No. Aerospace suppliers are not automatically required to comply with AS9102 Rev C. Compliance depends on what is contractually required by your customer and what your own quality system and procedures specify.
When AS9102 Rev C typically applies
AS9102 is a standard for First Article Inspection (FAI). In practice, you are expected to comply with AS9102 Rev C when one or more of the following are true:
- The customer (prime or Tier 1) explicitly invokes AS9102 on the purchase order, statement of work, or quality clauses.
- Your customer’s quality requirements reference AS9102 and specifically call out Rev C.
- Your organization’s QMS procedures state that FAIs will be performed to AS9102 (and those procedures are the basis for your internal or external audits).
- You participate in a customer portal or digital FAI workflow (for example Net-Inspect) that has been updated to require Rev C forms and rules.
If none of these apply, you are not automatically required to use AS9102, and you are not forced to move from Rev B to Rev C unless your customer or internal procedures say so.
Contract and flowdown determine the obligation
In regulated aerospace supply chains, the controlling documents are contracts, POs, and associated quality clauses. These define:
- Whether FAI is required at all for a given part or assembly.
- Which standard applies (AS9102 vs. customer-specific FAI formats).
- Which revision (e.g., AS9102 Rev B vs. Rev C) and any customer-specific interpretations.
- Scope and exceptions such as standard parts, commercial off-the-shelf items, or lower-risk hardware.
Two similar parts for two different primes may have very different FAI expectations. You cannot safely generalize “all aerospace work must be AS9102 Rev C.” You need to treat this as a configuration-controlled requirement per customer, program, and sometimes per part family.
AS9100 vs. AS9102: related but not identical requirements
AS9100 (the aerospace QMS standard) expects that you control first article inspections in a structured way, but it does not itself force you to use AS9102 or a particular revision. Many primes use AS9102 as the default and flow it down, but that is a customer and industry practice, not a universal legal obligation.
If you are AS9100-certified, your auditor will look for:
- Evidence that you perform and control FAIs where required.
- Alignment between your documented procedures and your actual practice.
- Proper use of the standard you claim in your procedures (AS9102 Rev C if you say you follow Rev C).
They do not automatically require AS9102 Rev C unless it is part of your documented system or customer flowdown.
Common exceptions and edge cases
Even when AS9102 Rev C is invoked, it often does not apply to every item you ship:
- Standard parts / COTS: Many customers exempt standard hardware and catalog items. Check their quality clauses and the AS9102 exemption criteria.
- Simple build-to-print machining and sheet metal: Some customers accept reduced-scope FAI packages or their own forms instead of full AS9102, especially for low-risk parts. Others do not. It is customer-specific.
- Distributors and brokers: These organizations may not perform AS9102 FAIs themselves, but they may be required to collect and maintain FAI packages from upstream manufacturers.
- Repair and MRO work: First article expectations can be different for repair/overhaul vs. new production. AS9102 may not be the controlling standard for MRO unless specifically invoked.
Rev B vs. Rev C migration considerations
Many suppliers operate in brownfield environments with a mix of AS9102 Rev B and Rev C requirements depending on customer and program. Some realities to account for:
- Customer-by-customer transition: Some primes mandate Rev C on all new or changed parts; others are slower to transition and still accept Rev B FAIs. You may need to support both simultaneously.
- Legacy FAI packages: Existing, accepted FAIs built under Rev B are rarely reworked just to meet Rev C, unless a significant design or process change triggers a new or partial FAI and the customer explicitly requires Rev C going forward.
- System coexistence: Older PLM, MES, or QMS tools may embed Rev B assumptions (fields, forms, ballooning conventions). Updating to Rev C often requires careful configuration, validation, and controlled rollout to avoid mismatched forms and data loss.
- Validation burden: In regulated, long-lifecycle programs, changing FAI processes or software (e.g., adopting digital AS9102 Rev C in Net-Inspect or another system) can trigger validation, retraining, and documentation updates. Many plants delay migration until a customer or major program forces the change.
Practical steps for suppliers
To avoid incorrect assumptions and rework, suppliers should:
- Map requirements per customer and program: Maintain a controlled matrix that clearly lists which customers require AS9102, which revision, and any exceptions.
- Lock this into your QMS: Ensure your FAI procedure references how you determine when to use AS9102 and which revision, rather than assuming a single rule fits all work.
- Align systems and forms: Configure your FAI templates, digital FAI tools, or MES/QMS forms so they match the required revision and customer-specific rules. In mixed environments, provide clear operator guidance on which template to use when.
- Control changes: Treat migration to Rev C as a formal change: update procedures, train staff, and preserve traceability between old and new formats. Avoid ad hoc switchovers that create confusion during audits.
- Clarify ambiguous cases with customers: When requirements are silent or contradictory (e.g., AS9100 referenced but not AS9102; or Rev not specified), seek written clarification rather than guessing.
Summary
AS9102 Rev C is widely adopted but not universally or automatically mandatory for every aerospace supplier. Its applicability is defined by customer flowdown and your own QMS. Many suppliers must support both legacy and current revisions in a brownfield stack of systems and programs, which makes configuration control, change management, and traceability essential.
