Aircraft maintenance technician, as used in the United States, refers to an individual who holds a mechanic

Mechanic

A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...

 certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...

; the rules for certification, and for certificate-holders, are detailed in Subpart D of Part 65 of the Federal Aviation Regulations

Federal Aviation Regulations

The Federal Aviation Regulations, or FARs, are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations...

 (FAR's), which are part of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...

. Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMT's) inspect and perform or supervise maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alteration of aircraft and aircraft systems. In the US, aircraft maintenance technicians usually refer to themselves as A&Ps, for airframe and powerplant mechanics.

The Canadian, Australian and New Zealand equivalent of an AMT is an aircraft maintenance engineer

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

An Aircraft maintenance engineer is a licenced person who carries out aircraft maintenance. This same title is used in a number of different counteries, including:*Aircraft maintenance engineer *Aircraft maintenance engineer...

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The general requirements for eligibility for a mechanic certificate include the following:

• Be 18 or older;
• Be able to read, speak, and understand English;
• Meet the experience or educational requirement; and
• Pass a set of required tests within a maximum of 24 months.

The required tests include, first, a set of knowledge tests; these are followed by a practical test, which includes an oral examination component, and which is administered by a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME).

A person who fulfills the necessary requirements is issued a mechanic certificate with either an airframe or powerplant rating, or both.