A&P Powerplant Practice Test: FAA Aviation Mechanic Written Exam

127 practice questions on piston and turbine engines, engine inspection, instruments, ignition, fuel metering, lubrication, induction, exhaust and propellers, one topic list straight from the FAA's own Airman Certification Standards. We wrote every question from the FAA handbook, and each answer links the handbook page it comes from. The real Powerplant test is 100 questions at 70%.

The real test: 100 questions. 70 right (70%) passes.

Passing score: FAA knowledge test passing score (70%), the codes on your test report, and retesting

Here: 127 questions. Our own practice questions, written from the FAA's Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook (FAA-H-8083-32B), a U.S. government work. Topics follow the Aviation Mechanic ACS (FAA-S-ACS-1). Not the FAA's test questions. Free.

What's on the test

10 sample questions

1. What is the order of the five events in a four-stroke cycle engine?

   • A.Intake, compression, ignition, power, exhaust
   • B.Intake, ignition, compression, power, exhaust
   • C.Power, intake, compression, ignition, exhaust
   • D.Compression, intake, ignition, exhaust, power
   Show answer

   A. Intake, compression, ignition, power, exhaust

   AMP-1 · Reciprocating engines · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 46

2. What thermodynamic cycle does a gas turbine engine run on?

   • A.The Rankine cycle
   • B.The Brayton cycle
   • C.The Diesel cycle
   • D.The Otto cycle (constant volume)
   Show answer

   B. The Brayton cycle

   AMP-8 · Turbine engines · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 79

3. What regulated pressure do you set on a differential compression tester?

   • A.80 psi
   • B.14.7 psi
   • C.150 psi
   • D.30 psi
   Show answer

   A. 80 psi

   AMP-14 · Engine inspection · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 408

4. What is manifold pressure?

   • A.The average absolute pressure of the air or air-fuel charge in the intake manifold
   • B.Fuel pump outlet pressure
   • C.Oil pressure at the manifold
   • D.Exhaust back pressure measured at the manifold, which rises as the throttle opens and the engine works harder
   Show answer

   A. The average absolute pressure of the air or air-fuel charge in the intake manifold

   AMP-19 · Engine instruments · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 50

5. What is a "fire zone"?

   • A.The area within 50 feet of a fuel truck during refueling, where no engine may be started and no tool that could spark may be used
   • B.The fuel tank area only
   • C.An area the manufacturer designates to need fire detection and/or extinguishing and high fire resistance
   • D.Any part of the cabin
   Show answer

   C. An area the manufacturer designates to need fire detection and/or extinguishing and high fire resistance

   AMP-23 · Engine fire protection · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 350

6. An electric starter has been cranking for 1 minute. How long should it cool before the next try?

   • A.No cooling needed
   • B.10 seconds
   • C.At least 1 minute
   • D.30 minutes
   Show answer

   C. At least 1 minute

   AMP-25 · Engine electrical · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 236

7. What is the most important property of reciprocating engine oil?

   • A.Smell
   • B.Color
   • C.Viscosity
   • D.Flash point only
   Show answer

   C. Viscosity

   AMP-28 · Lubrication · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 248

8. How is a magneto turned off?

   • A.By opening its P-lead to ground
   • B.By cutting the battery
   • C.By grounding its P-lead
   • D.By removing the spark plugs
   Show answer

   C. By grounding its P-lead

   AMP-33 · Ignition and starting · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 478

9. What happens to air as it passes through the throat of a venturi?

   • A.Nothing changes
   • B.Both velocity and pressure rise
   • C.Velocity drops and pressure rises
   • D.Velocity increases and pressure drops
   Show answer

   D. Velocity increases and pressure drops

   AMP-37 · Fuel and fuel metering · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 87

10. What is the most common way to control reciprocating engine cooling?

    • A.Propeller pitch
    • B.Carburetor heat
    • C.Oil dilution
    • D.Cowl flaps
    Show answer

    D. Cowl flaps

    AMP-41 · Induction and cooling · FAA-H-8083-32B, PDF page 279

What the study guide does

• Short study rounds and flip cards.
• A practice test built like the real one: 100 questions, 70 to pass.
• Pass Meter: your chance of passing if you sat the test today, worked out from your own answers.
• An explanation for every answer.