21 Regulations, Records & Publications Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A certificated mechanic holding both airframe and powerplant ratings personally performs a major repair to an aircraft's wing spar. Who may approve that aircraft for return to service?

   • A.Any A&P mechanic who did not perform the work but inspects it afterward
   • B.The mechanic who performed the repair, since he holds both airframe and powerplant ratings
   • C.A mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization, or an appropriately rated certificated repair station✓ Answer
   • D.The aircraft owner, after making a maintenance record entry describing the work

   Performing work and approving it for return to service are two different privileges. Sections 65.85 and 65.87 let a rated mechanic approve return to service after maintenance or alteration, but they specifically exclude major repairs and major alterations. Only a mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization (65.95), an appropriately rated repair station, or the manufacturer may make that approval, so the mechanic may do the spar repair but cannot sign it off.

   Source: 14 CFR 65.85, 65.87 and 65.95(a)(1)Report a problem with this question

2. 2. A mechanic holds only an airframe rating. Regarding the 100-hour inspection of a single-engine airplane, what may that mechanic legally do?

   • A.Approve the complete aircraft for return to service if a mechanic with an Inspection Authorization reviews the records
   • B.Perform the airframe portion of the inspection but approve no part of it for return to service
   • C.Approve the complete aircraft for return to service after the 100-hour inspection
   • D.Perform the 100-hour inspection of the airframe and approve the airframe for return to service✓ Answer

   A mechanic's privileges follow the ratings held. Section 65.85 authorizes an airframe-rated mechanic to perform the 100-hour inspection required by part 91 on an airframe and to approve that airframe for return to service; the powerplant portion requires a powerplant rating under 65.87. That is why a complete aircraft 100-hour sign-off requires both ratings, and why no Inspection Authorization is needed for a 100-hour at all.

   Source: 14 CFR 65.85 and 91.409(b)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. Which task is a certificated mechanic with airframe and powerplant ratings NOT permitted to perform?

   • A.A 100-hour inspection of a reciprocating engine
   • B.A repair to an aircraft instrument✓ Answer
   • C.Supervision of maintenance performed by an uncertificated helper
   • D.A major repair to an aircraft airframe

   Section 65.81(a) lets a rated mechanic perform or supervise maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration, but it carves out two exceptions: major repairs to and major alterations of propellers, and ANY repair to or alteration of instruments. Instrument work is beyond the scope of the certificate no matter how minor, so the mechanic's responsibility is to remove the unit and send it to an appropriately rated repair station or the manufacturer.

   Source: 14 CFR 65.81(a)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. An airplane operated only for personal use under part 91 is due its annual inspection. Who may perform that inspection and approve the aircraft for return to service?

   • A.The owner, if the owner holds at least a private pilot certificate
   • B.Any mechanic holding an airframe rating
   • C.A mechanic holding both ratings who also holds an Inspection Authorization✓ Answer
   • D.Any mechanic holding both airframe and powerplant ratings

   An annual is the one inspection that requires an Inspection Authorization: 65.95(a)(2) gives the IA holder the privilege to perform an annual inspection, while a plain A&P is limited to the 100-hour. The distinction matters because the two inspections have the same scope under part 43 appendix D but different signing authority, and a 100-hour may be recorded as an annual only when performed by a person authorized to do annuals.

   Source: 14 CFR 65.95(a)(2) and 91.409(a)Report a problem with this question

5. 5. A person working under the supervision of a certificated mechanic may perform work the supervisor is authorized to perform, provided the supervisor personally observes the work to the extent necessary and is readily available in person for consultation. What may that person never do under this authority?

   • A.Any work for which a maintenance record entry must be made
   • B.Preventive maintenance listed in part 43, appendix A(c)
   • C.Any work performed on a powerplant or propeller
   • D.Any required inspection under part 91 or part 125, or any inspection performed after a major repair or alteration✓ Answer

   Section 43.3(d) extends a supervisor's authority to the person doing the work, but it expressly states that it does not authorize the performance of any required inspection under part 91 or part 125, or any inspection performed after a major repair or alteration. Inspections are judgment tasks tied to the certificate itself, so they cannot be delegated downward even with direct supervision.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.3(d)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. What maintenance may a certificated private pilot perform on an aircraft the pilot owns and operates that is not used under part 121, 129, or 135?

   • A.Replacement of an aircraft instrument, since it is a simple removal and installation
   • B.The 100-hour inspection, as long as the aircraft is never flown for hire
   • C.Preventive maintenance listed in part 43, appendix A(c), which the pilot may then approve for return to service✓ Answer
   • D.Any minor repair, provided a certificated mechanic inspects the work afterward

   Section 43.3(g) limits the pilot-owner to preventive maintenance, and 43.7(f) lets a person holding at least a private pilot certificate approve that preventive maintenance for return to service. Preventive maintenance is defined by the closed list in part 43, appendix A(c) — simple or minor preservation and small standard-parts replacements not involving complex assembly operations — so anything outside that list, including inspections and instrument work, requires a certificated mechanic.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.3(g), 43.7(f), and part 43 appendix A(c)Report a problem with this question

7. 7. Which item is NOT required in the maintenance record entry a mechanic makes after repairing a landing gear actuator?

   • A.The date the work was completed
   • B.The aircraft total time in service✓ Answer
   • C.A description of the work performed, or a reference to data acceptable to the Administrator
   • D.The signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by the person approving the work

   Section 43.9(a) requires only four things in a maintenance entry: a description of the work (or a reference to acceptable data), the date of completion, the name of the person who did the work if different from the signer, and the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate of the person approving the work. Aircraft total time in service belongs in a 43.11 inspection entry, and the 43.9 signature constitutes approval for return to service only for the work performed, not for the airworthiness of the whole aircraft.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.9(a)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. Which certification statement must be entered in the maintenance record when an aircraft has passed an annual inspection?

   • A."I certify that this aircraft has been inspected and found to comply with all applicable Airworthiness Directives."
   • B."I certify that this aircraft has been inspected in accordance with an annual inspection and was determined to be in airworthy condition."✓ Answer
   • C."I certify that the work described above was performed and the aircraft is approved for return to service."
   • D."I certify that this aircraft conforms to its type certificate and is approved for return to service."

   Section 43.11(a)(6) prescribes the exact wording for an approved inspection, naming the type of inspection and stating the aircraft was determined to be in airworthy condition. The wording is fixed because the entry is the legal certification of airworthiness for that inspection; a generic return-to-service statement under 43.9 covers only the work performed and cannot substitute for it.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.11(a)(6)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. A mechanic with an Inspection Authorization completes an annual inspection and finds the aircraft unairworthy. What does the regulation require?

   • A.An entry is signed showing the aircraft was disapproved, and the owner or lessee is given a signed and dated list of the discrepancies and unairworthy items✓ Answer
   • B.The aircraft records must be forwarded to the FAA within 48 hours
   • C.No maintenance record entry is made until the discrepancies have been corrected
   • D.The inspection is entered as an approval, and the defects are listed on FAA Form 337

   An inspection entry is required whether the aircraft passes or fails: 43.11(a)(5) requires the signature of the person approving OR DISAPPROVING the aircraft, and the disapproval statement references a list of discrepancies dated and provided to the owner or operator. Section 43.11(b) requires that signed and dated list to be given to the owner or lessee, and 91.417(b)(3) requires the owner to keep it until the defects are repaired and the aircraft is approved for return to service.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.11(a)(5)-(6) and 43.11(b)Report a problem with this question

10. 10. After a major alteration is approved for return to service, how must FAA Form 337 be executed and disposed of?

    • A.A copy is forwarded to the responsible Flight Standards office within 30 days
    • B.One copy is placed in the aircraft records and no copy is sent to the FAA
    • C.A single copy is mailed to the aircraft manufacturer within 10 days
    • D.It is executed at least in duplicate, a signed copy is given to the aircraft owner, and a copy is forwarded to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch, Oklahoma City, within 48 hours✓ Answer

    Appendix B to part 43 sets the disposition: execute the form at least in duplicate, give a signed copy to the aircraft owner, and forward a copy to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch in Oklahoma City within 48 hours after the aircraft, airframe, engine, propeller, or appliance is approved for return to service. The FAA copy is filed with the aircraft's permanent record so the alteration history follows the airframe. When extended-range fuel tanks are installed in a passenger or baggage compartment, the form is executed in triplicate and one copy stays aboard the aircraft.

    Source: 14 CFR part 43, appendix B(a) and 43.9(d)Report a problem with this question

11. 11. Repair of a damaged area in a metal aircraft's stressed skin that exceeds six inches in any direction is classified as what, and how is it recorded?

    • A.A major alteration, which requires a field approval before the work may begin
    • B.Preventive maintenance, which the pilot-owner may perform and record
    • C.A minor repair, recorded by a maintenance record entry only
    • D.A major repair, which must be recorded on FAA Form 337 in addition to the maintenance record entry✓ Answer

    Part 43, appendix A(b)(1) lists repairs to damaged areas in metal or plywood stressed covering exceeding six inches in any direction as airframe major repairs. The classification matters because 43.9(d) requires major repairs and major alterations to be entered on FAA Form 337 in addition to the ordinary record entry, and because approval for return to service then requires an IA or an appropriately rated repair station.

    Source: 14 CFR part 43, appendix A(b)(1) and 43.9(d)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. Which maintenance records must be transferred with an aircraft when the owner sells it?

    • A.None; maintenance records remain the property of the seller
    • B.The permanent records: total time in service of the airframe, each engine, propeller and rotor; life-limited part status; time since overhaul; current inspection status; AD compliance status; and the Form 337s for major alterations✓ Answer
    • C.All records of maintenance and preventive maintenance for the previous 12 months
    • D.Only the records of the most recent annual inspection

    Part 91 splits records in two. The 91.417(a)(1) temporary records — individual maintenance, preventive maintenance and inspection entries — need only be kept until the work is repeated or superseded, or for one year (91.417(b)(1)). The 91.417(a)(2) permanent records establish the aircraft's continuing status, so 91.417(b)(2) and 91.419 require them to be retained and transferred with the aircraft at the time of sale.

    Source: 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2), 91.417(b)(2), and 91.419Report a problem with this question

13. 13. When may an engine be described as "rebuilt" and be given a new maintenance record showing zero time since new?

    • A.When any certificated repair station overhauls it and replaces all life-limited parts
    • B.When a mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization inspects it after overhaul and executes an FAA Form 337
    • C.Only when it is rebuilt by the manufacturer, or by an agency approved by the manufacturer, using new parts or used parts that conform to new-part tolerances and limits✓ Answer
    • D.When an A&P mechanic disassembles, cleans, inspects, repairs, reassembles, and tests it to approved standards

    Section 43.2(b) forbids calling an item "rebuilt" unless it has been disassembled, cleaned, inspected, repaired as necessary, reassembled, and tested to the same tolerances and limits as a NEW item, using either new parts or used parts that conform to new-part tolerances or to approved oversize or undersize dimensions. Because only the manufacturer or an agency it approves may do that under 91.421, only such a rebuild may start a zero-time record; an overhaul under 43.2(a) restores the item to serviceable limits but the time in service continues to accumulate.

    Source: 14 CFR 43.2 and 91.421Report a problem with this question

14. 14. A certificated mechanic may not exercise the privileges of the certificate unless, within the preceding 24 months, the Administrator has found the mechanic able to do the work, or the mechanic has met a service requirement. What is that service requirement?

    • A.Serving at least 6 months as a mechanic under the certificate and rating, technically supervising other mechanics, or supervising maintenance in an executive capacity✓ Answer
    • B.Serving at least 12 months as a mechanic under the certificate and rating
    • C.Completing at least 8 hours of refresher training acceptable to the Administrator
    • D.Serving at least 6 months as a mechanic within the preceding 12 months

    Section 65.83 makes currency a condition of exercising privileges: within the preceding 24 months the mechanic must have served at least 6 months as a mechanic under the certificate and rating, technically supervised other mechanics, supervised maintenance or alteration in an executive capacity, or any combination of these. The rule is about maintaining hands-on familiarity, so a lapsed mechanic re-establishes currency by showing the Administrator that he is able to do the work.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.83Report a problem with this question

15. 15. How long does the holder of a mechanic certificate have to notify the FAA in writing after a change in permanent mailing address?

    • A.90 days
    • B.60 days
    • C.10 days
    • D.30 days✓ Answer

    Section 65.21 requires written notice of a change in permanent mailing address to the FAA Airman Certification Branch in Oklahoma City within 30 days. The consequence is not merely administrative: after 30 days without giving that notice, the holder may not exercise the privileges of the certificate until the notice is sent, because the FAA must be able to reach the airman with certificate actions and safety information.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.21Report a problem with this question

16. 16. Where must a certificated mechanic keep the mechanic certificate, and to whom must it be presented on request?

    • A.Within the immediate area where the privileges are normally exercised, and presented on request of the Administrator, an authorized NTSB representative, or any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer✓ Answer
    • B.Posted at the work station where the aircraft owner can read it
    • C.On the mechanic's person at all times whenever the mechanic is working on an aircraft
    • D.On file with the employing repair station or air carrier

    Section 65.89 requires the certificate to be kept within the immediate area where the holder normally exercises the privileges, and to be presented for inspection on the request of the Administrator, an authorized representative of the NTSB, or any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer. The rule ties the certificate to the workplace rather than the person so an inspector can verify on the spot that the individual signing off work is actually certificated.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.89Report a problem with this question

17. 17. A maintenance manual recommends a special test fixture for rigging a flight control system. What does part 43 require the mechanic to do?

    • A.Use ordinary shop tools, because manufacturer recommendations are advisory only
    • B.Substitute any tool that appears to produce the same result, with no further evaluation
    • C.Obtain written FAA approval before using the manufacturer's fixture
    • D.Use that recommended special equipment or test apparatus, or equipment acceptable to the Administrator that is equivalent to it✓ Answer

    Section 43.13(a) requires the mechanic to use the methods, techniques, and practices in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness (or other methods acceptable to the Administrator), and to use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to assure completion of the work in accordance with accepted industry practices — and where the manufacturer recommends special equipment or test apparatus, that equipment or its acceptable equivalent must be used. Section 65.81(b) reinforces this by barring a mechanic from exercising privileges unless he understands the current instructions for the specific operation.

    Source: 14 CFR 43.13(a) and 65.81(b)Report a problem with this question

18. 18. An Airworthiness Directive requires a repetitive inspection at a stated interval. What must the maintenance record show?

    • A.Only the AD number and the date of compliance
    • B.The method of compliance, the AD number and revision date, and the time and date when the next required action is due✓ Answer
    • C.An FAA Form 337 executed for each compliance
    • D.A photocopy of the AD attached to the aircraft records

    Section 91.417(a)(2)(v) requires the AD compliance record to show the method of compliance, the AD number and revision date, and, if the AD involves recurring action, the time and date when the next action is due. That last element is what distinguishes a recurring AD from a one-time AD: a one-time AD is closed out when accomplished and recorded, while a recurring AD is a continuing airworthiness condition. Note that ADs are issued under part 39 and are mandatory, whereas a manufacturer's service bulletin is not, unless an AD or an approved inspection program invokes it.

    Source: 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2)(v) and 14 CFR part 39Report a problem with this question

19. 19. Which statement about aviation maintenance publications and approval documents is correct?

    • A.A Type Certificate Data Sheet is part of the type certificate and records the limitations and information required for type certification, such as weight limits, CG range, control surface travel, and fuel grade✓ Answer
    • B.FAA handbooks such as FAA-H-8083-30 carry the same legal force as 14 CFR
    • C.A manufacturer's service bulletin is mandatory for every operator flying under part 91
    • D.Advisory Circulars are regulatory documents, and compliance with an AC is mandatory

    Under 21.41 the type certificate includes the type design, the operating limitations, the TCDS, the applicable regulations, and any other conditions prescribed — so the TCDS is part of the certificate itself and is the authoritative source for a model's certificated limitations. Advisory Circulars and FAA handbooks are guidance, offering acceptable means of compliance but not carrying regulatory force unless a rule incorporates them, and service bulletins are manufacturer documents that become mandatory only when an AD or an approved inspection program requires them.

    Source: 14 CFR 21.41; FAA-H-8083-30, Maintenance PublicationsReport a problem with this question

20. 20. An airplane used for flight instruction for hire reaches 100 hours since its last 100-hour inspection while away from base. What does part 91 allow?

    • A.The 100-hour time may be exceeded by up to 25 hours with the owner's written approval
    • B.The 100-hour time may be exceeded by not more than 10 hours while en route to a place where the inspection can be done, and the excess time must be included in computing the next 100 hours✓ Answer
    • C.The airplane may continue in service for hire until the next annual inspection becomes due
    • D.The 100-hour time may be exceeded by up to 10 hours on any flight, and the excess time is disregarded

    Section 91.409(b) requires a 100-hour inspection for aircraft carrying persons for hire and for flight instruction for hire when the operator provides the aircraft. The 100-hour limit may be exceeded by not more than 10 hours only while en route to reach a place where the inspection can be done, and the excess must be included in computing the next 100 hours of time in service, so the overfly does not extend the total interval. Note also that an annual inspection may not be substituted with an extension: it is due within the preceding 12 calendar months.

    Source: 14 CFR 91.409(b)Report a problem with this question

21. 21. What is the consequence of a mechanic making an intentionally false or fraudulent entry in an aircraft maintenance record?

    • A.The mechanic must instead file a Malfunction or Defect Report, FAA Form 8010-4
    • B.It is strictly a matter for the employer; the FAA acts only if an accident results
    • C.There is no consequence if the entry is corrected within 30 days
    • D.It is prohibited and is a basis for suspending or revoking any certificate, rating, or authorization the person holds, as well as for a civil penalty✓ Answer

    The FAA's falsification rule prohibits fraudulent or intentionally false statements, fraudulent alteration or reproduction, and the knowing omission of a material fact in any record kept or submitted to show compliance with the regulations, and makes such conduct a basis for denial, suspension, or revocation of any certificate, rating, or authorization held, and for a civil penalty. Even an incorrect statement made without intent to defraud can support certificate action. The rule exists because maintenance records are the only evidence that the required work was actually done, so an entry the next mechanic cannot trust destroys the airworthiness chain.

    Source: 14 CFR part 3, subpart D (14 CFR 3.403 and 3.405)Report a problem with this question

Practice questions based on 14 CFR Parts 43 and 65 and the FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook—General (FAA-H-8083-30). This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration. This bank covers the GENERAL written test only; the Airframe and Powerplant written tests and the oral and practical exams are separate. Torque values, servicing quantities, corrosion rework limits, and inspection criteria always come from the manufacturer's current maintenance data and the applicable airworthiness directives — never from a practice test. Confirm current eligibility and testing requirements with the FAA before you test. About the A&P mechanic certificate →