AS9102 Rev B vs Rev C: every change, form by form
Your customer's new purchase order says "FAI per AS9102 Rev C" — and your FAIR templates, work instructions and software exports were all built around Rev B. Before you panic: most of the standard survived intact. But Rev C did change field names, delete two signature blocks, redefine how partial FAIs are declared, and pull special processes and 3D model data explicitly into scope. If you submit a Rev B format package against a Rev C flow-down, a thorough reviewer will bounce it.
AS9102 Rev C was published on 28 June 2023 by SAE International and the IAQG, and it is harmonised internationally as EN 9102 in Europe and JISQ 9102 in Japan. Three years on, nearly every aerospace prime and tier-1 in India and abroad has updated its flow-downs. This post walks through exactly what changed from Rev B, form by form, and what you need to update on your side.
Why the IAQG revised the standard
The stated intent of Rev C was not to add paperwork. It was to strengthen three activities that Rev B treated lightly:
- FAI planning — deciding up front what the FAI must cover, which sub-tier FAIRs feed into it, and who evaluates it
- FAI evaluation — separating the person who prepares the FAIR from the person who approves it
- FAI re-accomplishment — clearer rules on when a full or partial (delta) FAI is triggered by a change
Rev C also aligns terminology with AS9100 and formally recognises digital product definition (DPD) — parts defined by a 3D model rather than a 2D drawing. If your design authority is a CAD model with PMI annotations, Rev C now tells you how characteristics from that model enter the FAIR.
The changes at a glance
| Area | Rev B | Rev C |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1, Field 14 | "Reason for Partial FAI" — filled only for partials | "Reason for Full / Partial FAI" — completed on every FAI |
| Form 1, Field 17 | "Part Serial Number" | "Part Type" — detail, sub-assembly, software, standard catalogue item, or COTS |
| Form 1, Field 18 | "FAIR Number" | "FAIR Identifier" |
| Form 1, Fields 19–22 | Prepared/approved signature fields | Restructured: Field 20 "FAIR Reviewed By", Field 22 "FAIR Approved/Reviewed By" — two different people |
| Form 2 signature | Field 14 signature required | Signature field removed |
| Form 3 signature | Field 14 signature required | Signature field removed; remaining fields renumbered |
| Special processes | Implicit | Explicitly in scope — FAIR or detailed CofC from the special processor |
| 3D model / DPD | Not addressed | Explicitly recognised as design authority |
Form 1: Part Number Accountability
Field 14 — reason must now always be stated
Under Rev B, Field 14 ("Reason for Partial FAI") was only completed when you submitted a partial. Rev C renames it "Reason for Full / Partial FAI" and requires an entry on every submission. For a full FAI you state the trigger — new part, new supplier, lapse in production of two years, process relocation. For a partial, you scope exactly which characteristics are affected. If you're unsure when a delta FAI applies, see our guide to delta and partial FAI triggers under Rev C.
Field 17 — Part Serial Number becomes Part Type
This is the change that trips up most templates. The old serial-number field is gone; Field 17 now classifies each item in the Fields 15–18 index as a detail part, sub-assembly, software, standard catalogue item, or COTS. Rev C also states explicitly that all BOM parts belonging to the assembly shall be listed in the Fields 15–18 section — no more quietly omitting the bought-out hardware.
Fields 18–22 — identifiers and the two-person rule
"FAIR Number" becomes "FAIR Identifier" (Field 18), acknowledging that many quality systems use alphanumeric or system-generated IDs. The sign-off block is restructured so that Field 20 ("FAIR Reviewed By") and Field 22 ("FAIR Approved/Reviewed By") must be different individuals. In a small shop where one QA engineer prepares and approves everything, this needs a real procedural fix — typically the plant head or a second qualified engineer takes the Field 22 role.
Form 2: Product Accountability
The visible change is the removal of the signature field (old Field 14). The substantive change is scope: Rev C states that the standard applies to suppliers performing special processes — heat treatment, plating, anodising, NDT, welding. The special processor can satisfy the requirement either by producing its own FAIR or by documenting the required characteristics and results on a detailed certificate of conformance. Either way, your Form 2 must reference that evidence. A bare one-line CofC from your plating vendor no longer covers you.
Form 3: Characteristic Accountability
Form 3 loses its signature field (old Field 14) and the remaining fields are renumbered — so if your work instructions reference Form 3 fields by number, they need updating. The characteristic rows themselves work the same way as Rev B: every design characteristic uniquely identified, requirement, result, and designation. Our walkthrough of AS9102 Forms 1, 2 and 3 covers the row-level mechanics in detail.
Digital product definition (DPD)
Rev C recognises that for many programs the 3D model — not a 2D drawing — is the design authority. Characteristics can come from model-based definition (MBD) annotations, and the FAIR must trace results back to those model characteristics with the same rigour as drawing balloons. Practically, most suppliers still receive a 2D PDF alongside the model, and the ballooned PDF remains the traceability backbone of the FAIR package.
Transition checklist for suppliers
- Check your flow-downs. Read the quality clauses on current POs. Most primes moved to Rev C during 2024–2025; some legacy programs still cite Rev B. The contract governs.
- Update your form templates. Rename Field 14 and Field 17–18 labels, restructure the Form 1 sign-off block, delete the Form 2/3 signature rows. If you use FAI software — Net-Inspect, DISCUS, InspectionXpert or CadNexa — confirm the export template says Rev C, not just "AS9102".
- Fix the two-person approval loop. Name who reviews and who approves in your FAI procedure, and make sure they're not the same person.
- Chase your special processors. Ask each one for either their own FAIR or a characteristic-level CofC. This takes weeks, not days — start before the customer asks.
- Retrain the team. A 30-minute session covering the field changes prevents the classic rejection: a Rev C header on a Rev B form layout.
For the authoritative text, buy the standard from SAE International or see the IAQG 9102 standard page. This post summarises the changes; the standard itself is the requirement.
How CadNexa handles Rev C
CadNexa's FAI Report Generator outputs the AS9102 Rev C form layout directly from a ballooned drawing — Part Type classification on Form 1, no signature rows on Forms 2 and 3, and the reason-for-FAI field on every report. You balloon the PDF once (Smart Detect finds the dimensions, Box+Balloon OCR reads values and tolerances), and the three forms are pre-populated with every characteristic. A 200-characteristic FAIR that took a day of Excel work comes together in under an hour — see how the 10-minute FAI workflow works.
Generate Rev C-format FAI reports from any PDF drawing
Balloon the drawing, pick AS9102 Rev C, and export Forms 1–3 pre-filled. Free tier available — no card required.
Try the FAI Generator — Free →Frequently asked questions
Is AS9102 Rev B still acceptable?
Only if your contract says so. The standard in force is whatever your customer flows down on the PO. Most aerospace primes and their Indian tier-1s (HAL, TASL, Bharat Forge aerospace divisions) completed the move to Rev C flow-downs by 2025, but legacy program POs citing Rev B remain valid until amended.
Do I need to redo existing FAIRs to the Rev C format?
No. A FAIR that was compliant when submitted stays valid. Rev C applies to new FAIs and to partial/delta FAIs triggered after the flow-down changes — the delta FAI itself is then documented in the Rev C format.
What is a FAIR Identifier?
It is the renamed Form 1 Field 18 — the unique ID of the FAI report. Rev C uses "Identifier" rather than "Number" because most quality systems generate alphanumeric IDs. Functionally it works exactly as before: it ties Forms 1, 2 and 3 and all attachments to one package.
Does Rev C require a ballooned drawing?
Like Rev B, it requires every design characteristic to be uniquely identified and traceable to its result — it does not mandate the balloon method by name. In practice, a ballooned drawing (or annotated 3D model for DPD parts) is what every customer expects to see in the package.
Can the same person prepare and approve the FAIR under Rev C?
No. Field 20 (FAIR Reviewed By) and Field 22 (FAIR Approved/Reviewed By) should be completed by different individuals. Small shops typically assign the second role to the plant head or a second qualified quality engineer.
For more tutorials on FAI, ballooning and inspection documentation, visit the CadNexa learning centre — or compare the aerospace and automotive approaches in AS9102 vs PPAP.