First Article Inspection (FAI) is the process of planning, manufacturing, and verifying a production process. In the aerospace and defense industries in the U.S., most companies conduct AS9102 First Article Inspections. Other industries also use inspections to validate their manufacturing processes, but the format and when in the production process they are completed vary from company to company.
A First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) is the document that certifies that each sample was produced and inspected according to the customer’s specifications.