NCATT AET
NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) Certification
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The NCATT Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) certification is a personnel credential for technicians who install, maintain, inspect, and troubleshoot avionics and aircraft electrical systems. ASTM International lists NCATT within its certification programs, and the AET is the foundational level of that family - the entry point on which further NCATT endorsements are built. Candidates typically arrive from Part 147 avionics programs, military aviation-electronics training, or maintenance shops where they already work around radios, transponders, autopilots, antennas, and the wiring that ties them to the airframe.
The knowledge base is broad rather than deep: aircraft structures and flight-control and electrical-system fundamentals, DC and AC circuit theory, semiconductor devices, digital logic and aircraft data buses, wire selection, routing and repair, connector and termination work, coaxial and antenna installations, and competent use of multimeters, oscilloscopes, and bonding and continuity testers. Just as important is the documentation and troubleshooting discipline that keeps a repair airworthy.
Exam-day specifics - item count, time limit, passing score, fee, retake and recertification rules - could not be verified against a live authoritative source at the time of writing and are flagged for review. In study terms, start with circuit fundamentals and wiring practices, then move to systems and installation topics; most real-world failures trace back to the first two.
What you'll study
About NCATT AET preparation
Who actually runs the NCATT AET program?
ASTM International lists NCATT under its certification offerings. Because the NCATT pages we retrieved returned 404 errors, confirm current registration steps, test delivery, and pricing directly with ASTM before you pay anyone. Third-party study sites are preparation aids only and have no affiliation with the certifying body.
How many questions are on the exam, and how long do I get?
We could not verify either figure. The authoritative source pages were unavailable at the time this page was written, so any item count or time limit you see quoted elsewhere may be stale. Plan your preparation around the topic domains rather than a question count, and check the official specification before test day.
What score do I need to pass?
Unverified. Passing standards for personnel certifications are revised periodically, and older figures circulate widely online. Treat any specific percentage you find in forums as unreliable until you confirm it through the certifying body's current candidate handbook or your test administrator.
How difficult is it for someone new to avionics?
The exam is pitched at a competent entry-level technician, not a specialist. If you are comfortable with Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, reading a wiring diagram, and correct crimping and shielding practice, the electrical and wiring portions are manageable. The digital and systems sections are where self-taught candidates most often feel underprepared.
What format should I expect?
Expect a computer-delivered, multiple-choice knowledge test with no hands-on practical portion - the certification assesses technical knowledge rather than bench skill. Confirm the current delivery method with the administrator, since testing vendors and remote-proctoring options change more often than the technical content does.
If I fail, can I retake it, and how soon?
Retake rules, waiting periods, and any fees are set by the certifying body and were not verifiable from the source we retrieved. Ask about the retake policy before you schedule, since some programs impose a waiting interval after a failed attempt and some require a new application each time.
Does the certification expire?
Recertification and validity periods could not be confirmed. Many personnel certifications run on a multi-year cycle with continuing-education or re-examination requirements, but do not assume a number. Confirm the validity period and renewal requirements in writing at the time you are certified, and diarize the expiry date.
What study order works best?
Build bottom-up. Start with DC and AC fundamentals and semiconductor basics, then move to digital logic and data buses, then to wiring, connectors, and termination practice, and finish with test equipment and systems installation. Troubleshooting questions get much easier once the first three layers are solid, because they usually reduce to a circuit or a connector.
What are the most common ways candidates lose points?
Three recurring ones: confusing series and parallel behavior when a fault is introduced, mixing up connector contact and shield termination practices, and jumping to a component swap instead of following a logical signal-tracing sequence. Learn to read a schematic and a wire list fluently - many questions are essentially diagram-reading with numbers attached.