Test prep advice for experience-based A&P applicants?

[rframe]

I received my authorization from the FAA to test for A&P based on documented civilian experience. I'm opting to test locally rather than go to an intensive prep school like Bakers. Reading through the PTS it seems pretty straight forward. I did contact a DME and he said most people are more likely to struggle with the oral rather than the practical (as long as they've actually done the practical tasks before). Has anybody else gone this route? Anybody care to share some things that caught you off guard on your O&P exams? General prep advice?

 

[flyinggreasemnky]

Its been 20 years since my O&P's but I used the Jeppesen study guides for all my test prep. I went the traditional A&P school route and used a DME that the school had a long relationship with. He almost exclusively asked questions straight from the the Jeppesen Oral Study guides. There really weren't any surprises and the practical side was really straight forward. (Not sure how much has changed since those days.) I took the Airframe and Powerplant separately as I took the tests as I completed the coursework. Might make it easier to space out the tests to give you time to just focus on one section of study at a time.

Typically, guys that did the practical experience route struggled with understanding GA if they worked on jets or vice versa. I know a guy I worked with at a corporate repair station struggled to understand things like mag timing because he had never laid hands on it during his apprenticeship.

Disclaimer: I haven't worked professionally as an A&P since 2010.

 

[rframe]

I know a guy I worked with at a corporate repair station struggled to understand things like mag timing because he had never laid hands on it during his apprenticeship.

This is the same situation the DME brought up, a gal showed up with no idea how to install a cylinder or time a magneto because she had only worked in specific areas of turbine maintenance.

I've done the majority of the work I see on the PTS, so I'm feeling pretty good about it (and will get a little focused practice before)... we'll see.

 

[Roger Roger]

The reason experience based applicants have trouble with the oral is that you don’t get the theory portion other than indirectly. Saw the same issue with those guys when they got on the job a lot of times-they could follow a manual procedure but didn’t understand how stuff worked.

 

[knot4u]

Good luck, I'm not being snarky, I hope you do well. We have a shortage of decent people, perhaps worse than a lack of pilots.

 

[rframe]

Good luck, I'm not being snarky, I hope you do well. We have a shortage of decent people, perhaps worse than a lack of pilots.

I appreciate the support. I'm on the O&P schedule for January (first available date). Knocking out my written exams over the next few weeks, starting with Airframe in a couple days. Reading all the FAA AMT books, reviewing AC 43.13, refreshing my electronics knowledge with some labs, working through the Jepp practical test guides, and watching a ton of videos to fill in knowledge areas I'm weak on, and of course working on some test prep software. Finding it's mostly about filling in the blanks where I have some fragmented knowledge and those technical details I've not been exposed to, but nothing has been very difficult or unexpected just a lot of volume to cover. I've no desire to do maintenance full-time, but it will be extremely helpful as an ancillary tool for other opportunities I'm working on. I definitely notice there's a shortage of mechanics on the GA side, which is my only area of interest. I've known several family members and close friends who left the airline maintenance world because they found they really disliked the culture.

 

[knot4u]

I appreciate the support. I'm on the O&P schedule for January (first available date). Knocking out my written exams over the next few weeks, starting with Airframe in a couple days. Reading all the FAA AMT books, reviewing AC 43.13, refreshing my electronics knowledge with some labs, working through the Jepp practical test guides, and watching a ton of videos to fill in knowledge areas I'm weak on, and of course working on some test prep software. Finding it's mostly about filling in the blanks where I have some fragmented knowledge and those technical details I've not been exposed to, but nothing has been very difficult or unexpected just a lot of volume to cover. I've no desire to do maintenance full-time, but it will be extremely helpful as an ancillary tool for other opportunities I'm working on. I definitely notice there's a shortage of mechanics on the GA side, which is my only area of interest. I've known several family members and close friends who left the airline maintenance world because they found they really disliked the culture.

I'm sure you're already aware that the FAA changed the PTS for the oral and practical airframe and powerplant tests a few years ago. The tasks are now sent to the DME by the FAA from what's supposed to be a random set utilizing the equipment they now require each examiner to possess to administer the tests (lots of DMEs stopped doing it rather than purchase all of the stuff). I've heard scuttlebutt that the FAA might look at your written and oral results and tailor your practical to test subjects they think you might be weak in, I think it all might be balderdash from disgruntled folks that didn't pass but you never know. I've worked with great A/Ps that never went to school and I've met mechanics that left me befuddled regarding their skills that had somehow been granted the privilege of signing off aircraft. I went to a 2 year school, so perhaps I'm biased, and during that 1900 hours I learned a lot of various things, many that I never regularly used when I got out into the field but still seemed handy. Again, I wish you luck and if you do pass I hope you work in the field you trained in.

 

[rframe]

I've worked with great A/Ps that never went to school and I've met mechanics that left me befuddled regarding their skills that had somehow been granted the privilege of signing off aircraft.

Yep, I've seen both examples. I've been doing this on and off for close to 30 years and owned multiple airplanes and worked in several shops. I've seen some mechanics that make me question how they got through school at all. But, I've seen the same thing on the piloting side... some idiots will always make their way through.

 

[rframe]

Just an update, as I'm now a certificated A&P!

Oral and Practical was a day and part of another morning (somewhere around 9.5 hours). Nothing really unexpected. Practical tasks ranged widely in both their time and difficulty, but other than overthinking and trying to overcomplicate a few (that thankfully I caught), it was actually pretty fun, I passed first try, and the DME gave very positive feedback at the end.

If any other pilots have the quantifiable experience required and are considering getting theirs, I recommend cracking down with the books and finding ways to practice any skills you might lack, and then it's very doable. It's a lot of information to cram into your brain and have ready for recall, but valuable information to learn anyway.

 

[knot4u]

Just an update, as I'm now a certificated A&P!

Oral and Practical was a day and part of another morning (somewhere around 9.5 hours). Nothing really unexpected. Practical tasks ranged widely in both their time and difficulty, but other than overthinking and trying to overcomplicate a few (that thankfully I caught), it was actually pretty fun, I passed first try, and the DME gave very positive feedback at the end.

If any other pilots have the quantifiable experience required and are considering getting theirs, I recommend cracking down with the books and finding ways to practice any skills you might lack, and then it's very doable. It's a lot of information to cram into your brain and have ready for recall, but valuable information to learn anyway.

Congrats. If you have the time or inclination I'd like to hear a bit more detail regarding your oral and practical test subjects. I ask because back in the early '90s I needed to know the firing order of a R-2800 and why it fired in that order for my power plant and how to repair a wooden wing rib for my airframe. I'm not saying I never got involved in either of those things but even then knowing how a pressure carburetor works seemed antiquated. Are they testing for more modern concepts these days?

 

[DE727UPS]

Congratz. Did you do it with the guy at Deer Park? I have an engine that will need an overhaul soon if you want the work. Thanks for the DPE info, by the way, greatly appreciated.

 

[rframe]

Congrats. If you have the time or inclination I'd like to hear a bit more detail regarding your oral and practical test subjects.

I know there's still several questions on power plant written exams on radials, super chargers, wood structures, and fabric. I think I got a couple oral questions on fabric and that was about it. Fabric airplanes, old engines, radials and the like are what I really enjoy and spend a fair amount of my time around so I wouldn't have minded getting more on that stuff.

The oral was pretty intensive as it just covers sooo much material. The way mine was structured, I received four questions for each topic. If I got 3 right, I passed the topic and moved on. If missing more then they'll pull out more questions to dig deeper and see if that section is a failure or not. I think I missed 3 total questions on the oral and never needed more than the four for any given area. I prepared quite a bit, especially for those areas that I haven't had much exposure or interest (jets) and it paid off.

My practical assignments all seemed to me to be relevant and typical daily work for a GA mechanic. Off the top of my head, I recall being assigned to perform a 100 hour inspection firewall foreword on a 182 (that had several issues), corrosion inspection on an aircraft with lots of examples of different types, doing AD research and inspections (with some spotty and wrong paperwork thrown in), inspecting bearings, replacing parts on an Allison 250, testing a variety of electrical circuits and components both standalone and as installed on an aircraft, replacing seals and servicing a hydraulics piston, repairing a punctured aluminum skin (clearing damage, fabricating patch, bucking rivets), dressing a prop, removing and replacing control surfaces, re-lining brakes, servicing de-ice boots, and others I'm not recalling right now. All assignments consisted of me getting a sheet of paper with the assignment and being pointed in the direction of the equipment assigned. I took my own box for comfort but if I needed some other tools I could request them. I was also expected to ask for any service manuals, TCDS, or other references I would need to perform the task correctly and legally.

 

[rframe]

Congratz. Did you do it with the guy at Deer Park? I have an engine that will need an overhaul soon if you want the work. Thanks for the DPE info, by the way, greatly appreciated.

Thank you, it sure feels good to have it done. I did it at Felts, there are a couple DME's there who are good guys with a lot of field experience. I might be able to help with the OH depending upon timing. Definitely good to plan ahead as some parts delays have been problematic (like everything now days) and may be wise to figure for that before pulling it from service. Just shoot me a note with your anticipated schedule and details.

 

[knot4u]

I know there's still several questions on power plant written exams on radials, super chargers, wood structures, and fabric. I think I got a couple oral questions on fabric and that was about it. Fabric airplanes, old engines, radials and the like are what I really enjoy and spend a fair amount of my time around so I wouldn't have minded getting more on that stuff.

The oral was pretty intensive as it just covers sooo much material. The way mine was structured, I received four questions for each topic. If I got 3 right, I passed the topic and moved on. If missing more then they'll pull out more questions to dig deeper and see if that section is a failure or not. I think I missed 3 total questions on the oral and never needed more than the four for any given area. I prepared quite a bit, especially for those areas that I haven't had much exposure or interest (jets) and it paid off.

My practical assignments all seemed to me to be relevant and typical daily work for a GA mechanic. Off the top of my head, I recall being assigned to perform a 100 hour inspection firewall foreword on a 182 (that had several issues), corrosion inspection on an aircraft with lots of examples of different types, doing AD research and inspections (with some spotty and wrong paperwork thrown in), inspecting bearings, replacing parts on an Allison 250, testing a variety of electrical circuits and components both standalone and as installed on an aircraft, replacing seals and servicing a hydraulics piston, repairing a punctured aluminum skin (clearing damage, fabricating patch, bucking rivets), dressing a prop, removing and replacing control surfaces, re-lining brakes, servicing de-ice boots, and others I'm not recalling right now. All assignments consisted of me getting a sheet of paper with the assignment and being pointed in the direction of the equipment assigned. I took my own box for comfort but if I needed some other tools I could request them. I was also expected to ask for any service manuals, TCDS, or other references I would need to perform the task correctly and legally.

Thank you.