A&P ACS Codes: Know Your Codes Before the Oral
Your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) lists an ACS code for every knowledge area you missed on the written test. On the A&P oral, each of those codes adds one question to that section, on top of a minimum of four random questions. Knowing your codes tells you exactly which topics the examiner will come back to.
Look up any code from your report on our A&P ACS code pages: the official element text and a sample oral question for each one.
On this page
What an ACS code is
An ACS code points to one element of the Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-1). It has four parts:
AM.I.A.K1
- AM: the Aviation Mechanic ACS.
- I: the section. I is General, II is Airframe, III is Powerplant.
- A: the subject within that section. In General, A is Fundamentals of Electricity and Electronics.
- K1: the element. K is a knowledge element, R is a risk management element, and S is a skill element.
You can look up any code in the ACS itself, which the FAA publishes free as FAA-S-ACS-1. For example, AM.I.A.K24 is "Electrostatic discharge," and AM.I.A.R2 is the risk of handling, storing, and inspecting different types of batteries.
How your codes become oral questions
The examiner builds your oral and practical test with the FAA's Mechanic Test Generator (MTG), starting from your AKTRs. The ACS says that all deficient knowledge areas shown by the codes on your AKTRs are retested during the oral portion. The FAA's MTG FAQ spells out the numbers:
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| One oral question per missed ACS code | Every code on your AKTR adds a question to that section's oral. |
| Several misses under one code count once | If you missed three questions coded AM.I.A.K24, you get one oral question on electrostatic discharge, not three. |
| At least 4 random questions per section | Even with 100 percent on the written, each oral section has four questions. |
| Maximum: 22 General, 34 Airframe, 34 Powerplant | An applicant who passed the written with 70 percent could get the most questions. |
So two applicants with the same written score can face a different number of oral questions. What matters is how many different codes they missed, not how many questions.
What the oral looks like
There are three separate oral tests: General, Airframe, and Powerplant. Each one stands alone and is kept separate from the practical projects. During the oral, you answer out loud and you cannot use any reference material.
The FAA's published sample test shows the style. Each question carries its ACS code:
AM.I.A.K1: What is considered the basic building block of all matter?
AM.I.B.K1: When is a full section view used on an aircraft drawing?
From the FAA sample oral and practical test, Section I (General).
The FAA applies the 70 percent minimum passing grade to each oral test as a whole, not subject by subject. You can miss a question and still pass the section. The goal is still to answer every one clearly.
What about R and S codes?
Skill (S) elements are tested in the practical projects. Risk management (R) elements are evaluated on the knowledge test too, so an R code can show up on your AKTR. In the FAA's sample test, most R codes appear as questions during the practical projects, where you may use references. One R code, about never approaching a single-rotor helicopter from the rear, appears in the oral question list. Treat any R code on your report as a topic you should be able to explain out loud.
How to prepare with your codes
- Write down every code from all three AKTRs. Group them by section: I, II, and III.
- Look up each one in FAA-S-ACS-1. Read the element text, then the matching chapter in the FAA handbooks (FAA-H-8083-30, -31, and -32).
- Say the answer out loud. Reading an answer and explaining it to an examiner are different skills. Practice the second one.
- Practice the random questions too. Every section has at least four random questions, so do not study only your codes.
Practice an oral built from your codes
Enter the codes from your knowledge test report and DMEReady builds a spoken practice oral the same way: one question for each code, plus four random ones. You answer out loud to an AI examiner, then get a report of what you covered and what you missed, with FAA handbook pages.
Try it with your codesFrequently asked questions
Does every code on my AKTR become an oral question?
Yes, according to the FAA's MTG FAQ. Each missed ACS code adds one question to that section of the oral. Several missed questions under the same code add only one question.
What if I scored 100 percent on the written test?
You still take the oral. Each section has a minimum of four randomly generated questions.
What is the most oral questions I can get?
22 for General, 34 for Airframe, and 34 for Powerplant.
Can I use my notes or handbooks during the oral?
No. Reference material is not allowed during the oral. It is allowed for the questions asked during the practical projects.
Do I have to pass every subject on the oral?
No. The 70 percent minimum is applied to each oral test as a whole, not subject by subject.
Oral coming up soon? Try the full thing free for 30 days
We are running a small pilot before launch. If your oral and practical is in the next few weeks, you get every section of the voice mock oral free for 30 days, no card. In return, tell us honestly what helped and what didn’t.
Start the free pilotLimited spots. The pilot closes on November 30.
Passed a written? Get your oral study plan by email
Paste the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR). We’ll email you a study plan now, then two short tasks built from your codes: one on day 3, one on day 7. That’s all.
Related guides
- The A&P Oral and Practical Exam: Everything You Need to Know
- What Does a DME Ask on the A&P Oral?
- How to Pass the A&P Oral Exam (Without Freezing Up)
Sources
- FAA, FAA-S-ACS-1, Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards, Appendix 1: Practical Test Roles, Responsibilities, and Outcomes.
- FAA, Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (updated 5/22/2023), Oral-related questions.
- FAA, Sample Test, Oral and Practical.
About this guide: drafted with AI from the FAA sources listed on this page and checked claim by claim against them. Not reviewed by an A&P mechanic or DME. How we make our guides
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