A&P Powerplant Test Pass Rate: Is It Really the Hardest?
Last updated October 15, 2026
The A&P Powerplant written test (FAA test code AMP) had a 63.04% pass rate in 2025, the lowest of the three A&P written tests. General was 69.59% and Airframe was 74.01% (FAA 2025 Airman Knowledge Test statistics). So yes, by the numbers it is the hardest of the three. This guide shows the full FAA figures, how the 100 questions are divided, and a study plan. Where it offers a reason why people struggle, it says so: those parts are opinion, not FAA findings.
The numbers
| 2025 | Tests taken | Pass rate | Average score |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (AMG) | 22,585 | 69.59% | 74.02% |
| Airframe (AMA) | 16,885 | 74.01% | 75.90% |
| Powerplant (AMP) | 17,572 | 63.04% | 72.58% |
Source: FAA 2025 Airman Knowledge Test statistics (calendar year 2025 volume report).
A few things the table shows:
- About 37 of every 100 Powerplant tests taken in 2025 were not passes (100 minus 63.04 is 36.96).
- The average Powerplant score, 72.58%, was above the 70% passing mark, yet about 37 of every 100 tests were not passes. An average does not show how scores were spread, so the FAA numbers alone do not tell us how far below the line the failed tests landed.
- Powerplant also has the lowest average score of the three, though it is only about 1.4 points below General and 3.3 points below Airframe.
The FAA report does not explain why the rates differ. It also counts tests, not people, so do not read 63.04% as “37% of mechanics can never pass.” We make no claim about how many of the failed tests were retakes.
The test format
| Powerplant (AMP) | |
|---|---|
| Questions | 100 |
| Time allowed | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Minimum age to take the test | None (“N/A” in the matrix) |
Source: FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, revised September 25, 2026, p. 6. The 70 percent passing grade is also in 14 CFR 65.17. You need 70 of the 100 questions right.
Two hours for 100 questions averages 1.2 minutes per question (120 divided by 100). That is plenty for a recall question and tighter for a calculation or a chart that needs a careful read, so plan your pacing.
How the 100 questions are divided
The FAA publishes a blueprint giving each subject a range of the test (Companion Guide to the mechanic ACS, FAA-G-ACS-1, Change 2, ch. 3, pp. 13-14). The subjects come from the Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-1 (the ACS, Section III, pp. 44-59). With 100 questions, each percent is one question.
| Subject | Share of questions | ACS elements (knowledge + risk) |
|---|---|---|
| A. Reciprocating Engines | 5-15% | 14 |
| B. Turbine Engines | 5-10% | 15 |
| C. Engine Inspection | 5-10% | 11 |
| D. Engine Instrument Systems | 5-10% | 13 |
| E. Engine Fire Protection Systems | 5-10% | 8 |
| F. Engine Electrical Systems | 5-15% | 14 |
| G. Engine Lubrication Systems | 5-10% | 10 |
| H. Ignition and Starting Systems | 5-10% | 12 |
| I. Engine Fuel and Fuel Metering Systems | 5-10% | 21 |
| J. Reciprocating Engine Induction and Cooling Systems | 5-10% | 14 |
| K. Turbine Engine Air Systems | 5-10% | 10 |
| L. Engine Exhaust and Reverser Systems | 5-10% | 9 |
| M. Propellers | 5-10% | 12 |
What the table tells you:
- Every one of the 13 subjects is at least 5%, so there is no subject you can skip. The 13 minimums add up to 65 questions (13 times 5). The other 35 questions are spread by the ranges.
- Reciprocating Engines and Engine Electrical Systems are the only two that can reach 15%. Together they can be up to 30 of your 100 questions.
- Engine Fuel and Fuel Metering Systems has the most ACS elements (21: 16 knowledge and 5 risk management), yet it is capped at 10%.
- The ACS says knowledge and risk management elements are also evaluated in the knowledge test (ACS, Appendix 1, p. A-2), so the risk management elements are worth studying. The Companion Guide (ch. 2, p. 11) lists risk elements under the oral and practical tests, so the FAA’s two documents differ on this point.
Why might Powerplant be harder? (opinion, not FAA findings)
The FAA does not publish reasons for pass rates. The points below are our reading of the published standard and are offered as plausible explanations, not proven causes.
It is broad. The ACS Powerplant section has 119 knowledge elements and 44 risk management elements across 13 subjects (ACS, pp. 44-59). Reciprocating engines, turbine engines, propellers, fuel, ignition, electrical, lubrication and fire protection are all separate subjects. You cannot be strong in only one engine type, because the ACS asks about both.
Several subjects build on electricity. Engine Electrical Systems can be up to 15%, and Ignition and Starting also leans on electrical ideas. The ACS includes elements such as starter generators, voltage regulators and paralleling a dual-generator system (AM.III.F.K3, F.K4, F.K8, ACS p. 50). If your General electricity is weak, this is where it may show. That is our inference, not an FAA statement.
Some questions need a picture or a calculation. The testing supplement for the mechanic tests includes Powerplant figures such as an electric wire chart and fuel/air ratio graphs (Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement, FAA-CT-8080-4G, Appendix 2). Questions that need you to read a chart take longer than recall questions. Our guide to the testing supplement figures goes through them.
Test takers may differ. Who sits each test, and how well prepared they are, can affect the pass rate. The FAA data does not tell us this, so we cannot say how much of the gap is the test and how much is the candidates.
Where to put your time
Use the blueprint to decide, not guesswork.
- Go deep on the two heavy subjects first. Reciprocating Engines and Engine Electrical Systems can be 30 questions between them. Start with the reciprocating engines and engine electrical topics.
- Then cover everything else to at least a passing level. Each of the other 11 subjects can be 5 to 10 questions, so a blank spot in any one can cost up to 10 points.
- Learn the why. The ACS uses phrases such as “theory of operation” and “operating principles” (for example AM.III.A.K2, ACS p. 44). Reading the handbook for how a system works, not just its part names, matches what the standard asks.
- Practice reading charts and doing the math from the supplement, with your own worked examples.
- Check every miss against the ACS code and go back to the handbook chapter it came from.
A 4-week plan
This is a suggested plan using the Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant, FAA-H-8083-32B. It is not an FAA requirement, and four weeks assumes steady daily study. Adjust it to your own schedule.
| Week | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engines | Handbook chapter 1 (Aircraft Engines) and chapter 8 (Engine Removal & Replacement). Explain the four-stroke cycle and gas turbine engine operating principles in your own words. |
| 2 | Fuel, air and oil | Chapters 2 (fuel and fuel metering), 3 (induction and exhaust) and 6 (lubrication and cooling). Work through carburetor and fuel metering questions. |
| 3 | Electrical, ignition and fire | Chapters 4 (ignition and electrical), 5 (starting) and 9 (fire protection). Draw the magneto and starter circuits. Revisit electricity from General if needed. |
| 4 | Propellers, instruments and review | Chapters 7 (propellers) and 10 (engine maintenance and operation, including engine instruments). Take full 100-question practice tests in 2 hours, then review every miss. |
Take your first full-length timed practice test earlier than you think you need to, perhaps at the end of week 2. It shows which subjects to put more time into while there is still time to fix them.
Test day basics
Get an FAA Tracking Number through IACRA, set up a PSI account, then book and pay (Companion Guide, ch. 4, p. 15). Check the current fee when you book. Bring photo ID and your authorization to test (p. 16). If you fail, you can retest after 30 days, or sooner with a signed statement from an airman holding the certificate and rating you seek, certifying additional instruction in each subject failed (14 CFR 65.19). For more on how the three tests fit together, see our guide to how many questions the A&P tests have and our Powerplant written test guide.
Common questions
What is the A&P Powerplant pass rate?
63.04% in calendar year 2025, based on 17,572 tests taken (FAA 2025 Airman Knowledge Test statistics).
Is the Powerplant test the hardest A&P written test?
By pass rate, yes: 63.04%, against 69.59% for General and 74.01% for Airframe in 2025. The FAA data does not say why.
What score do I need to pass?
70%, which is 70 of 100 questions, in 2 hours (testing matrix, p. 6; 14 CFR 65.17).
Which Powerplant subjects have the most questions?
Reciprocating Engines and Engine Electrical Systems, at 5-15% each. The other 11 subjects are 5-10% each (Companion Guide, p. 14).
Does a low pass rate mean I will probably fail?
No. A pass rate describes all tests taken, not your result. Your preparation, and how well you cover every subject in the blueprint, is what you can control.