Dale Crane - Aviation Maintenance Technician Oral & Practical Exam Guide

Aviation Maintenance Technician Oral & Practical Exam Guide

Third Edition

by Dale Crane

Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.

7005 132nd Place SE

Newcastle, WA 98059-3153

asa@asa2fly.com | www.asa2fly.com

Visit the ASA website often at www.asa2fly.com/TextbookUpdates to find updates posted there due to FAA regulation revisions that may affect this book.

1994 2016 Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc. All rights reserved.
Third Edition published 2016.

No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, xerographic, audio/visual record, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher, Dale Crane, and Raymond E. Thompson assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. None of the material in this guide supersedes any documents, procedures, or regulations issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

ASA-OEG-AMT3-EB
ISBN978-1-61954-411-6

Preface

Certification as an aviation mechanic is a major step in your career. You were required to have a certain level of experience to qualify to take your knowledge tests, and having passed all sections, you are now ready for the final step, the oral and practical tests.

The knowledge tests are strictly objective and verify only your knowledge of facts. When taking them, you are interfacing with a computer and there is no personal involvement.

The oral and practical tests are different. In these you work directly with an experienced mechanic on a one-on-one basis. This examiner is able to not only judge your mechanical skills, but to observe the way you think and see the way you solve problems.

It is important that you approach the oral and practical tests with the proper mental attitude. The examiner has one basic thought in mind, that of determining whether or not you have the level of skill needed for an entry-level technician. The examiner will not try to trick you in any way, and he or she wants you to pass almost as much as you do.

If you are asked a question to which you do not know the answer, admit it rather than try to bluff your way through. If you are given a project that you do not understand, discuss it with the examiner. Especially, dont bungle your way through a project you cannot properly execute. The examiner will discuss the project with you, but will show little or no tolerance for your driving ahead with a project you obviously cannot handle.

The oral and practical tests are your last steps toward certification, so study this guide carefully as it is designed to help you prepare for them. We wish you success with them.

Dale Crane

2000

Preface to the Third Edition

The oral and practical exam process has changed radically in recent years. The core practical test items have been removed and the oral and practical questions and projects are randomly generated. This means that examiners must be prepared to test on all projects and students able to perform on all projects.

This also means that the number of practical projects is greatly increased. There are a number of new projects as well; these projects are defined by the Practical Test Standards (PTS) and are captured in this Third Edition. Some test areas were eliminated and new sections added to reflect changes to the PTS.

Raymond E. Thompson, Technical Editor

College of Aviation

Western Michigan University

2016

Certification of Maintenance Airmen

The Federal Aviation Administration has three classifications of maintenance airmen: repairman, authorized inspector, and mechanic. Certification in each category has special requirements and special privileges. This Oral & Practical Exam Guide applies to the tests for mechanic certification, but all three classifications are described below.

Repairman

The applicant for a repairman certificate must be employed for a specific job requiring his or her special qualifications by a certificated commercial operator or certificated air carrier.

A repairman applicant must have at least 18 months of practical experience in the procedures, practices, inspection methods, materials, tools, machine tools, and equipment generally used in the maintenance duties of the specific job for which he or she is to be employed and certificated. Or, the applicant must have completed specialized formal training that is acceptable to the administrator and specifically designed to qualify the applicant for the job for which he or she is to be employed.

A repairman may exercise the privileges of the certificate only in connection with the duties for the certificate holder by whom the repairman was certificated and recommended.

There is a special type of repairman certificate issued to the builder of an experimental aircraft which allows the holder to perform condition inspections on the aircraft constructed by him or her.

Authorized Inspector

An applicant for an inspection authorization (IA) must:

• Hold a currently effective mechanic certificate with both an airframe and a powerplant rating that has been in effect for a total of at least 3 years.
• Have been actively engaged, for at least the 2-year period before the date of application, in maintaining civil certificated aircraft.
• Have a fixed base of operation.
• Have available the equipment, facilities, and inspection data necessary to properly inspect airframes, powerplants, propellers, or any related part or appliance.
• Pass a knowledge test on his or her ability to inspect according to safety standards for returning aircraft to service after major repairs and major alterations, and annual and progressive inspections performed under 14 CFR Part 43.

The holder of an inspection authorization may:

• Inspect and approve for return to service an aircraft after a major repair or major alteration if the work has been done in accordance with technical data that has been approved by the administrator.
• Perform an annual inspection, or perform or supervise a progressive inspection.

An inspection authorization expires on March 31 of each year and must be renewed for a 1-year period at that time.

Mechanic

The FAA issues a Mechanic Certificate with an Airframe rating, Powerplant rating, or both ratings to applicants who are properly qualified. Below are descriptions of the experience, knowledge, and practical requirements, and suggested study references for all three ratings.

Requirements for Mechanic Certification

14 CFR Part 65 Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers covers the requirements for mechanic certification, described below.

Basic Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language, or in the case of an applicant who does not meet this requirement and who is employed outside of the United States by a U.S. air carrier, have his or her certificate endorsed Valid only outside the United States.
• Must have passed all of the prescribed tests within a period of 24 months.

Experience Requirements

Must have a graduation certificate or certificate of completion from a certificated aviation main-tenance technician school, or documentary evidence, satisfactory to the Administrator, of: