FAA A&P Mechanic study guide
FAA A&P Mechanic · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The FAA Aviation Mechanic certificate - widely called the A&P - is the U.S. credential that lets a mechanic approve an aircraft for return to service after maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration. The FAA A&P Mechanic study guide has 3 sections and about 1,206 words.
01General: Fundamentals, Weight & Balance, and the Regulations
The General section is the shared-knowledge pool for every mechanic task: basic math and physics (lever arms, mechanical advantage, stress and strain, the difference between work, power, and torque), aircraft drawings and symbols, weight and balance, ground handling and safety, corrosion control, inspection fundamentals and NDI methods, hand tools and precision measuring instruments (micrometer, vernier caliper, torque wrench), fluid lines and fittings, safety wiring, and the rules in 14 CFR Parts 43 and 65. Three terms drive every problem: datum (the reference plane), arm (horizontal distance from datum in inches, positive aft), and moment (weight × arm, in pound-inches, usually divided by 1,000 before plotting).
440 words, about 2 min02Airframe: Structures, Sheet Metal, and Systems
Every airframe structural question traces back to the five stresses - tension, compression, shear, bending, and torsion - and to the idea that failures start where stress concentrates: cutouts, sharp corners, abrupt thickness changes, and mismatched rivet patterns. Know the difference between a lap joint, a butt joint with a doubler, and a splice; know why a repair must transfer load through the same path as the original structure.
395 words, about 2 min03Powerplant: Reciprocating and Turbine Engines
Expect questions on the four-stroke cycle (intake, compression, power, exhaust), valve timing and overlap, compression ratio, ignition timing, and the difference between detonation and preignition . Detonation is the rapid, uncontrolled burning of the charge after normal ignition, driven by high manifold pressure, lean mixture, or high CHT.
371 words, about 2 min