How Many Questions Are on the A&P Oral?
For an initial Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) oral and practical (O&P) test, each oral section has at least four random questions plus one additional question for each Airman Certification Standards (ACS) code you missed on the written test, as shown by the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR). An applicant who passed the written test with 70% could get the maximum: 22 General questions, 34 Airframe questions, and 34 Powerplant questions.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 3
To work out how many questions on the A&P oral to plan for, count the different codes on your actual AKTR before doing the arithmetic. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Mechanic Test Generator (MTG) frequently asked questions (FAQ) page bases additional questions on missed ACS codes, not the number of missed written questions.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 4
On this page
Count codes before counting O&P oral questions
Several missed written questions can fall under the same ACS code, in which case that code adds only one oral question. Two applicants with the same written percentage can therefore receive different oral question counts.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 4
The oral includes questions on the AKTR topics and additional questions randomly selected by the MTG. The following examples assume an initial Airframe oral with the four-question random baseline; they illustrate the published counting rule, not the exact contents of a downloaded test.
FAA-S-ACS-1, printed A-1, PDF 65
Example 1: no missed Airframe codes
With 0 distinct missed codes, 0 + 4 = 4 questions in this illustration. Seventy percent of 4 is 2.8, so the first whole-number passing result is 3 correct answers out of 4. Three of 4 is 3 ÷ 4 × 100 = 75%, while 2 of 4 is 2 ÷ 4 × 100 = 50%. The ACS says that if you score 100 percent on the knowledge exam, the minimum number of questions is asked during the oral.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 3, Oral-related Questions · FAA-S-ACS-1, printed A-1, PDF 65
Example 2: six distinct Airframe codes
With 6 distinct missed codes, 6 + 4 = 10 questions in the illustration. Seventy percent of 10 is 7, so 7 correct answers out of 10 meets 70%. Six written mistakes are not necessarily six distinct ACS codes; use the codes actually reported.
Example 3: twelve distinct Airframe codes
With 12 distinct missed codes, 12 + 4 = 16 questions in the illustration. Seventy percent of 16 is 11.2, so at least 12 whole answers must be correct to reach 70%. Twelve out of 16 is 75%; eleven out of 16 is 68.75%.
What the 70% rule actually applies to
The 70% standard applies to each entire General, Airframe, or Powerplant oral test, not separately to each subject area. All planning-sheet questions must be asked; the Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) does not pick a preferred subset.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 4
The worked examples show only whole-number passing thresholds; your actual test follows its own complete planning sheet.
Does 8 out of 12 mean only four questions on a retest?
Eight correct answers out of twelve is 8 ÷ 12 × 100 = 66.666…%, below 70%. Subtracting 8 from 12 does not, by itself, tell you how many questions a retest will have.
The MTG FAQ says an applicant who fails the General oral must retake the entire General oral test. The FAA’s ACS Companion Guide (FAA-G-ACS-1) says that an applicant retesting the oral portion will test the entire section that was failed: General, Airframe, or Powerplant. FAA Order 8900.1, the FAA’s guidance for examiners, instead describes a retest consisting of the previous test’s failed ACS codes and ACS codes marked not tested. These documents describe different scopes for an oral retest.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 4 · FAA-G-ACS-1, Companion Guide (with Changes 1 & 2), printed 24, PDF 24 · Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, CHG 929, printed 20, PDF 20, 5-5-11-7E2)
Ask your DME which applies to your Airframe retest before you schedule, and show the results recorded on your previous test.
Prepare for the topics, not only a number
The ACS says applicants should prepare in all included knowledge, risk-management, and skill elements because they are not permitted to know in advance which selections will be on their test. Use the arithmetic to plan review time, then practice explaining the coded topics and check uncertain points in the references.
FAA-S-ACS-1, printed A-1, PDF 65
Rehearse the explanation after doing the count
DMEReady uses an artificial intelligence (AI) voice examiner to rehearse the A&P oral, not a human DME. You speak in a phone or computer browser and receive follow-up questions the way a DME would ask them. Your first drill is free and requires no sign-up.
The tool is independent of the FAA, offers oral rather than hands-on rehearsal, and does not predict or guarantee results.
Start your free drillFrequently asked questions
If my Airframe AKTR lists twelve different ACS codes, how many Airframe oral questions should I expect?
Sixteen, assuming the four-question random minimum: one question for each of the 12 codes plus 4 random questions. Your actual MTG planning sheet sets the questions on your test.
If I missed six written questions, will I get six extra oral questions?
Not necessarily. You get one extra oral question for each different ACS code you missed, so six missed questions that fall under four codes add four oral questions.
FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023, unnumbered page, PDF 4
Is eleven correct out of sixteen enough for 70 percent?
No: 11 ÷ 16 × 100 = 68.75%, while 12 ÷ 16 × 100 = 75%.
For examiner fees and planning, read the DME exam cost guide.
Oral 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
- A&P ACS Codes: Know Your Codes Before the Oral
- Airframe Oral Exam Questions: What a DME Asks
- Failed Your A&P Oral and Practical? The Retest, Explained
- A&P Oral and Practical: What to Expect on Exam Day
- Who Writes Your A&P Oral: the DME, the MTG and Your AKTR
Sources
Primary sources checked October 25, 2026.
- FAA-S-ACS-1
- FAA Mechanic Test Generator FAQs, updated May 22, 2023
- Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, CHG 929
- FAA-G-ACS-1, Companion Guide to the Aviation Mechanic ACS (with Changes 1 & 2)
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.