What is a FAIR number on Form 1?

The FAIR (First Article Inspection Report) number is a unique identifier you assign to the report. It must be consistent across Forms 1, 2 and 3 and is referenced in sub-tier and customer correspondence, so use a traceable scheme such as supplier code, part number and date.

How to fill AS9102 Form 1: part number accountability done right.

Q: When do you need a full FAI versus a partial FAI on Form 1?

Per AS9102, a full FAI is required for a new part or a major change. A partial FAI applies when only some characteristics are affected, for example after a minor design change or a process move; Form 1 has a field to indicate full or partial and a reason.

FAI / Aerospace June 26, 2026 11 min read 1,900 words

Form 1 is the cover sheet auditors read first — and the one they reject fastest. It looks like simple paperwork, but a wrong revision, a missing sub-part, or an inconsistent FAIR number sends the whole First Article Inspection back before anyone even looks at your measurements.

What AS9102 Form 1 actually does

AS9102 (current revision Rev C) defines three forms for a First Article Inspection Report. Form 1 is Part Number Accountability. Its job is to identify the part unambiguously and to prove that every detail part and sub-assembly inside the product has been accounted for. Form 2 covers materials and special processes; Form 3 lists each dimensional characteristic. Form 1 is the index that ties the package together.

Think of it as the title block of the entire FAI. If a reviewer cannot match the part number, drawing revision and FAIR number across all three forms in ten seconds, they stop reading. In my 14 years running plants, more first submissions failed on Form 1 housekeeping than on any measurement.

Every field on Form 1, explained

The official AS9102 Form 1 has 20+ numbered fields. Here is what each group means and where people slip.

Field	What goes in it	Watch out for
1. Part Number	Exact part number from the drawing	Include the dash/suffix; match Forms 2 & 3
2. Part Name	Nomenclature from the title block	Use the drawing wording, not your shop name
3. Serial Number	Serial of the actual first article part	Must trace to the physical part measured
4. FAIR Number	Your unique report identifier	Same number on all three forms
5. Part Revision Level	Revision of the part	Must equal the level you actually built
6. Drawing Number	Controlling drawing number	Often differs from part number
7. Drawing Revision Level	Revision of that drawing	Mismatch with Form 3 is an instant reject
8. Additional Changes	ECOs/deviations incorporated	List approved changes, not pending ones
9. Manufacturing Process Ref	Router/traveller number	Ties FAI to the production route
10. Organization Name	Your company and code	Use the customer-recognised supplier code
11. Supplier Code	Customer-assigned code	Blank here triggers a query
12. P.O. Number	Purchase order reference	Confirm rev on PO matches built rev
13. Detail / Assembly FAI	Tick which this report is	Drives whether Fields 14-17 apply
14-17. Sub-assembly list	Every detail part and its FAIR	Missing a sub-part is the #1 rejection
18. Full / Partial FAI	Type of FAI and reason	Partial needs a written reason
19-23. Signatures	Prepared / reviewed / approved	Unsigned = not a valid FAI

FAIR numbering that survives an audit

The FAIR number seems trivial until you have fifty of them. A traceable scheme prevents duplicate or orphaned reports. A scheme that works:

Supplier code + part number + sequence, for example SUP1234-7421560-001.
Bump the final sequence for each re-FAI (a process move, a revision change) so history stays visible.
Use the identical string in Field 4 of Form 1, the header of Form 2, and the header of Form 3.

One FAIR number, three forms The fastest way to fail a desk review is three forms carrying three slightly different FAIR numbers. Set the number once, copy it everywhere, and never hand-type it twice.

Accounting for the product structure

For an assembly FAI, Fields 14–17 must list every detail part and sub-assembly, each with its own part number, revision and FAIR number. This is the "accountability" the form is named for: the customer is confirming that nothing in the build went un-inspected.

Two rules keep this clean:

Roll up from the BOM, not from memory. Start with the released bill of materials and tick each line off against a FAIR. A 30-part assembly with 29 listed sub-FAIs gets rejected on the missing one.
Reference sub-tier FAIs. If a casting, forging or special process came from another supplier, their FAIR is referenced here. No sub-tier FAI, no accountability.

If you are pulling that parts list from a 3D model, a browser tool such as CadNexa's auto-ballooning and STEP viewer can export the BOM and balloon the drawing, so the characteristic numbers on your Form 3 line up with the structure you declare on Form 1.

Full FAI vs partial FAI

Field 18 asks whether this is a full or partial FAI. Per AS9102:

Full FAI — a brand-new part, the first production run, or a major change affecting form, fit or function. Every characteristic is verified.
Partial FAI — only the affected characteristics are re-verified, for example after a minor drawing change, a tooling change, a lapse of two years in production, or a manufacturing-location move. You must state the reason in the field.

"Partial" without a reason is a reject Reviewers accept a partial FAI only when the reason is written and defensible. "Minor change" is not enough — cite the ECO number, the moved process, or the AS9102 trigger that applies.

The five Form 1 rejections auditors see most

Drawing revision mismatch. Form 1 says Rev C, Form 3 measured against Rev B. Instant return.
Missing sub-assembly line. One detail part absent from Fields 14–17.
FAIR number drift. Three forms, three numbers.
Unsigned approval block. A FAI without the reviewer signature is not a FAI.
Wrong supplier/PO reference. PO revision does not match the built revision.

Build Form 1 against a live checklist MetricMech's free AS9102 Form 1 builder walks each field, keeps the FAIR number consistent across forms, and flags a missing sub-assembly before you submit. Pair it with the FAI templates for Forms 2 and 3.

Once Form 1 is clean, the work moves to the data forms: Form 3 for every dimensional characteristic, and the wider package an OEM expects — covered in the PPAP guide for Indian OEMs and the first article inspection report walkthrough.

Rajadurai R

Founder, MetricMech & CadNexa · 14 years plant-head experience

Frequently asked questions

What is AS9102 Form 1 used for?

Form 1 is the Part Number Accountability sheet of an AS9102 First Article Inspection report. It identifies the part, its drawing and revision, the FAIR number, and lists every sub-assembly and detail part covered, so the customer can confirm the full product structure was inspected.

What is the difference between Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3?

Form 1 covers part number accountability and product structure. Form 2 records materials, special processes and functional testing with certification references. Form 3 lists every dimensional characteristic with its requirement and measured result.

What is a FAIR number?

The FAIR (First Article Inspection Report) number is a unique identifier you assign to the report. It must be consistent across Forms 1, 2 and 3, so use a traceable scheme such as supplier code, part number and sequence.

When is a partial FAI allowed?

A partial FAI applies when only some characteristics are affected — for example after a minor design change, a tooling change, a two-year production lapse, or a manufacturing-location move. Form 1 Field 18 requires you to state the reason.