1.5 Knowledge-Test Logistics and Scoring

The Exact Test Specifications

The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (current edition dated September 25, 2026) lists the three Aviation Maintenance Technician tests separately, each with its own question count, time, and passing score:

The time allotment is the same 2.0 hours for all three, even though AMG has fewer questions — so AMG candidates have proportionally more time per question, while AMA and AMP candidates must keep a steadier pace. A candidate pursuing both ratings answers 260 scored questions in total (60 + 100 + 100) across three separate sittings. All questions are objective multiple-choice with a single best answer; there are no essay or free-response items on the written tests.

Scoring and the 70% Threshold

The minimum passing score for each test is 70%, and the tests are scored on the percentage of scored questions answered correctly. On AMG that means missing more than 18 of the 60 questions fails the test (42 correct = 70%); on AMA or AMP, missing more than 30 of 100 fails (70 correct = 70%). There is no curve and no bonus for finishing early — 70% is 70% whether you used 40 minutes or the full two hours.

A practical scoring tip: because the threshold is a flat 70%, there is no penalty for guessing — unanswered questions are scored as wrong, so you should answer every question even if you must guess. Budget time so that you never leave items blank simply because the clock ran out. A common exam-prep mistake is over-investing in the first dozen hard questions and then rushing or abandoning the last twenty; pace yourself to touch every item, then return to flagged questions if time remains.

Validation (Pretest) Questions

FAA airman knowledge tests can include validation questions (also called pretest or unscored items). These are new questions the FAA is statistically evaluating for possible future use. The key facts to know:

• Validation questions are not scored — they do not count for or against you.
• They are not included in the listed totals (60 / 100 / 100), so the test you sit may contain a few extra items beyond the scored count.
• They are not labeled — you cannot tell which questions are validation items, so you must answer every question seriously.
• They do not extend or shorten the 2.0-hour allotment.

The takeaway is to treat every question as if it counts, because you cannot distinguish the scored questions from the validation ones. Do not waste mental energy trying to spot 'trick' validation items; just answer each question as well as you can and manage your time across the whole set.

The 24-Month Testing Window

Passing a knowledge test is not an open-ended achievement. Under 14 CFR 65.71(a)(3), an applicant must have passed all of the prescribed tests within a period of 24 months: the knowledge tests and the oral and practical (O&P). In plain terms: you must finish the O&P with a DME within 24 months of passing your earliest knowledge test, or that knowledge test must be retaken. (The only regulatory relief, 14 CFR 65.75(d) with 61.40, covers people who served outside the United States in support of U.S. Armed Forces operations; anyone else would need a Part 11 exemption, which is not guaranteed.)

This window has real planning consequences for candidates spreading the three tests over time:

• If you pass AMG in January 2026 but do not complete the O&P until after January 2028, the AMG result falls outside the window even if AMA and AMP are still inside it.
• Every test must fit inside the same 24-month period that ends with the practical test, so the earliest passed test is the binding constraint.
• The fix for a test that falls outside the window is to retake that knowledge test; it does not jeopardize the others that are still inside the window.

The practical rule: once you start passing knowledge tests, treat the O&P as a 24-month deadline and schedule your DME accordingly, working back from the date your earliest result expires.

Test-Day Logistics and Pacing

Know what the testing center expects. You will be checked in against your photo ID and authorization document, asked to store personal items, and seated at a computer workstation. The testing software provides an on-screen calculator and, for the mechanic tests, access to the figures and supplements the items reference. You may not bring your own notes or study materials into the testing room. Plan to arrive early — a late arrival can forfeit the appointment and the fee.

For pacing, convert the limits into a budget. AMG allows about 2.0 minutes per listed question (120 ÷ 60); AMA and AMP each allow about 1.2 minutes per listed question (120 ÷ 100). Unscored validation items must also fit within the allotted test time. Those averages include time to flag and revisit hard items, so a sensible plan is to move briskly on first pass — answering everything, flagging the uncertain ones — then spend the remaining minutes on flagged questions. Because there is no guessing penalty, never leave the room with blanks. Finishing with time to spare is common on AMG and tighter on AMA and AMP, so practice timed full-length sets before test day to calibrate your pace to each test's question load.