How Hard Is the A&P Exam? The Oral and Practical
How hard is the A&P exam? For the O&P, the concrete demands are answering oral questions without references and completing practical projects the evaluator observes. The FAA describes the tasks and evaluation rules; those facts are more useful for preparation than an unsupported claim that the test is easy or hard for everyone.
On this page
What makes the O&P demanding?
Section 65.79 requires an oral test and a practical test appropriate to the rating sought, demonstrating satisfactory understanding of knowledge, risk-management, and skill elements. Passing the O&P therefore calls for more than recognizing a correct choice in a written question.
| Demand | What to review |
|---|---|
| Explain without the book | Can you state the main answer and explain the reason? |
| Use a practical reference | Can you find the applicable information and apply it to the assigned work? |
| Handle questions during a project | Can you explain the work as well as complete the task? |
| Work safely | Can you prepare the task and recognize the hazards? |
The review prompts in the table are our study advice. Use them to find gaps in your preparation, not to assign yourself an unofficial exam score.
Is the Airframe oral hard in a different way?
The FAA's Mechanic Test Generator (MTG) FAQ describes separate General, Airframe, and Powerplant oral tests. For each oral test, the 70 percent standard applies to the whole test rather than to each subject. Each oral test has at least four randomly generated questions, plus one more for each ACS code missed on your knowledge test. An Airframe oral can also run longer: an applicant who scored 70 percent on the written test could get up to 34 Airframe questions, compared with 22 for General.
FAA MTG FAQ, PDF p. 3 · FAA MTG FAQ, PDF p. 4
If Airframe feels harder to you, identify the particular explanation you cannot yet give. Difficulty with a subject is a useful study observation; it is not evidence that Airframe is universally the hardest section. For answer structure and speaking practice, use our oral preparation guide.
Why does practical work add another demand?
The FAA FAQ specifies nine General projects, eleven Airframe projects, and eleven Powerplant projects. Each project is graded pass or fail, while the 70 percent standard applies to the entire practical test.
A project can fail even when the physical work is satisfactory: the FAA FAQ says an incorrect answer to a practical question fails the entire project. Correct answers also do not rescue unsatisfactory project completion. The DME asks two relevant MTG questions at a safe and appropriate time during the performance.
Safety is part of the standard. The ACS states that disregard for safety results in failure. If an action would jeopardize safety, the evaluator asks for that portion of the project to be simulated.
What happens if part of the test does not go well?
For a failed practical, you retest the failed projects and any projects that were not tested; projects you already passed are not retested. FAA documents word the oral retest differently. The MTG FAQ and the FAA's ACS Companion Guide (FAA-G-ACS-1) say you retest the entire oral section you failed, such as General. FAA Order 8900.1, the FAA's guidance for examiners, says the retest consists of the ACS codes marked failed or not tested on your previous test. Ask your DME which applies before you schedule.
FAA MTG FAQ, PDF p. 4 · FAA-G-ACS-1, p. 24 · FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, para. 5-5-11-7E2), p. 20
Under § 65.19, an applicant may apply for retesting after 30 days. Earlier retesting requires a signed statement from an airman holding the certificate and rating sought, certifying additional instruction in each failed subject and readiness for retesting. Read the retest guide for the next steps.
How should you judge your own preparation?
Use the demands above as questions for your instructor and your next rehearsal. Can you explain the topic without notes? Can you find and apply a reference during suitable practical work? Can you explain an error and correct it? These checks give you concrete work to do before test day.
Use the four-week study plan to organize that work. Include the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) in your review. Keep the focus on the gaps you can name, rather than comparing your preparation with an anecdote from another applicant.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one reliable answer to how hard the O&P will be for me?
No. FAA documents describe the test format and grading rules, not how hard the test will feel for a particular applicant. Use those rules to find the explanations and practical tasks you still need to work on.
Does every practical project need a passing result to pass the test?
No. You may fail a project and still pass, because the 70 percent minimum applies to the practical test as a whole. In the MTG FAQ's General example, you must pass 7 of the 9 projects.
Can I pass a project if I do the task correctly but miss a practical question?
No. The FAA FAQ treats an incorrect practical-question answer as failure of the whole project even when the project work was completed satisfactorily.
Do I retake the whole oral section if I fail it?
Possibly; the FAA documents differ. The Mechanic Test Generator FAQ and the ACS Companion Guide say a failed oral section, such as General, is retested in full. FAA Order 8900.1 describes a retest made up of the ACS codes marked failed or not tested on your previous test. Confirm the scope with your DME before you book the retest.
FAA MTG FAQ, PDF p. 4 · FAA-G-ACS-1, p. 24 · FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, para. 5-5-11-7E2), p. 20
Rehearse the spoken answer 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. After a 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 the report as a PDF study sheet or 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 drillOral 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
Sources
FAA sources checked October 18, 2026.
- FAA-S-ACS-1
- 14 CFR part 65, eCFR current through October 15, 2026
- FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023
- FAA-G-ACS-1, Companion Guide to the Aviation Mechanic ACS (with Changes 1 & 2), Chapter 7, p. 24
- FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 5, Chapter 5, Section 11 (CHG 929, 9/17/2024), para. 5-5-11-7E2)
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
Report an error or ask a question
Email hello@dmeready.com.