22 Regulations, Records & Publications Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A mechanic holding airframe and powerplant ratings performs a major alteration to an airframe using FAA-approved data. Under 14 CFR 43.7 and part 65, who may approve that aircraft for return to service?

   • A.The mechanic who performed the alteration, since it was accomplished using approved data
   • B.Any mechanic with both ratings who inspects the finished work and signs the record entry
   • C.A mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization, or a repair station rated for that work✓ Answer
   • D.The owner or operator, who is primarily responsible for keeping the aircraft airworthy

   Sections 65.85(a) and 65.87(a) let a mechanic approve return to service only for work that is not a major repair or major alteration, so performing the work does not carry the authority to approve it. After a major alteration the approval must come from a mechanic holding an Inspection Authorization under 65.95(a)(1), a repair station operating under part 145, or the manufacturer under 43.3(j).

   Source: 14 CFR 65.95(a)(1); 14 CFR 65.85(a); 14 CFR 43.7Report a problem with this question

2. 2. Under 14 CFR 65.81, how do the limits on propeller work differ from the limits on instrument work for a certificated mechanic?

   • A.Major propeller repairs and alterations are barred; any repair or alteration of an instrument is barred✓ Answer
   • B.Every kind of propeller work is barred, while only major repairs and alterations of instruments are barred
   • C.Propeller work and instrument work are both barred only when the work is classified as major
   • D.Propeller work and instrument work are both permitted once the mechanic holds a powerplant rating

   The rule is deliberately asymmetric: 65.81(a) lets a rated mechanic perform maintenance on anything for which the certificate is rated except major repairs to propellers, major alterations of propellers, and any repair or alteration of instruments. Minor propeller work therefore remains within a powerplant-rated mechanic's privileges, while no instrument repair or alteration is, regardless of how small it is.

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

3. 3. An airplane needs a 100-hour inspection and the only mechanic available holds an airframe rating alone. Under 14 CFR 65.85, what may that mechanic do?

   • A.Perform the whole inspection and approve the airplane, as the airframe rating is the broader one
   • B.Perform the whole 100-hour inspection, provided a powerplant mechanic runs the engine afterward
   • C.Perform the 100-hour inspection of the airframe and approve the airframe for return to service✓ Answer
   • D.Perform no part of the inspection, because a 100-hour inspection needs an Inspection Authorization

   Privileges follow the rating: 65.85(a) authorizes an airframe-rated mechanic to perform the 100-hour inspection of an airframe and approve the airframe for return to service, while 65.87(a) gives the matching authority for the powerplant and the propeller. A 100-hour inspection of a complete airplane therefore takes both ratings, held by one person or by two, and neither rating permits signing an annual.

   Source: 14 CFR 65.85(a); 14 CFR 65.87(a)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. Which of the following persons may perform an annual inspection on an airplane operated under part 91?

   • A.A mechanic with airframe and powerplant ratings and 24 months of recent experience
   • B.A mechanic whose certificate carries an Inspection Authorization under 14 CFR 65.91✓ Answer
   • C.A mechanic with an airframe rating, the powerplant items being signed by another mechanic
   • D.A repairman certificated under 14 CFR 65.101 for that make and model of airplane

   An annual inspection must be done by a person authorized under 43.7, and for an individual mechanic that authority comes only from 65.95(a)(2), which is the privilege attached to an Inspection Authorization. Holding both ratings, meeting the recency rule, or holding a repairman certificate gives no annual-inspection authority, which is why an A&P without an Inspection Authorization can perform a 100-hour inspection but not an annual.

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

5. 5. An uncertificated helper performs maintenance under the supervision of a certificated mechanic. Under 14 CFR 43.3(d), what must the supervising mechanic do, and what may this arrangement never cover?

   • A.Personally observe the work as necessary and stay readily available in person; never a required inspection✓ Answer
   • B.Remain on the airport and review the finished work before signing; never a repair to primary structure
   • C.Hold an Inspection Authorization and recheck each step in turn; never an engine that is still in service
   • D.Be reachable by telephone while the work goes on; never a task that is listed as preventive maintenance

   Section 43.3(d) lets a person work under supervision only if the supervisor personally observes the work to the extent necessary to be satisfied it is done properly and is readily available, in person, for consultation, so telephone contact or an after-the-fact review does not satisfy the rule. The same paragraph states that supervision never authorizes an inspection required by part 91 or part 125, nor any inspection performed after a major repair or major alteration.

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

6. 6. A private pilot wants to perform preventive maintenance on an airplane. Under 14 CFR 43.3(g), which fact would make that unlawful?

   • A.The airplane's last inspection was an annual rather than a 100-hour inspection
   • B.The pilot holds a private certificate instead of a commercial pilot certificate
   • C.The work is done at a field away from base with no certificated mechanic present
   • D.The airplane is leased to an operator and flown in operations under part 135✓ Answer

   Section 43.3(g) allows a pilot certificated under part 61, other than a sport pilot, to perform the preventive maintenance listed in appendix A(c) on an aircraft owned or operated by that pilot, but it withdraws that privilege when the aircraft is used under part 121, 129 or 135. A private certificate is enough, the location of the work and the type of the last inspection are irrelevant, and the pilot may approve the aircraft for return to service for that work under 43.7.

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

7. 7. A mechanic replaces a fuel selector valve on a part 91 airplane. Under 14 CFR 43.9, which items must the maintenance record entry contain?

   • A.A description of the work, the aircraft total time in service, and the signature and certificate number
   • B.A description of the work, the date of completion, and the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held✓ Answer
   • C.The date the work began, the part numbers installed, and the signature and certificate number of the mechanic
   • D.A description of the work, the next due time for the item, and the certificate number of the supervising mechanic

   Section 43.9(a) lists exactly four items: a description of the work or a reference to acceptable data, the date the work was completed, the name of the person doing the work if that is not the person signing, and the signature, certificate number and kind of certificate held by the person approving the work. Aircraft total time in service belongs to the inspection rule in 43.11, not here, and that signature approves return to service only for the work performed.

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

8. 8. A mechanic completes a 100-hour inspection and finds the airplane airworthy. Under 14 CFR 43.11, which statement must the record entry contain?

   • A.That the aircraft has been approved for return to service with respect to the work that was performed
   • B.That the aircraft was inspected and all discrepancies found during the inspection have been corrected
   • C.That the aircraft was inspected in accordance with a 100-hour inspection and determined to be in airworthy condition✓ Answer
   • D.That the aircraft conforms to its type design and is in a condition for safe operation at this time

   Section 43.11(a)(4) prescribes the exact certifying sentence for an inspection found airworthy, naming the type of inspection performed and the determination that the aircraft is in airworthy condition. The return-to-service wording in the other choices belongs to a maintenance entry under 43.9 and does not certify an inspection, and the entry must also carry the date and the aircraft total time in service.

   Source: 14 CFR 43.11(a)(4)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. During a 100-hour inspection a mechanic finds a vacuum gauge inoperative and the owner elects to defer it under 91.213(d)(2). Under 14 CFR 43.11(b), what must the mechanic do?

   • A.Placard the gauge and the cockpit control of the item 'Inoperative' and add it to the discrepancy list✓ Answer
   • B.Remove the gauge from the panel, cap the lines behind it, and record the work as a minor alteration
   • C.Withhold approval for return to service until the gauge is repaired or replaced by a repair station
   • D.Hand the owner an unsigned list of the items that must be corrected before the next required inspection

   Section 43.11(b) requires the person performing the inspection to give the owner or lessee a signed and dated list of discrepancies, and for items allowed to be inoperative under 91.213(d)(2) to placard both the inoperative instrument and the cockpit control of the inoperative item and add those items to that list. The list must be signed and dated, and 91.405(d) then makes the owner responsible for ensuring the placard stays installed.

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

10. 10. A mechanic completes a major repair to an airframe. Under part 43 appendix B, how must FAA Form 337 be executed and disposed of?

    • A.In triplicate, with one copy filed at the Flight Standards office before the work begins
    • B.In duplicate, with a copy to the owner and one mailed to the FAA within 10 days of the work
    • C.As a single original given to the owner, with the mechanic keeping a copy for two years
    • D.At least in duplicate, with a signed copy to the owner and one to the FAA within 48 hours✓ Answer

    Appendix B(a) to part 43 requires the person who performs a major repair or major alteration to execute FAA Form 337 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 clock therefore starts at approval for return to service, not at the start of the job.

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

11. 11. A major alteration installs an extended-range fuel tank inside the passenger compartment. How does part 43 appendix B treat FAA Form 337 in that case?

    • A.It is replaced by a supplemental type certificate issued in the aircraft owner's own name
    • B.It is executed in duplicate, and the FAA copy must be sent before the tank is first filled
    • C.It is executed in triplicate, with one copy carried aboard the aircraft per 91.417✓ Answer
    • D.It must be signed by an Inspection Authorization holder and by the registered owner of the aircraft

    Appendix B(d) singles out extended-range fuel tanks installed within a passenger or baggage compartment: the Form 337 is executed at least in triplicate, one copy is placed on board the aircraft as specified in 91.417, one goes to the owner, and one is forwarded to the FAA within the usual 48 hours. The onboard copy exists so that anyone operating or inspecting the aircraft can see that the cabin tank is an approved installation.

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

12. 12. Under 14 CFR part 1 and part 43, what makes a repair a major repair?

    • A.It exceeds a set number of labor hours and therefore requires a second mechanic to inspect it
    • B.If done improperly it might appreciably affect structural strength, performance, or airworthiness✓ Answer
    • C.It replaces a part carrying a manufacturer part number rather than a standard AN or MS part
    • D.It is performed on primary structure rather than on secondary structure or on an appliance

    The part 1 definition turns on consequence, not on labor hours or on the kind of part: a repair is major if, done improperly, it might appreciably affect weight, balance, structural strength, performance, powerplant operation, flight characteristics or other qualities affecting airworthiness, or if it is not done by elementary operations. Section 43.3(a) points to appendix A of part 43 as the listing that settles borderline cases, and anything not major is minor by definition.

    Source: 14 CFR 1.1 definition of major repair; 14 CFR 43.3(a)Report a problem with this question

13. 13. A mechanic replaces a brake assembly on a part 91 airplane. Under 14 CFR 91.417, how long must the record of that work be kept?

    • A.Until the next annual inspection of the airplane has been completed and signed
    • B.Until the work is repeated or superseded, or for one year after it was performed✓ Answer
    • C.For two years, after which the record is forwarded to the FAA with the aircraft file
    • D.Permanently, because every maintenance entry transfers with the airplane when sold

    Section 91.417(b)(1) splits the records into two buckets. Ordinary maintenance, preventive maintenance, alteration and inspection records under 91.417(a)(1) are kept until the work is repeated or superseded by other work or for one year after it is performed, whichever comes first, while the permanent records in 91.417(a)(2), such as total time in service, life-limited part status, airworthiness directive status and major alteration forms, are transferred with the aircraft at sale.

    Source: 14 CFR 91.417(b)(1)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. An engine is given a maintenance record showing no previous operating history because it was rebuilt. Under 14 CFR 91.421, who may grant that zero time?

    • A.The owner, once an Inspection Authorization holder has inspected the finished engine
    • B.Any mechanic with a powerplant rating who overhauls the engine to new-part limits
    • C.A repair station rated for the engine that installs all new life-limited parts in it
    • D.The engine manufacturer, or an agency approved by the manufacturer for that work✓ Answer

    Section 91.421 allows a new maintenance record with no previous operating history only for an engine rebuilt by the manufacturer or by an agency approved by the manufacturer, and the entity that grants zero time must enter a signed statement of the rebuild date, each change required by an airworthiness directive, and each change made under a service bulletin that asks for the entry. An overhaul, however thorough, does not reset the recorded time in service.

    Source: 14 CFR 91.421(a) and (c)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. Under the recent-experience rule of 14 CFR 65.83, what must a mechanic be able to show to exercise the privileges of the certificate?

    • A.Six months of qualifying work within the preceding 24 months, or a finding by the Administrator✓ Answer
    • B.Twelve months of qualifying work within the preceding 36 months, or a finding by the Administrator
    • C.Six months of qualifying work within the preceding 12 months, or an approved refresher course
    • D.Twenty-four months of qualifying work since the certificate was issued, with nothing further

    Section 65.83 pairs two numbers that are easy to swap: within the preceding 24 months the mechanic must either have been found able to do the work by the Administrator, or have served for at least 6 months as a mechanic under the certificate, supervised other mechanics technically, supervised maintenance in an executive capacity, or any combination of those. The mechanic certificate itself never expires, so this recency rule is what keeps the privileges alive.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.83Report a problem with this question

16. 16. A certificated mechanic changes permanent mailing address. Under 14 CFR 65.21, what is required?

    • A.A note at the next renewal, since a mechanic certificate is issued without expiry
    • B.Written notice to the responsible Flight Standards office within 60 days of moving
    • C.Surrender of the certificate and application for a replacement showing the address
    • D.Written notice to the FAA Airman Certification Branch within 30 days of moving✓ Answer

    Section 65.21 gives the holder of a certificate issued under part 65 thirty days to notify the FAA Airman Certification Branch in writing of a change in permanent mailing address, and a holder who fails to do so may not exercise the privileges of the certificate after those thirty days. The notice goes to the Airman Certification Branch rather than to a local office, and no new certificate is issued merely because the address changed.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.21Report a problem with this question

17. 17. Under 14 CFR 65.89, where must a mechanic keep the certificate, and to whom must it be presented?

    • A.On file in the employer's records office; to the Administrator or the responsible Flight Standards office
    • B.On the mechanic's person whenever on duty; to the Administrator or to the owner of the aircraft worked on
    • C.Within the immediate area where privileges are exercised; to the Administrator, the NTSB, or law enforcement✓ Answer
    • D.With the maintenance records of the aircraft; to any operator whose aircraft the mechanic has worked on

    Section 65.89 requires the certificate to be kept within the immediate area where the holder normally exercises its privileges, which is why it need not be carried on the person, and it must be presented for inspection on the request of the Administrator, an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or any federal, state or local law enforcement officer. An aircraft owner or operator is not on that list, so no presentation is owed to a customer.

    Source: 14 CFR 65.89Report a problem with this question

18. 18. A maintenance manual calls for a special tool that the shop does not have. Under 14 CFR 43.13(a), what must the mechanic do?

    • A.Obtain written permission from the manufacturer to deviate before starting the task
    • B.Use any shop tooling that does the job, since the tool list in a manual is advisory
    • C.Fabricate a substitute tool and describe its use in block 8 of the FAA Form 337
    • D.Use that tool, or equipment that is equivalent and acceptable to the Administrator✓ Answer

    Section 43.13(a) requires the use of the methods, techniques and practices in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness, or other methods acceptable to the Administrator, together with the tools, equipment and test apparatus necessary to do the job. Where the manufacturer recommends special equipment or test apparatus, that equipment must be used, or equipment that the Administrator accepts as equivalent to it.

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

19. 19. An airworthiness directive requires a repetitive inspection every 100 hours. Under 14 CFR 91.417, what must the aircraft records show for it?

    • A.The method of compliance, the AD number and revision date, and the time and date the next action is due✓ Answer
    • B.The method of compliance and the name of the mechanic, kept only until the next inspection is done
    • C.The AD number and the date on which the FAA published the directive in the Federal Register
    • D.A copy of the directive, a copy of any service bulletin it cites, and the invoices for the parts

    Section 91.417(a)(2)(v) makes airworthiness directive status a permanent record: it must show the method of compliance, the AD number and revision date, and, if the directive involves recurring action, the time and date when the next action is required. Because part 39 makes an AD a binding rule rather than a recommendation, this entry is what proves the aircraft is still in compliance, and it transfers with the aircraft when it is sold.

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

20. 20. How do a manufacturer's maintenance manual and a supplemental type certificate differ as maintenance data?

    • A.The manual is acceptable data for minor work; an STC is approved data for a major alteration✓ Answer
    • B.Both are approved data, though the manual may be used only on aircraft operated under part 91
    • C.The manual is approved data for any repair; the STC applies only to a single serial number
    • D.Both are acceptable data, and either becomes approved once cited in block 8 of a Form 337

    Acceptable data tells a mechanic how work is done and is sufficient for minor repairs and minor alterations, which is the role of a manufacturer's maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness. Approved data is what substantiates a major repair or major alteration, and it includes type certificate data sheets, supplemental type certificates, airworthiness directives and a field approval recorded on FAA Form 337.

    Source: 14 CFR 43.13(a); 14 CFR part 43, appendix BReport a problem with this question

21. 21. An airplane used for flight instruction for hire had its last 100-hour inspection at 1,240.0 hours time in service. Using the en route allowance of 14 CFR 91.409(b), it reached the shop at 1,344.0 hours and was inspected there. When is the next 100-hour inspection due?

    • A.At 1,444.0 hours, since a full 100 hours runs from the inspection just completed
    • B.At 1,440.0 hours, because the 4.0 hours flown over must be charged to the next interval✓ Answer
    • C.At 1,448.0 hours, since the 4.0 hours flown over are added back to the interval
    • D.At 1,454.0 hours, since the en route allowance may be taken again next interval

    The 100-hour limitation may be exceeded by not more than 10 hours, and only while en route to a place where the inspection can be done, but 91.409(b) says the excess time must be included in computing the next 100 hours of time in service. The interval therefore runs from the time the inspection came due, 1,340.0 hours, so the next one falls at 1,440.0 hours, only 96.0 hours after the inspection actually performed; the allowance is borrowed time, not extra time.

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

22. 22. A mechanic signs a maintenance record entry for an inspection item that was never actually performed. Under 14 CFR 43.12, what does that entry expose the mechanic to?

    • A.The obligation to strike the entry, initial the change, and redo the item within 30 days
    • B.Suspension or revocation of any certificate held, as the entry is intentionally false✓ Answer
    • C.A one-year bar on applying for an Inspection Authorization, with no further penalty
    • D.A civil penalty against the owner, who is primarily responsible for aircraft records

    Section 43.12(a) forbids any fraudulent or intentionally false entry in a record or report required to be made, kept or used to show compliance with the regulations, and 43.12(b) makes such an act a basis for suspending or revoking the airman, operator or production certificate held by the person who committed it. Signing for work not personally performed and verified is the classic documentation failure the rule is aimed at.

    Source: 14 CFR 43.12(a) and (b)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 →