Form 3 to the print.
The table summarizes the forms as an open customer guideline describes them, and adds what a non-aerospace buyer typically keeps from each.
| Form | What it records | Common rejection reasons in customer guidance | Worth borrowing outside aerospace? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 1: part number accountability | Part number and revision, drawing number and revision, supplier, full or partial FAI, reason for a partial, completion status, signature and date | Revision not the latest affecting the part; partial FAI without a detailed reason | Yes: part, drawing revision, full or partial and why |
| Form 2: product accountability (materials, special processes, functional tests) | Each material, special process and test, its specification, the source, and a traceable certificate number | Missing certificate numbers; specification revision not stated; unapproved process source | Yes: material and finish certificates with specification revision |
| Form 3: characteristic accountability | Every drawing characteristic and note, the requirement, the actual result, the tool or method used | Drawing notes skipped; position reported as raw coordinates instead of the actual positional value | Yes: one numbered line per balloon |
| Supporting data | Ballooned drawing or model snapshot, measurement reports, certificates | Balloon numbers that do not match Form 3 | Yes: the ballooned drawing is the key document |
How should Form 3 be read and checked?
Read Form 3 against the ballooned drawing: every balloon should have one line, every note should be addressed, and every result should be an actual value compared with the stated requirement. Results such as OK or a bare tick are a weak record.
The GKN guideline asks that all drawing notes and characteristics be addressed on the report, with notes that do not apply marked N/A, and it says that for a positional tolerance the results shall show the actual positional value, not raw coordinate data (GKN Aerospace guideline). That second point matters on any drawing with true position: ask for the computed position value per the feature control frame, not a list of X and Y readings. The true position guide shows the calculation.
When reviewing a Form 3, check four things. The balloon count matches the drawing. Each requirement is copied correctly, including the tolerance and any modifier. Each result is a number with the right resolution, or a clear attribute result for go/no-go gauges. The method column names an instrument that can actually resolve the tolerance. The ballooned drawing guide covers numbering conventions.
When is a full, partial or new first article required?
A full first article is done on the first production run; a partial or new one is done for the affected characteristics when the design, source, process, location, tooling, materials or NC program changes, or after a long production lapse. Form 1 records which type it is and why.
The GKN guideline lists the triggers it expects suppliers to apply: design changes affecting fit, form or function; a change in manufacturing source, process, inspection method, location of manufacture, tooling or materials; a change in the NC program; implementation of a corrective action to complete an earlier incomplete report; and a lapse in production of two years as defined in AS9102 (GKN Aerospace guideline).
These triggers are the most useful thing a non-aerospace buyer can borrow. Writing them into a purchase order or quality agreement means you are told when a supplier moves your part to another machine, changes bar source or edits the program, instead of finding out from a field failure. The engineering change notice guide covers the change-control side.
What can a non-aerospace buyer ask for without an aerospace flowdown?
Ask for an AS9102-style report: the three-form structure, a ballooned drawing, actual results for every characteristic, certificates with specification revisions, and the re-inspection triggers. Do not ask for full aerospace accountability, such as approved-source lists, unless your own customer requires it.
A practical RFQ line: FIRST ARTICLE: AS9102-STYLE REPORT (FORMS 1–3 OR EQUIVALENT) WITH BALLOONED DRAWING. ACTUAL VALUES FOR ALL CHARACTERISTICS. MATERIAL AND FINISH CERTIFICATES WITH SPECIFICATION AND REVISION. NEW OR PARTIAL FAI ON CHANGE OF SOURCE, PROCESS, LOCATION, TOOLING, MATERIAL OR PROGRAM.
Leave out what only makes sense in a regulated aerospace chain: customer-assigned supplier codes, qualified-product-list checks, and approved special-process sources. Asking for those from a general machining supplier mostly adds paperwork and cost without changing the part. If your part has a few critical dimensions, say which balloons need extra data, such as several parts measured rather than one.
How is first article inspection handled on a Saola order?
Every new part gets a first-article inspection report, and every lot gets a dimensional inspection record. Saola does not hold an aerospace quality management system registration, and ISO 9001 certification is in progress, so AS9102 is offered only as a report format, not as an aerospace-quality approval.
Parts are machined on the lead plant's CNC turning and CNC milling lines, and the inspection setup described on the quality page includes a 2D optical measuring instrument, a height gauge and a hardness tester. There is no coordinate measuring machine, so features that need one are raised at drawing review.
If you want the first article on AS9102-style forms, say so in the RFQ; the format and the characteristics needing extra data are agreed before quoting. Material certification is available on request. Send the drawing for a quote with the first article requirement written out.
Frequently asked
Is an AS9102 report the same as a PPAP?
No. AS9102 documents one first article against the design record; a PPAP adds process evidence such as capability studies, control plans and a submission warrant. The PPAP guide compares them.
Does a first article prove the process is capable?
No. It shows one part, or a few, met every requirement. Capability needs a run of parts and statistical data, which is a separate request.
Who should sign the forms?
The supplier's responsible inspector or quality person signs and dates each form. If your contract requires your own review or approval, add a line for it.
Can the forms be electronic?
Yes, many customers accept electronic forms and signatures. Agree the format and whether you need native measurement files or a PDF before the first article is run.
Do I need a new FAI if only the finish supplier changes?
Under the AS9102 approach a change of process source is a trigger for a partial first article covering the affected characteristics, usually the finish thickness, appearance and any fit affected by the coating.
Sources
- SAE AS9102C, Aerospace Series – Requirements for First Article Inspection (record, scope and revision history), SAE International, June 2023
- AS9102 First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) Common Mistakes, Revision A, GKN Aerospace supplier guideline, March 2022