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FAI scope

Delta FAI: AS9102 glossary definition

Delta FAI is a common shop term for a partial First Article Inspection focused on the differences from a previously approved baseline FAIR.

Updated July 3, 2026

What Delta FAI means

Delta FAI is a common shop term for a partial First Article Inspection focused on the differences from a previously approved baseline FAIR.

The term is useful in conversation, but the AS9102 package still has to document the formal FAI type, reason, affected characteristics, and evidence needed for release.

Use this term as a review cue: it should help connect a drawing requirement, specification, certificate, result, or approval field to the evidence a customer will inspect. If the purchase order or customer portal uses stricter wording, follow that controlled source instead of this glossary entry.

Where it appears in AS9102

Delta scope usually maps to Form 1 partial FAI status and to the subset of Form 2 or Form 3 rows affected by a drawing, process, tooling, source, or lapse trigger.

In an Articul review, this term is treated as part of the traceability path from source drawing or flowed requirement to form field, evidence, validation issue, and final approval. Use the AS9102 standard text as the controlled source, and use this glossary to clarify reviewer-facing meaning before export. When the term is ambiguous, keep the reviewer note close to the row or field it affects.

Review notes

  • Use the baseline FAIR and change record together. The reviewer should be able to see exactly what changed and why the selected rows are enough.
  • Do not let delta FAI become an undocumented engineering judgment. The package needs traceable evidence for the chosen scope.
  • Keep wording, units, identifiers, and attachment names consistent across the drawing, Forms 1-3, evidence files, and any customer portal submission.
AS9102 Forms 1-3 guideField-by-field hub for the complete FAIR packageFull vs partial FAIDecision flowchart for baseline and delta FAIR scopeFAI checklistPre-release AS9102 package review list
Partial FAIA partial FAI is an AS9102 First Article Inspection limited to the characteristics, material, process, or records affected by a qualifying change from an approved baseline FAIR.Baseline FAIRA baseline FAIR is the approved reference FAIR used to judge whether later changes can be handled through a partial or delta First Article Inspection.Full FAIA full FAI is an AS9102 First Article Inspection that accounts for the complete applicable design baseline, rather than only the changes from a previous approved FAIR.

FAQ

What does Delta FAI mean in an AS9102 FAIR?

Delta FAI is a common shop term for a partial First Article Inspection focused on the differences from a previously approved baseline FAIR. Use the baseline FAIR and change record together. The reviewer should be able to see exactly what changed and why the selected rows are enough.

Source notes

This Articul glossary entry is based on the public AS9102 field matrix used in product validation and on the internal review patterns linked from the related guides. It is not a replacement for purchased AS9102 text, customer requirements, or purchase order flowdowns.

Changelog

July 3, 2026: Published the first Delta FAI glossary entry with DefinedTerm, FAQPage, and BreadcrumbList schema plus links to related AS9102 guides and terms.

Keep the FAIR review tied to the print

Articul pre-fills Forms 1-3 from the print and routes anything uncertain to you, including drawing notes and title-block fields, while preserving source traceability for review.

Upload a drawing

Hosted upload is for non-controlled drawings only. Do not upload export-controlled (ITAR/EAR) technical data to hosted; ask about self-host.