Free FAA Resources for the A&P Oral and Practical

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

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offers free reference material you can use to prepare for the airframe and powerplant (A&P) oral and practical (O&P), including the Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbooks for the General, Airframe, and Powerplant subject areas. A free document collection does not establish that you can explain the subjects or perform the required projects; use the standards to find what you still need to learn and rehearse.

Become a Mechanic Frequently Asked Questions (updated June 9, 2026) — Are there any other Aviation Mechanic-related reference materials available to me?; HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-1, PDF 65; Appendix 1, Applicant Responsibilities

Which free sources belong in an O&P study folder?

The FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS) recommend using the standard and its references when preparing for the oral and practical. The list below gives each document a job. The practice suggestions are ours, not an FAA-prescribed course or a promise that reading alone is sufficient.

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-1, PDF 65; Appendix 1

1. FAA-S-ACS-1: use the standards as your map

The Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards (ACS), FAA-S-ACS-1, communicates the knowledge, risk management and proficiency standards. The ACS sections contain subjects, which are broken down into knowledge, risk-management and skill elements. Our advice: select the exact element before opening a handbook; keep a separate note for what to explain, what risk to discuss and what skill needs supervised practice.

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed ii, PDF 2; Foreword · FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-2, PDF 66; Appendix 1

https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/Aviation_Mechanic_Certification_Standards.pdf

2. The three 2023 B-revision handbooks: read the explanations

FAA-H-8083-30B, General, provides basic information on principles, fundamentals and technical procedures in the subject areas common to both the airframe and powerplant ratings. FAA-H-8083-31B, Airframe, addresses principles, fundamentals and technical procedures relating to the Airframe rating. FAA-H-8083-32B, Powerplant, provides the corresponding basic information for the Powerplant rating. Our advice: read the complete relevant subsection, including cautions and limitations, then explain one distinction without looking. Use current B-revision page references rather than assuming an older edition has the same pagination.

FAA-H-8083-30B, General (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface · FAA-H-8083-31B, Airframe (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface · FAA-H-8083-32B, Powerplant (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface

General: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/amtg_handbook.pdf

Airframe: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/FAA-H-8083-31B_Aviation_Maintenance_Technician_Handbook.pdf

Powerplant: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/amt_powerplant_handbook.pdf

Each handbook preface says the handbook is not intended to replace, substitute for, or supersede official regulations or manufacturers’ instructions. The handbooks use representative systems and treat subjects from a generalized point of view; the prefaces say this treatment should be supplemented by manufacturers’ manuals or other publications if more detail is desired.

FAA-H-8083-30B, General (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface · FAA-H-8083-31B, Airframe (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface · FAA-H-8083-32B, Powerplant (2023) — printed ii, PDF 3; Preface

3. Advisory Circular (AC) 43.13-1B: check applicability

AC 43.13-1B, including Change 1, contains methods, techniques and practices acceptable to the Administrator for inspecting and repairing nonpressurized areas of civil aircraft, only when there are no manufacturer repair or maintenance instructions; the data generally pertains to minor repairs. For major repairs, the AC says its repairs may only be used as a basis for FAA approval. The repair data may also be used as approved data when the user has determined it is appropriate to the product being repaired, it is directly applicable to the repair being made, and it is not contrary to manufacturer’s data. Our advice: use the relevant chapter to explain a method and its limits, rather than calling the entire AC automatic approval for every repair.

AC 43.13-1B, Change 1 — printed unnumbered cover, PDF 1; Purpose · AC 43.13-1B, Change 1 — printed unnumbered cover, PDF 1; Purpose a–c

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43.13-1B_w-chg1.pdf

4. AC 43-4B: deepen corrosion identification and control

AC 43-4B summarizes identification and treatment of corrosive attack on aircraft structures and engine materials. A manufacturer’s recommended corrosion inspection schedule and treatment program takes precedence over the AC recommendations. Our advice: use AC 43-4B to investigate a corrosion topic, then return to the applicable aircraft or engine program.

AC 43-4B, Corrosion Control for Aircraft (September 11, 2018), Editorial Update #2 — printed unnumbered cover, PDF 1; Cover

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_43-4B_Ed_Upd_2.pdf

5. Mechanic Test Generator (MTG) FAQ: understand how questions connect to the written

The May 22, 2023 Mechanic Test Generator FAQ explains the relationship between test items, ACS codes and references. Our advice: use the FAQ to understand how missed ACS codes and random questions build your oral test, not to predict your exact questions. If you need a retest, confirm its scope with your examiner; FAA documents differ on oral retest scope, as our retest guide explains.

Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (May 22, 2023) — printed unnumbered, PDF 3; DMEs & Applicants

https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/Mechanic_Test_Generator_FAQs_3.pdf

6. FAA sample oral/practical test: learn the format

The published FAA sample labels itself “SAMPLE TEST FOR PRACTICE PURPOSES ONLY.” The sample’s General questions cite the older FAA-H-8083-30A edition. Our advice: examine how the sample groups a question, answer and reference, but use current references for study. The public sample is not your assigned test or an assurance of which questions you will receive. No sample question items are reproduced here.

Sample Test, Oral and Practical — practice purposes only — printed unnumbered, PDF 1; Page heading · Sample Test, Oral and Practical — practice purposes only — printed unnumbered, PDF 1; Sample references

https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/Sample%20Test%20Oral%20and%20Practical%20FAQ.pdf

7. FAA frequently missed ACS-code reports: choose review priorities

The FAA’s frequently missed knowledge-test ACS-code reports say the statistics are prepared quarterly, and each report names its own reporting period. On the FAA test statistics page checked October 26, 2026, the newest report listed was “2 Qtr CY 2025.” Our advice: use the official index below to find the reports, check the date range and code, and add an unfamiliar topic to your review. A population summary does not predict your own result and does not replace the full applicable ACS.

Frequently Missed Knowledge Test ACS Codes — 2nd Quarter, CY25 — unnumbered page, PDF 1; Report note · Airman Knowledge Test Statistics (FAA, last updated October 8, 2026) — frequently missed ACS codes list; HTML, printed/PDF pages not applicable

https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/test_statistics

Our advice: turn the folder into a practice loop

• Choose an applicable ACS element, find its current source, and read the full section.
• Close the source for an oral explanation; reopen it afterward to correct missing conditions or cautions.
• Keep hands-on practice separate and supervised. Locate the applicable data, discuss risks, and evaluate the result against that data rather than treating a spoken answer as a completed task.

The ACS says you may not use any reference material to answer the oral questions, but you may use reference materials for the practical questions asked during the projects. Use the linked four-week guide if you need a calendar; this resource directory does not prescribe a preparation duration.

FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021) — printed A-1, PDF 65; Appendix 1

Practice the spoken part

DMEReady is an artificial intelligence (AI) voice examiner for the A&P oral, not a human designated mechanic examiner (DME), a written-test question bank, or hands-on practical training. You answer out loud in your phone or computer browser; the first drill is free with no sign-up, and the session report identifies 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.

Related guides

• Separate four-week O&P study plan

For fee planning, read the DME exam cost guide.

Primary sources

• AC 43.13-1B, Change 1
• AC 43-4B, Corrosion Control for Aircraft (September 11, 2018), Editorial Update #2
• FAA-S-ACS-1 (November 1, 2021)
• FAA-H-8083-31B, Airframe (2023)
• FAA-H-8083-30B, General (2023)
• Become a Mechanic Frequently Asked Questions (updated June 9, 2026)
• Mechanic Test Generator FAQs (May 22, 2023)
• FAA-H-8083-32B, Powerplant (2023)
• Frequently Missed Knowledge Test ACS Codes — 2nd Quarter, CY25
• Sample Test, Oral and Practical — practice purposes only
• Airman Knowledge Test Statistics (FAA)

Before the oral

Under the FAA MTG FAQ, each distinct missed code among the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) adds one oral question, plus at least four randomly generated questions per applicable section. Several missed written questions under one code add only one additional oral question. Our advice: explain the topic with the source closed, then reopen the exact page to check the conditions and cautions you left out.

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

Practice explaining it 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