FAA A&P Practical Test Changes 2026: What's New

October 11, 2026 · Based on the FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory (June and September 2026) and FAA-S-ACS-1 · Updated October 13, 2026

Yes, the FAA changed part of the A&P practical test in 2026. The practical test bank, the questions your DME asks during your projects, was revised so each question ties directly to your assigned project, the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), and Advisory Circulars (AC). The new questions went live for General on April 20, 2026; the FAA's September 2026 advisory lists Airframe as scheduled for July 20, 2026 and Powerplant as in final review.

What changed in the A&P practical test bank

The FAA rewrote the questions asked during the practical projects. The update is described in the June 2026 and September 2026 editions of the Airman Testing Community Advisory, a bulletin from the FAA's Testing Standards Section.

Under the Aviation Mechanic ACS (FAA-S-ACS-1), your DME builds your test with the FAA's Mechanic Test Generator (MTG). The MTG includes questions tied to your assigned projects, asked in context while you work, and you may use reference material to answer them. Those are the questions the FAA revised:

"Practical questions have been revised to align directly with assigned projects, Aircraft Maintenance Manuals (AMM), and Advisory Circulars (AC)."

FAA, Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 Special Edition.

The FAA says this improves consistency between tests and reduces reliance on subjective "look up and explain" questioning. The same advisory lists three related points:

• More DME discretion. DMEs have been given greater discretion to decide what counts as an acceptable answer, based on project details, manufacturer information, and approved reference materials.
• Pretest review. DMEs are encouraged to review the revised questions during pretest planning, before applicant testing begins.
• All projects updated. The FAA says all Aviation Maintenance Technician practical projects have been reviewed and updated with the new framework.

When the new practical questions take effect

The change rolls out one section at a time. This is the status the FAA published in the September 2026 Special Edition:

Note the word "scheduled" for Airframe: the advisory does not confirm the change happened, and it gives no Powerplant date. If your Airframe or Powerplant practical is coming up, ask your DME which version your test uses.

For retests: if you took your initial practical test before the new framework was activated, your retest is based on the content and requirements that were in effect before that activation date. For the rest of the retest process, see Failed your A&P oral and practical? The retest, explained.

Two project-level updates: Form 8010-4 and a penetrant kit

AM.I.L.S1, Malfunction or Defect Report. In the ACS, this skill element reads "File a Malfunction or Defect Report." The FAA says the intent is to evaluate whether you can accurately complete Form 8010-4. The online Service Difficulty Reporting System (SDRS) should not be used for this project unless it is tied to an actual discrepancy. Instead, DMEs should have you complete a fillable PDF or a printed copy of Form FAA 8010-4. The FAA points to the SDRS Field Instructions (pages 7 to 11) and AC 20-109B for guidance on filling it out.

Liquid penetrant kit. DMEs have been told to obtain a liquid penetrant kit for nondestructive testing, with a target date of December 2026 for adding it to the Minimum Tools and Equipment List (MTEL). The advisory ties it to AM.I.K.S5, which the ACS lists as "Perform a dye penetrant inspection." The current MTEL is in FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 5, Chapter 5, Section 11.

What did not change: the ACS and the oral

The September 2026 advisory describes changes to the practical test bank; it does not announce changes to the ACS. Neither 2026 advisory announces a change to the oral portion either. So the oral still works the way the ACS describes it: questions tied to the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR), plus additional questions the MTG selects at random, answered without any reference material. The ACS also tells examiners to keep the oral and practical portions separate. For how your codes become questions, read A&P ACS codes: know your codes before the oral.

Are the A&P written tests changing too?

Not in content, for now. PSI, the FAA's testing vendor, is assessing the General, Airframe, and Powerplant knowledge tests against current testing standards. The FAA anticipates modifications based on those assessments in 2027. It also says the process does not change test question content, and questions will continue to align with the applicable ACS codes and references.

The AMT knowledge tests already include questions with embedded images. Printed testing supplements stay available until the FAA sets and announces a removal date.

What the 2026 changes mean for your oral and practical

For most applicants, the change means more project-focused practical questions and the same closed-book oral. Here is how to prepare:

1. Expect practical questions about the project in front of you. The FAA says the questions now align with the assigned project, the AMM, and ACs.
2. Get comfortable finding answers in the AMM and ACs. The ACS already expects you to locate and apply the required reference materials. Practice finding a limit or a procedure in a manual quickly.
3. Testing General? Practice Form 8010-4 on paper or as a fillable PDF. That is the format the FAA now tells DMEs to use for AM.I.L.S1.
4. Prepare for the oral the same way as before. No references, answers out loud, questions from your AKTR codes plus random ones. See what a DME asks on the A&P oral and what to expect on exam day.

Related guides

• The A&P Oral and Practical Exam: Everything You Need to Know
• A&P Oral and Practical: What to Expect on Exam Day
• Failed Your A&P Oral and Practical? The Retest, Explained
• What Does a DME Ask on the A&P Oral?

Sources

• FAA, Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 Special Edition: AMT practical test bank, MTEL, and knowledge test sections.
• FAA, Airman Testing Community Advisory, June 2026 Edition: AMT section.
• FAA, FAA-S-ACS-1, Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards, Section I Subjects K and L, and Appendix 1: Practical Test Roles, Responsibilities, and Outcomes.

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