First Article Inspection (FAI) is the mandatory full verification of the first production unit of a new or changed part — every dimension, material property, and special process on the engineering drawing is checked before volume production is authorized. This program's FAI was performed against AS9102 (Aerospace First Article Inspection Requirement).
Why it exists: a production run of hundreds of wing panels is only as good as the tooling and process that made the first one. FAI catches a systemic tooling or process error before it is baked into every downstream part, instead of after — this is the core of the Program CBA's cost-avoidance case.
FAI Checklist — CWP-700, Panel S/N 0001
| # | Verification Item | Owner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Part number / revision matches released engineering drawing | M. Osei | Pass |
| 2 | Full dimensional layout — 100% of drawing characteristics measured (CMM + hand tools) | M. Osei | Pass |
| 3 | Material certification traceable to raw material lot (composite prepreg batch) | S. Pham | Pass |
| 4 | Special process records — autoclave cure cycle, NDT ultrasonic scan | L. Vance | Pass |
| 5 | Functional test results (where applicable) | M. Osei | N/A — no functional test required this part |
| 6 | Nonconformance disposition records, if any characteristics were out of tolerance | R. Kessler | 1 nonconformance — see MRB-001 |
| 7 | AS9102 Form 1/2/3 package complete and signed | R. Kessler | Pass |
| 8 | Customer (Meridian) source inspection witness / delegation | C. Tyrrell | Witnessed on-site |
What happened on this program
The initial tooling run (S/N 0001) found an edge-trim dimension out of tolerance on 2 of 8 panel positions (RAIDD I-01). Rather than fail the FAI outright, the nonconformance was dispositioned through the Material Review Board as rework-and-reinspect. The reworked panel passed full FAI re-verification and Meridian's source inspection representative witnessed and accepted the result on site, releasing Phase 2 production.
Gate to production
Production volume (Phase 2) does not start until the FAI package is complete, all nonconformances are dispositioned, and the customer source inspection sign-off is on file. A re-triggered FAI (partial or full) is required if the part design, process, tooling, or material source changes after the original FAI — the same discipline AS9102 requires industry-wide.