A&P mechanic
The A&P Powerplant test (AMP): what to expect
Last reviewed
6 min readThe Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant test, code AMP, is the knowledge test for the Powerplant rating. Like Airframe, it comes after General (FAA: Aircraft Mechanic Oral, Practical, & Written Tests) and has 100 questions, up to 2 hours and a 70% passing score (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 6). It also had the lowest share of passes of the three: in 2025 the FAA recorded 17,572 Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant knowledge tests, and 63.04% were passed, against 69.59% for General and 74.01% for Airframe (FAA CY2025 knowledge test report). Those are national figures, not a forecast for you, but they're a good reason to give this test its own preparation rather than treating it as an afterthought.
The format at a glance
| Test code | AMP |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 100 |
| Time allowed | Up to 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70% (14 CFR 65.17(b)) |
| Testing supplement | FAA-CT-8080-4G |
Those details come from the FAA's testing matrix (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 6). As on Airframe, that averages 72 seconds a question, and unscored validation questions, if any, use up part of the same time (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 2). Every question has one correct response and doesn't depend on any other question (FAA ACS Companion Guide, p. 12), so a question you can't crack won't cost you the next one. Mark it and move on.
What the Powerplant test covers
Questions come from the 13 Powerplant subjects of the FAA's Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (ACS) (Aviation Mechanic ACS, pp. 44-59) (14 CFR 65.75(a)). Our plain-English grouping:
The engines themselves
- Reciprocating Engines: engine types and theory, opposed and radial construction, performance figures, storage, and diesel principles.
- Turbine Engines: how they work, their types and construction, performance monitoring, troubleshooting and auxiliary power units.
- Engine Inspection: the Part 43 and Part 91 inspection rules, life-limited parts, ADs and service information, records, and engine mounts.
The systems that run them
- Engine Instrument Systems: temperatures, pressures, fuel flow, engine speed, torque and engine pressure ratio, and alerting displays.
- Engine Fire Protection Systems and Engine Electrical Systems (generators, alternators, regulators and wire sizing).
- Engine Lubrication Systems: oil types and grades, wet and dry sumps, chip detectors and high oil consumption.
- Ignition and Starting Systems: magnetos, spark plugs, solid-state and turbine ignition, and starters.
- Engine Fuel and Fuel Metering Systems: carburetors, fuel injection, turbine fuel controls, pumps, filters and valves.
Air in, exhaust out, and the propeller
- Reciprocating Engine Induction and Cooling Systems: induction icing, superchargers, turbochargers, filters and baffles.
- Turbine Engine Air Systems: internal cooling, cowling airflow, bleed air and anti-ice.
- Engine Exhaust and Reverser Systems: exhaust systems, noise suppression and thrust reversers.
- Propellers: theory, blade design, pitch control, constant-speed governors, reverse and beta, synchronization and ice control.
Two things set this test apart. It spans two very different engine families, so someone strong on pistons can be caught out by turbines, and the reverse. And some topics come at you from more than one direction: digital engine controls such as FADEC appear under instrument systems, ignition and fuel metering alike (Aviation Mechanic ACS, pp. 47, 52, 53). Learn how the systems fit together, not just the parts list.
Who can take the Powerplant test
Your authorization is the same kind of document as for the other two tests (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 6): an original FAA Form 8610-2 signed by an FAA inspector for the experience route, where Powerplant alone needs at least 18 months of experience and both ratings 30 months doing both kinds of work (14 CFR 65.77); or a school document or military certificate of eligibility whose completed curriculum includes Powerplant (FAA ACS Companion Guide, p. 12). If you already hold the Airframe rating and are adding Powerplant, the General test isn't required (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 6), and the Powerplant written, oral and practical tests must all be passed within 24 calendar months (14 CFR 65.71(b)).
On test day
Bring valid, current identification with your photo, date of birth, signature and residential address (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 1), and your authorization (FAA ACS Companion Guide, p. 16). Our General test guide walks through the whole day. A few points matter more on a long test like this one:
- Calculators. Aviation calculators and basic arithmetic calculators are acceptable, as are ones with a simple memory or keys such as square root and percent. You reset the memory in front of the proctor before and after, and the proctor may refuse a calculator if it can't tell whether its memory can be erased. A booklet or manual on using your aids isn't allowed, though instructions permanently printed on the aid itself are (FAA ACS Companion Guide, pp. 16-17).
- Graphs. For a question that uses a graph, you may ask for a printed copy to mark up; it goes back to the center at the end (FAA ACS Companion Guide, p. 17).
- Faulty questions. You can enter a comment on any question during the test (FAA Airman Testing FAQ, p. 4).
After the test
The printed report you receive lists your score and codes for the questions you got wrong (FAA Airman Testing FAQ, p. 3). Powerplant codes start with AM.III, the Powerplant section, then the subject letter (FAA ACS Companion Guide, p. 11); AM.III.M, for instance, is Propellers (Aviation Mechanic ACS, p. 59). Hold on to the original. In the oral portion of your oral and practical tests, the examiner asks about the topics behind those codes, and you can't use reference material to answer (Aviation Mechanic ACS, p. A-1). If you need a retest, it's 30 days from the failed attempt, or sooner with a signed statement of extra instruction from someone holding the certificate and rating you're seeking (14 CFR 65.19); take the failed report with you (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 6).
How to prepare for Powerplant
The FAA says many test questions are based on its handbooks (FAA: Become an Aviation Mechanic); for this test that's the free Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant (FAA-H-8083-32B). Use the ACS list to make sure you cover both engine families and the propeller subject, and practice full 100-question sets against the clock. Read how hard the A&P tests are for the areas that deserve the most study, and how to study for the A&P written tests for a plan.
A&P Complete, the course that covers all three mechanic tests, costs $49, paid once. Its Powerplant module has 13 lessons, one per ACS subject, and you get 15 timed 100-question Powerplant mock exams. It is text-only practice, so it doesn't prepare you for questions that use images. Try the free Reciprocating Engines lesson first. Once the written tests are behind you, our oral and practical test guide covers the last step.
Questions people ask
- How many questions are on the A&P Powerplant test?
- 100 questions, with up to 2 hours and a 70% passing score, according to the FAA testing matrix.
- Is the Powerplant test harder than the others?
- By the FAA's 2025 figures it had the lowest share of passes: 63.04% of 17,572 Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant tests, compared with 69.59% for General and 74.01% for Airframe. Those are national figures; your own result depends on your preparation.
- Are propellers on the Powerplant test?
- Yes. Propellers is one of the 13 Powerplant subjects in the FAA's Aviation Mechanic ACS, alongside reciprocating and turbine engines and their systems.
- Can I take Powerplant before Airframe?
- The FAA's mechanic test page doesn't put those two in an order: it says to take General first, followed by the Airframe and/or Powerplant tests. If you are adding Powerplant to an existing certificate with the Airframe rating, the General test isn't required.