AS9102 Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 explained
A First Article Inspection Report is not one document. AS9102 defines three forms, and they answer three different questions about the same part. This page explains what each one is for, so you know which form you are looking at and which one you need.
The three forms at a glance
| Form | Title | Answers the question |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | Part Number Accountability | Is this the right part, at the right revision, and what does the report cover? |
| Form 2 | Product Accountability | Is it made from the right material, using the right special processes, with the right certifications? |
| Form 3 | Characteristic Accountability | Was every design characteristic actually measured, and what were the results? |
Titles as given in the standard. The three-form structure is retained across Rev B and Rev C.
Form 1 — Part Number Accountability
Form 1 identifies what is being inspected. It carries the part number and name, the drawing or specification number and its revision level, the serial number or lot where applicable, and the organisation performing the inspection.
Its job is identification and traceability. If a report is ever questioned, Form 1 is what ties the package to a specific configuration of a specific part.
Form 2 — Product Accountability
Form 2 covers the material and process side: the raw material specification and its certification, and the special processes the part has been through — heat treat, plating, anodising, welding, bonding or NDT among them.
For each, it holds the specification, the processor and the certification reference. This is the form that answers “was this made correctly” rather than “was it measured correctly”.
Form 3 — Characteristic Accountability
Form 3 is the large one, and usually the one people mean when they talk about the burden of a first article inspection. It lists every design characteristic from the ballooned drawing or model, and for each one records the requirement, the tolerances, the measured result, the pass or fail determination, and the inspection method and equipment used.
On a complex machined part this can run to hundreds of rows. On a simple bracket it might be a dozen. Either way, Form 3 is where the dimensional data lives, and it is the form that gets retyped most often. See the Form 3 field reference.
How the three fit together
They are not alternatives. A complete report contains all three, plus the ballooned drawing that Form 3 refers back to. They share a part number and revision, and Form 3’s characteristic numbering ties back to the balloon numbers on the drawing.
If you are looking at one form, you are looking at a fragment. A submission missing Form 2, or Form 3 with no ballooned drawing behind it, is a common reason packages come back.
Which form do you actually need to work on?
- New part, first submission — all three.
- A design change affecting only some dimensions — often a partial FAI, which usually means Form 3 updated for the affected characteristics and referencing the original baseline. More on full versus partial.
- A material or processor change — usually Form 2.
- Someone asked for “the inspection results” — that is Form 3.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 in AS9102?
Form 1 is Part Number Accountability and identifies the part and its configuration. Form 2 is Product Accountability and covers material and special process certifications. Form 3 is Characteristic Accountability and lists every design characteristic with its requirement, tolerance, measured result and pass or fail determination.
Does a first article inspection report need all three forms?
A complete report contains all three forms plus the ballooned drawing that Form 3 refers to. Partial FAIs are used in defined situations and typically reference an earlier baseline report rather than restating everything.
Which AS9102 form holds the measured values?
Form 3, Characteristic Accountability. It carries nominal values, tolerances, actual measured results, pass or fail determinations, and the inspection method and equipment used.
Did the three-form structure change between Rev B and Rev C?
No. The Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3 structure is retained. Rev C refines definitions and form instructions rather than replacing the structure.
Sources
- IAQG — AS9102 forms and supporting form instructions
- Connect981 — Differences between AS9102 Rev B and Rev C
- SAE International — AS9102C, Aerospace First Article Inspection
Standards are revised. Always work from the current published edition of AS9102 from SAE International. This page is orientation only and is not a substitute for the standard.