FARs to Know for the A&P Oral: Parts 43, 65 and 91
Which FARs should you know for the DME oral? Start with who is doing the work, the required standard, and the responsibility that remains with the owner or operator. These O&P practice questions use current 14 CFR text.
On this page
How should I organize these FARs?
Use three speaking checkpoints: authority before the job, the performance standard during the job, and the required handoff afterward. This set concentrates on particular duties and boundary conditions. For mechanic rating privileges and the fields of a maintenance record entry, see the linked subject guides.
Which ACS elements do these questions practice?
| ACS element | Study focus |
|---|---|
| AM.I.I.K8 | The regulatory framework, including general subject matter of the parts of 14 CFR relevant to aircraft maintenance and mechanics. |
| AM.I.I.K13 | Compliance requirements for manufacturer-specified methods, techniques, and practices. |
| AM.I.I.K17 | FAA-approved airworthiness limitations. |
| AM.I.I.K19 | Inoperative equipment. |
| AM.I.I.K20 | Discrepancy records or placards. |
| AM.I.I.K5 | The purpose and use of FAA forms (e.g., FAA Forms 337, 8010-4, 8100-2, 8130-3). |
These practice questions are built from ACS elements; they are not actual FAA test questions.
Which oral exam questions can I practice?
1. What does §43.3(d) require when a person works under a mechanic’s supervision?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
The supervisor must personally observe the work as necessary to ensure it is done properly and be readily available in person for consultation. The person may do only work the supervisor is authorized to perform. This provision does not authorize required Part 91 or Part 125 inspections, or inspections after major repair or alteration.
2. If the manufacturer recommends special test equipment, can you substitute anything convenient?
ACS: AM.I.I.K13
No. You must use that equipment or apparatus, or an equivalent acceptable to the Administrator. You must also use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to complete the work in accordance with accepted industry practices.
3. What finished condition does §43.13(b) require after your maintenance work?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
The condition must be at least equal to the original or properly altered condition, with regard to aerodynamic function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness. The way you perform the work and the quality of the materials must achieve that standard.
4. Which instructions control maintenance specified in an Airworthiness Limitations section?
ACS: AM.I.I.K17
Perform that maintenance in accordance with the Airworthiness Limitations section. Section 43.16 also permits the alternatives it specifies: operations specifications approved under Part 121 or 135, or an inspection program approved under §91.409(e).
5. When does lubrication still count as preventive maintenance under Part 43, Appendix A?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
The lubrication must not require disassembly other than removal of nonstructural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings. Appendix A(c) also limits its listed work to work that does not involve complex assembly operations.
6. When exercising IA privileges, to whom must you make the authorization available?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
Keep the inspection authorization available for inspection by the aircraft owner and any mechanic submitting the aircraft, repair, or alteration for approval. Present it on request to the Administrator, an authorized NTSB representative, or a Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
7. What must an IA holder do after changing the fixed base of operation and before exercising IA privileges?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
Notify the responsible Flight Standards office or International Field Office for the area of the new base, in writing. IA privileges may not be exercised until that notification has been made.
8. Before an alteration based on an STC, what permission condition does §91.403(d) require?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
A person must not alter an aircraft based on a supplemental type certificate unless the owner or operator of that aircraft is the STC holder or has written permission from the holder.
9. What must happen at the next required inspection to equipment permitted to remain inoperative under §91.213(d)(2)?
ACS: AM.I.I.K19
The owner or operator must have it repaired, replaced, removed, or inspected at that next required inspection.
10. May the owner discard §91.417(a)(2) current-status records after one year?
ACS: AM.I.I.K8
No. Those records must be retained and transferred with the aircraft when it is sold. They include total time, life-limited-part status, required-overhaul status, current inspection and AD status, and the specified major-alteration forms.
What else should I know?
Who remains primarily responsible for maintaining an aircraft in an airworthy condition?
The owner or operator remains primarily responsible, including compliance with Part 39. Separately, no person may perform maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations on an aircraft other than as the Part 91 maintenance rules and other applicable regulations, including Part 43, prescribe.
ACS: AM.I.I.K8 · 14 CFR §91.403
How long must the owner or operator keep the §91.417(a)(1) maintenance and inspection records?
The owner or operator must retain those records until the work is repeated or superseded by other work or for one year after the work is performed.
ACS: AM.I.I.K8 · 14 CFR §91.417
How long must an owner keep a §43.11 list of defects?
Keep the list until the defects are repaired and the aircraft is approved for return to service.
ACS: AM.I.I.K20 · 14 CFR §91.417
When does §91.417(d) require a Form 337 copy to stay on board?
When a fuel tank is installed in the passenger compartment or a baggage compartment under Part 43, the owner or operator must keep a copy of Form 337 on board the modified aircraft.
ACS: AM.I.I.K5 · 14 CFR §91.417
How can I practice with DMEReady?
DMEReady is an AI voice examiner for the A&P oral in your phone or computer browser. You answer out loud, and it asks follow-up questions the way a DME would. You can also rehearse an oral built from the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR). After each session, the report shows what you covered, what you missed, what a complete answer includes, and where to read in the FAA handbooks. You can save it as a PDF study sheet and share a result image that never shows your answers or name. The first drill is free, with no sign-up. DMEReady is an AI examiner, not a human DME. It is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA; it does not predict or guarantee results.
Start your free drillWhich guide should I read next?
- Mechanic Privileges Oral Exam Questions and Answers
- A&P Maintenance Records Oral Exam Questions and Answers
- A&P General Oral Questions: The Complete Breakdown
Which sources support this guide?
Each regulation link opens the current 14 CFR section or appendix on eCFR. The ACS link opens FAA-S-ACS-1, the source of the element codes above.
- FAA-S-ACS-1
- 14 CFR §43.3
- 14 CFR §43.13
- 14 CFR §43.16
- 14 CFR part 43, Appendix A
- 14 CFR §65.95
- 14 CFR §91.403
- 14 CFR §91.405
- 14 CFR §91.417
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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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