How to fill in AS9102 Form 1 of the FAI
The quality manager of an aerospace subcontractor has to submit the FAI package for a machined housing to the customer’s inspector. Form 1 brings together the part references, the assembly history and the sign-offs. The slightest mismatch between the drawing number and the purchase order blocks the whole delivery from being recorded.
Step-by-step guide: filling in AS9102 Form 1 without customer rejection
A complete method for filling in Form 1 of the first article inspection, with the list of fields and an example.
| Field number | AS9102 field title | Information required | Example entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field 1 | Part Number | Exact reference of the part produced | CRT-88402-A |
| Field 2 | Part Name | Name of the part as written | Upper pump housing |
| Field 3 | Serial Number | Individual serial number of the part | SN-2026-0041 |
| Field 4 | FAIR Identifier | Unique identifier of the FAI report | FAI-2026-CRT-01 |
| Field 5 | Part Revision Level | Revision of the part | B |
| Field 6 | Drawing Number | Number of the design drawing | PL-88402 |
| Field 7 | Drawing Revision Level | Revision of the drawing used for manufacture | Revision B |
| Field 8 | Additional Changes | Changes outside the drawing (concession, change notice) | None |
| Field 9 | Manufacturing Process Reference | Routing / work instruction number | GAM-USIN-0442 |
| Field 10 | Organization Name | Manufacturer’s company name | Usinage Précision Sud |
| Field 11 | Supplier Code | Supplier code assigned by the customer | F-20431 |
| Field 12 | Purchase Order Number | Customer purchase order number | BC-77120 |
| Field 13 | Detail / Assembly | Single part or assembly | Detail |
| Field 14 | Full / Partial FAI | Full or partial FAI, with the reason | Full FAI, first article |
Identifying the parts and tracing drawing revisions
Form 1 (Part Number Accountability) is the official birth certificate of the first article produced under SAE AS9102.
Field 1 must hold the exact part number as it appears on the customer’s purchase order.
Field 7 asks for the revision of the drawing in force during manufacture; Field 5 holds the revision of the part itself, often the same. If the drawing moved from revision A to revision B while the prototype was being made, the FAI package must be based on revision B.
Any omission or unauthorised abbreviation gets the package rejected immediately by the customer’s quality assurance department.
To check the requirements for characteristic readings, see our article on filling in AS9102 Form 3.
Sub-assemblies and the documentation package
If the inspected part is an assembly, the lower section of Form 1 (fields 15 to 18) must list every component built into it.
Each component appears with its part number (Field 15), its name (Field 16), its type (Field 17) and the identifier of its own FAI report (Field 18), when it has one.
Standard parts (fasteners, standard O-rings) must be listed with their standard number and their certificate of conformity.
Keeping this table rigorously guarantees upward traceability in the event of an in-flight incident or a failure investigation.
Example: Form 1 for an electronics housing
A quality technician fills in Form 1 for a flight computer housing machined from solid aluminium alloy.
The part is referenced BE-770-01, produced at revision C under purchase order BC-99410.
- Field 1 (Part Number): BE-770-01.
- Field 2 (Part Name): Lower computer housing.
- Field 3 (Serial Number): S004.
- Field 4 (FAIR Identifier): FAI-BE770-004.
- Field 5 (Part Revision Level): C.
- Field 7 (Drawing Revision Level): C.
- Field 9 (Manufacturing Process Reference): FO-2026-088.
- Field 12 (Purchase Order Number): BC-99410.
Verdict: the entries match the shop traveller and the design drawing 100%. Form 1 is approved and signed by the metrology manager, to be attached to the final FAI package.
Common pitfalls that get Form 1 rejected
The first pitfall is revision levels that don’t match between the drawing title block, the routing and Form 1. A single letter of difference between the drawing revision and the one on the order suspends qualification.
The second is a missing authorised signature in the final approval fields: verification and approval of the report (Fields 20 and 21), then customer approval (Field 22) where required. A Form 1 sent without the name, date and signature of the designated quality manager is void. Field 19, just before, states whether the report contains a documented nonconformance.
The third comes from forgetting to state “Full FAI” or “Partial FAI” (Field 14). After a minor drawing change, Form 1 must say whether it is a full qualification or a partial update referring to the previous report.
To produce inspection packages that meet aerospace requirements without errors, CoteCote automates data extraction and exports the forms, as shown on the inspection export section.