A&P General Written Test: What It Covers and How It Leads to the Oral

October 26, 2026 · Primary sources checked October 25, 2026

The airframe and powerplant (A&P) General written test is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) knowledge test coded AMG, and the September 25, 2026 testing matrix lists it at 60 questions with a minimum passing score of 70 percent. You get up to two hours for it. Passing AMG does not finish testing: each applicant must also pass an oral test and a practical test, the oral and practical (O&P), as appropriate to the rating sought.

FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (September 25, 2026) — printed 6, PDF 6; AMT table, AMG row · Become a Mechanic Frequently Asked Questions (updated June 9, 2026) — How much time am I allowed to complete the Aviation Mechanic knowledge tests?; HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable · 14 CFR 65.79 — §65.79; HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable

AMG by the numbers

In the matrix table for aviation maintenance technicians, the AMG row reads 60 questions, “2.0” allotted time, “70” passing score. The 70 comes from regulation: Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 65.17(b), sets 70 percent as the minimum passing grade. Read it as the bar you must clear; it says nothing about how many applicants pass. The matrix also warns that a test may include unscored validation questions; they are not part of the 60, do not count for or against your score, and the allotted time already includes them.

FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (September 25, 2026) — printed 6, PDF 6; AMT table, AMG row · 14 CFR 65.17 — §65.17(b); HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable · FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (September 25, 2026) — printed 2, PDF 2; Validation Questions

The 12 General subjects

Section 65.75(a) of 14 CFR says the written test includes the aeronautical knowledge subject areas in the Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (ACS). For General, that means Section I of FAA-S-ACS-1, with 12 subjects lettered A through L:

14 CFR 65.75 — §65.75(a); HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed iv, PDF 4; Table of Contents, Section I

• A. Fundamentals of Electricity and Electronics
• B. Aircraft Drawings
• C. Weight and Balance
• D. Fluid Lines and Fittings
• E. Aircraft Materials, Hardware, and Processes
• F. Ground Operations and Servicing
• G. Cleaning and Corrosion Control
• H. Mathematics
• I. Regulations, Maintenance Forms, Records, and Publications
• J. Physics for Aviation
• K. Inspection Concepts and Techniques
• L. Human Factors

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed iv, PDF 4; Table of Contents, Section I

Each subject is broken down into knowledge (K), risk management (R), and skill (S) elements, and every General code starts with AM.I: AM.I.C.K4, for example, is Subject C, knowledge element 4. The ACS says the knowledge and risk management elements are also evaluated during the knowledge testing phase.

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-2, PDF 66; Integrated ACS framework · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed 4, PDF 9; Section I, Subject C

Three General subjects show what those elements look like:

• Weight and balance: AM.I.C.K4 covers “procedures for calculation of the following: arm, positive or negative moment, center of gravity (CG), or moment index,” and risk element AM.I.C.R4 covers the aerodynamic effect of a CG forward or aft of limits.
• Regulations, forms, records, and publications: AM.I.I.K16 is the “difference between approved data and acceptable data, and when each is required,” and AM.I.I.K5 covers the purpose and use of FAA forms such as 337, 8010-4, 8100-2, and 8130-3.
• Human factors: the knowledge elements include shift and task turnover (AM.I.L.K9) and types of human errors (AM.I.L.K11), and AM.I.L.R2 is fatigue management and fitness for duty.

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed 4, PDF 9; Section I, Subject C · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed 14, PDF 19; Section I, Subject I · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed 18, PDF 23; Section I, Subject L

The titles and examples outline what to study; they are not actual test questions, and they do not tell you how many questions a subject will get.

Who can take AMG, and when?

On an original-issuance FAA Form 8610-2 (Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application), the matrix treats a checked Airframe box, Powerplant box, or both as authorization for the AMG test, and it tells test proctors not to accept an original-issuance application for the AMG test alone. If the Added Rating box on that form is marked, the matrix says the AMG test is not required. An authenticated document showing graduation from the Airframe or Powerplant curriculum of an FAA-certificated aviation maintenance technician school also authorizes the AMG test.

FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (September 25, 2026) — printed 6, PDF 6; AMT page, acceptable forms of authorization

A school student may take the General written before meeting the experience requirement under 14 CFR 65.75(c). That route requires an authenticated document from a certificated aviation maintenance technician school showing satisfactory completion of the General curriculum and its completion date. Check the authorization for your actual route with the test center; do not assume being enrolled is enough.

14 CFR 65.75 — §65.75(c); HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable

A separate route exists under 14 CFR 65.80: when a certificated aviation maintenance technician school shows the FAA that a student has made satisfactory progress and is prepared, that student may take the O&P tests during the final subjects of training, before passing each section of the written test. How the O&P-before-written route works

14 CFR 65.80 — §65.80; HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable

Moving on to a rating test after General? Read the Airframe written test guide or the Powerplant written test guide.

What happens to your score report?

Section 65.75(b) says a report of the written test is sent to the applicant. The ACS says all deficient knowledge areas, as shown by the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR), are retested during the oral portion of the test.

14 CFR 65.75 — §65.75(b); HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-1, PDF 65; Evaluator Responsibilities

The report itself is explained in our knowledge test report guide; if General does not go your way, see the written retake rules.

Our advice: study General out loud before the written

Use the General outline as a map, not just a score target. These suggestions are ours, not an FAA-required routine:

• For electricity and mathematics, explain what a quantity or equation represents before choosing an answer.
• For regulations, forms, and publications, practice locating the applicable source and explaining what it requires.
• For inspection concepts and human factors, add a spoken explanation of the distinction or risk you are studying.

The FAA’s August 10, 2021 AMG sample document warns that its study questions are not necessarily actual test questions. Use the ACS outline and the FAA sources to guide your study; a sample question does not give you access to the current question bank.

AMG Sample Questions (August 10, 2021) — printed 1, PDF 1; Introduction

See the FAA frequently-missed-code context

An oral practice tool alongside written study

DMEReady is an artificial intelligence (AI) voice examiner for the A&P oral: you answer out loud in your phone or computer browser, and it asks follow-up questions the way a designated mechanic examiner (DME) would. It is an AI examiner, not a human DME, and it is not a written-test question bank or hands-on practical training. The first drill is free, with no sign-up; afterward, a report shows what you covered, what you missed, what a complete answer includes, and where to read in the FAA handbooks. DMEReady is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA.

For fee planning, read the DME exam cost guide.

Primary sources

• FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021)
• 14 CFR 65.17
• 14 CFR 65.75
• 14 CFR 65.79
• 14 CFR 65.80
• FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (September 25, 2026)
• Become a Mechanic Frequently Asked Questions (updated June 9, 2026)
• Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (May 22, 2023)
• AMG Sample Questions (August 10, 2021)

Before the oral

Your General oral list starts with at least four questions that the Mechanic Test Generator (MTG) generates at random, according to the MTG FAQ, and adds one question for each distinct missed code on your test report. Missing several written questions under the same code still adds only one oral question. After a 70 percent written, the FAQ says, you could get the maximum: 22 General oral questions. So practice General answers with no answer choices in front of you, and check each one against the FAA page it came from.

Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (May 22, 2023) — unnumbered page, PDF 3; Oral-related Questions · Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (May 22, 2023) — unnumbered page, PDF 4; Oral-related Questions

Rehearse those answers out loud

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