How long does it take to become an aircraft mechanic depends on which route a candidate takes to FAA eligibility. The Aviation Maintenance Technician program at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance runs 21 months for full-time students, after which graduates are eligible to test. The experience route takes longer: the FAA requires 30 months of concurrent experience for both the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, or 18 months for a single rating. Testing follows either path and must be completed inside a 24-month window.
The Two Routes Compared
The FAA recognizes two ways to become eligible for the certification exams. Everything about the timeline follows from which one a candidate uses.
| School route | Experience route | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to eligibility | 21 months full-time at AIM | 30 months for both ratings, 18 for one |
| What it requires | Graduation from an FAA-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School | Documented full-time work on airframes, powerplants, or both |
| Authorization to test | Graduation certificate presented at the testing center | FAA Form 8610-2 signed by an Aviation Safety Inspector at a FSDO |
| Documentation burden | Handled by the school | Pay receipts or supervisor-signed logs detailing hours, tasks, and aircraft registration numbers |
Graduating from an approved school substitutes for the experience requirement. That substitution is the entire reason the school route is shorter.
Why the Experience Route Takes Longer Than It Looks
The FAA counts experience against a typical full-time 40-hour week and does not accept compressed schedules as a shortcut. Someone working 60-hour weeks for a year has logged the same total hours as 18 months of full-time work, and the FAA has stated plainly that this does not satisfy the requirement. Part 65 provides for nothing less than 18 months for a single rating and nothing less than 30 months for both.
Documentation adds friction the school route avoids. A candidate on the experience path assembles records, presents them to an Aviation Safety Inspector for evaluation, and only receives authorization to test once the inspector accepts them. That review has no fixed duration.
Experience gained as a non-certificated mechanic or repairman at a repair station does count, provided the work was performed on an airframe, a powerplant, or both.
The Testing Timeline
Certification ends the same way on either route.
- Three knowledge tests. Written and multiple-choice, covering the general, airframe, and powerplant subject areas. Two hours are allowed for each, and a passing score is 70 percent.
- Oral and practical tests. A Designated Mechanic Examiner administers both, and they cannot be attempted until the knowledge tests are passed.
All prescribed tests must be passed within 24 months. A failed section carries a 30-day wait before retesting, which a candidate can shorten by presenting a signed statement from a certificated airman confirming additional instruction in the failed subjects.
Scheduling adds real time that plans often omit. Knowledge tests run through commercial testing centers, and the oral and practical tests require an appointment with a DME, so availability in a given region affects how quickly the sequence closes.
What Changes an Individual Timeline
Military training. Service members may qualify through the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council, which also allows eligible active-duty, guard, reserve, retired, and DoD civilian personnel to take the knowledge tests at no cost.
One rating or both. Pursuing only an Airframe or only a Powerplant rating shortens the experience requirement from 30 months to 18. The FAA notes there is no requirement to obtain both, though employers may prefer candidates who hold the A&P combination.
Study schedule. The 21-month figure describes full-time enrollment. Night and part-time options extend the calendar.
Prior coursework. Experience in the field before enrolling does not shorten an FAA-approved program, but it tends to shorten how long test preparation takes afterward.
What the Timeline Does Not Require
Two assumptions add imagined time to this path.
The FAA prescribes no general education requirement for the Aviation Mechanic certificate, so there is no degree to complete first. Individual employers may set a high school diploma or GED as a hiring standard, and BLS lists the typical entry-level education for the occupation as a postsecondary nondegree award rather than a degree.
There is also no renewal cycle. The certificate stays valid until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked, so the timeline ends at certification rather than repeating. Full eligibility detail appears in this breakdown of aircraft mechanic requirements.
After Certification
BLS projects about 13,100 annual openings for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians on average over the 2024 to 2034 decade, with many tied to workers retiring or moving into other occupations. The reported median annual wage for aircraft mechanics and service technicians was $78,680 as of May 2024.
Aviation Institute of Maintenance is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), with FAA-approved aviation maintenance programs where applicable. Mechanics who already hold documented field experience can look at the Professional Aviation Maintenance Certification, offered at 10 campuses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is aircraft mechanic school?
AIM’s Aviation Maintenance Technician program runs 21 months for full-time students. Program length varies by school, and graduation from any FAA-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School substitutes for the FAA experience requirement.
Can you become an aircraft mechanic without school?
Yes. The FAA accepts 18 months of documented full-time practical experience for a single rating, or 30 months of concurrent experience for both. The experience must be verified by an Aviation Safety Inspector before a candidate is authorized to test.
How long do you have to pass the FAA exams?
All prescribed tests must be passed within 24 months. Knowledge tests come first, followed by the oral and practical tests with a Designated Mechanic Examiner.
Is there a faster path if you served in the military?
Military maintenance training may qualify through the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council. Eligible service members, veterans, dependents, and DoD civilians can also take the knowledge tests at no cost.
Do you need a degree first?
No. The FAA prescribes no general education requirement for the Aviation Mechanic certificate. A degree is a separate choice with its own reasons, covered in this look at aviation maintenance degrees.
Ready to start the clock? Review the aviation maintenance program curriculum and start dates, find your nearest campus location, then request program information to speak with an admissions representative.
