FAA Aviation Mechanic - Powerplant (AMP)

The Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-1. The FAA's ACS page lists it as effective September 21, 2022. Study to the knowledge, risk management, and skill elements in that document rather than to a commercial outline, since the test items are built from the ACS.

It is a multiple-choice airman knowledge test, administered at a computer testing center through the FAA's testing contractor. The FAA's Airman Testing page links to PSI Services knowledge testing centers and to the order governing conduct of airman knowledge tests. The source pages do not state an item count or time limit for this specific test.

The FAA pages reviewed here do not publish an item count or allotted time for the Aviation Mechanic Powerplant knowledge test, so no figure is given. Check the current Computer Testing Supplement and the testing contractor's candidate information for the authoritative numbers before you sit for the exam.

The FAA Airman Testing and ACS pages do not state a passing score for this test. Do not rely on secondhand numbers. Confirm the current passing standard through the FAA's testing contractor or the Airman Testing FAQs document linked from the FAA page before scheduling.

The reviewed source pages do not state a retake interval or waiting period for the mechanic knowledge test. Retake rules and any waiting period should be confirmed with the testing contractor at the time you schedule, since they are administered under FAA order rather than published on the ACS page.

No fee is published on the FAA Airman Testing or ACS pages. Knowledge test fees are set by the testing contractor, not by the FAA in these documents. Check with the individual testing center when you schedule, as pricing and payment methods vary by location.

Start with reciprocating and turbine engine fundamentals, because inspection, instrumentation, lubrication, ignition, and fuel metering all assume that foundation. Then move through the support systems - electrical, fire protection, induction, cooling, exhaust - and finish with propellers. Re-read each ACS element after studying the matching handbook chapter, and log the elements you cannot explain aloud.

Weak fundamentals rather than obscure trivia. Candidates who memorize component names but cannot explain how a system behaves in operation tend to miss the application-style items. The ACS is explicit that knowledge, risk management, and skill are tested together, so practice explaining cause and effect, not just definitions.

The FAA's Airman Certification Standards replaced the Practical Test Standards (PTS) for this certificate. The FAA page still lists a separate PTS section, but for aviation mechanic certification the governing document is FAA-S-ACS-1. The FAA also publishes a Companion Guide to the mechanic ACS, which explains how the standards are applied.

The FAA Airman Testing page links to Reference Handbooks, Computer Testing Supplements, Airman Knowledge Sample Tests, and the ACS Companion Guide for the mechanic certificate. Use those as your primary sources; the ACS page also carries the ACS FAQ and information brochure if you need clarification on how standards are interpreted.