How hard is the Aviation Mechanic General written test?
The shared first exam every A&P takes, and home to two of the most-missed topics in the whole system. It ranks 2nd-hardest of 7 exams in this index.
The test at a glance
Four numbers that tell you what you are walking into.
Down 1.6 points vs 2023. 2nd-hardest of 7.
Mean score of everyone who sat it in 2024.
Up 118% since 2020.
Aviator IQ's read of the pass rate.
60 questions70% to pass (42 correct)~2 hr at the testing centerBuilt from FAA-H-8083-30
How the A&P General is trending
Pass rate, average score, and test volume by year. Flip between them.
The lighter final bar is the preliminary 2025 figure, which the FAA has not yet finalized. Source: FAA Airman Knowledge Test statistics.
Our read on it
Open the volume tab and the story is obvious: the A&P General has surged. 22,585 people sat it in 2025 (still a preliminary count), up 163% from 8,581 in 2020. This is the aircraft-maintenance hiring boom in a single chart. Airlines and repair stations are short thousands of certified mechanics, pay has climbed, and A&P schools have expanded fast to feed the pipeline.
That growth changes who is in the room. When a field grows this quickly, most test-takers are new to it, and it shows: the pass rate has fallen to 70.8% and the average score sits at 74.3%. The exam did not get harder, the pool got greener. For you that is good news. A real study plan puts you well ahead of the first-timers treating a hot industry as an easy ticket in.
Where it ranks
Every dot is one FAA written test, placed by its pass rate. The A&P General is highlighted; the dashed line is the average across all 7.
The topics you are most likely to miss
These are the ACS codes the FAA reports missed most on the A&P General. Try a sample question, then read why the wrong answer is so tempting.
Corrosion identification and inspection
78% miss itCorrosion is metal returning to its natural, oxidized state. On an airframe it shows up in predictable forms: surface corrosion (a dull, powdery film), pitting (small deep holes), intergranular corrosion (along grain boundaries inside the metal, often invisible from outside), and galvanic corrosion where two different metals touch with moisture between them. See the full breakdown.
Electrostatic discharge
75% miss itElectrostatic discharge (ESD) is a sudden flow of static electricity between two objects at different charge levels. The shock off a doorknob is a big one, but the ones that matter here are small: a few hundred volts, below what you can feel, is enough to destroy or silently weaken a modern avionics component. See the full breakdown.
The 10 questions people miss most
These are the topics that trip up the most A&P General candidates, written as example questions you can try. Answer each one for an instant breakdown of why the wrong choice is so tempting, then take a full A&P General practice test under real test conditions.
A circuit has 12 volts applied across 4 ohms of resistance. The current flowing is:
In a series circuit, which quantity is the same through every component?
When two dissimilar metals are joined with an electrolyte present, the metal that corrodes is the one that is more:
Before handling a static-sensitive electronic component, the technician should:
Removing weight from a point forward of the datum will move the center of gravity:
A mixture calls for 3 parts of fluid A to 1 part of fluid B. To make 8 gallons of mixture, how much of fluid A do you need?
According to Bernoulli's principle, as the velocity of a moving fluid increases, its static pressure:
When fueling an aircraft, bonding and grounding are used to:
A maintenance record entry approving an aircraft for return to service must include the date, a description of the work, and:
The grip length of an AN bolt should be chosen so that:
What to watch for
The habits that cost people points on this exam, drawn from the topics they miss most.
- Corrosion identification and inspection: Candidates memorize the names but not the ranking. They assume the stronger or more expensive metal survives, when galvanic corrosion sacrifices whichever metal is more chemically active, regardless of strength.
- Electrostatic discharge: Candidates confuse insulation with protection. They pick rubber gloves or working fast, when the fix is the opposite of insulating: connect everything to a common ground so charge cannot build a difference.
The more active metal corrodes first, every time. Strength does not protect it.
Common questions
Other exams in the index
See how the A&P General compares to the tests candidates take alongside it.
Sources & data notes
- FAA Airman Knowledge Test Statistics (hub)Annual and quarterly Airman Knowledge Test volume, pass rate, and average score by test code. Last verified Sep 15, 2026.
- Airman Knowledge Test annual statistics, 2019 to 2025Per-exam volume, pass rate, and average score. Calendar-year reports 2019 through 2025 (2025 preliminary). Last verified Sep 15, 2026.
- Frequently Missed Knowledge Test ACS CodesFAA Safety Analysis Branch quarterly report: the most-missed ACS code per test code, with percent missed. Last verified Sep 15, 2026.
- Airman Certification Standards (ACS) documentsPlain-English topic and Area/Task definitions for each ACS code (Private FAA-S-ACS-6, Commercial FAA-S-ACS-7, Aviation Mechanic FAA-S-ACS-1). Part 107 (UAG) follows the PSI UAG Applicant Information Bulletin, the current test blueprint that supersedes the FAA-S-ACS-10 blueprint. Last verified Sep 15, 2026.
- Pass rates, volumes, and average scores are the FAA's published figures. Difficulty rankings and threat levels are Aviator IQ's analysis of that public data, not official FAA ratings.
- Aviator IQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Federal Aviation Administration.
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