Oral and Practical Testing of those seeking a mechanic certificate is required to fulfill the regulatory requirement provided in 14 CFR 65.79, which states:

Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must pass an oral and a practical test on the rating he seeks. The tests cover the applicant’s basic skill in performing practical projects on the subjects covered by the written test for that rating. An applicant for a powerplant rating must show his ability to make satisfactory minor repairs to, and minor alterations of, propellers.

There are just a couple of points that I wish to mention in this short post.

First, note that the mechanic applicant is expected to demonstrate “basic skill” on the test. The standard is high, but it does not require perfection. The question we are trying to answer is, “Is the applicant capable of doing work to a basic (return to service) level?”

Second, every Powerplant test requires that applicants demonstrate their “ability to make satisfactory minor repairs to, and minor alterations of, propellers.” So, every Powerplant test will have a propeller repair task, as well as the requirement to determine whether an alteration is major or minor. It is the one thing an applicant can count on having on a test.

More to come on these subjects, stay tuned!