Developments in Airman Testing: Transition from PTS to ACS - ATEC Conference - March 22, 2022

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

Developments in Airman Testing explain the FAA’s transition from the PTS to the ACS, created to address longstanding systemic flaws in knowledge testing. The briefing details why change was needed, including clear aeronautical knowledge standards, explicit risk-management behaviors, consolidation of overlapping PTS tasks, and connecting “special emphasis” items to knowledge and skills. It compares mechanic knowledge, oral, and practical testing under PTS versus ACS, describing question formats, pass-score application, retest rules, and ACS code-based oral coverage.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Why change?

Who created the ACS?

Key Aspects of the ACS

The NEW PTS

PTS vs. ACS: Mechanic Knowledge Testing

PTS vs. ACS: Mechanic Oral Testing

PTS vs. ACS: Mechanic Practical Testing

Developments in Airman Testing: Transition from PTS to ACS ATEC Conference March 22, 2022 Rob Reckert, Manager Regulatory Support Division Federal Aviation Administration Why change? The ACS started as a way to fix longstanding, systemic flaws, including knowledge testing. FAA and industry partners determined the need for a systematic approach that would: 􀂙 provide clear standards for aeronautical knowledge. 􀂙 list specific behaviors for risk management and aeronautical decision making. 􀂙 consolidate overlapping tasks in the PTS 􀂙 tie the many “special emphasis” items to knowledge and skill. In generic, inclusive terms, for each airman certificate or rating, 14 CFR lists required areas of aeronautical knowledge and proficiency. 􀂙 FAA developed the PTS to provide practical test performance metrics for proficiency in each Area of Operation and Task (i.e. , “Elements”) . 􀂙 Each PTS includes a lengthy list of largely undefined “special emphasis” areas. There has never been a corresponding set of defined knowledge test standards, or metrics, for the aeronautical knowledge elements tested via the knowledge test. ATEC Annual Conference March 2022 Federal Aviation Administration Who created the ACS? ACS arises from extensive collaboration with our community partners . . . • Industry-led development – the ACS has been developed, refined, and tested, through three consecutive aviation training industry groups, with diverse representation. • Public comment-the FAA established several dockets for the industry groups to receive public comments on the ACS. • Prototyping-the FAA and its industry partners conducted ACS prototype activities to test and refine the ACS for private pilot (airplane) and instrument rating (airplane) . ATEC Annual Conference March 2022 Federal Aviation Administration Key Aspects of the ACS • Clear baseline of required knowledge, for the knowledge (computer-based) test, and correlated with the oral test • More specific coding of missed knowledge test questions, and validation of basic knowledge of subjects during oral portion • Subject/element-level skill performance data • Communicates basic requirements for Risk Management 􀃅 This is new!!! • Overall, objective evaluation of acandidate's basic knowledge and skill ATEC Annual Conference March 2022 Federal Aviation Administration The * NEW * PTS FOREWORD: Details on how the three PTS documents are consolidated REQUIREMENTS & PROCEDURES: Details on how to use the new PTS ATEC Annual Conference March 2022 Federal Aviation Administration PTS vs . ACS Mechanic Knowledge Testing (§ 65.75) PTS (Current) . . . 60 Questions: General Test 100 Questions: Airframe Test 100 Questions: Powerplant Test 3 answer choices per question (1 correct answer, 2 distractors) ACS . . . 60 Questions: General Test 100 Questions: Airframe Test 100 Questions: Powerplant Test 3 answer choices per question ( 1 correct answer, 2 distractors) Each subject area contains 5 to 10% of the test questions 70% passing score, per § 65.17 is applied to all three AMT exams ATEC Annual Conference March 2022 Federal Aviation Administration PTS vs . ACS: Mechanic Oral Testing (§ 65.79) PTS (Current) . . . Applicants are asked a minimum of 176 questions: - procedures require the DME to ask 4 per subject area, but may ask up to 7 ; and - up to 301 questions may be asked, if 7 questions are asked in each subject area. The applicant must pass whatever was asked, to the 70% standard, by subject area, not relative to the entire test. When the applicant fails a subject area, the test is stopped and marked as a fail. Retest: Test all subjects again ACS . . . Applicants will be asked a minimum of 12 oral questions if 100% was achieved on all knowledge tests. If every question missed on the knowledge test was a different ACS Code (but, the applicant still passes and continues to oral testing), t

FAQs

Why is the FAA transitioning from PTS to ACS?

The ACS was designed to fix longstanding systemic flaws in knowledge testing by providing clear aeronautical knowledge standards, explicit risk-management behaviors, and a more integrated approach linking special emphasis items to knowledge and skills.

How does mechanic knowledge testing differ between PTS and ACS?

Both use the same total question counts by subject area and the same three-answer format, but ACS emphasizes clearer coding of missed questions and validation of basic subject knowledge tied to the oral portion.

What changes in oral and practical retesting rules from PTS to ACS?

Under PTS, oral retesting focuses on retesting all subjects and uses subject-area-specific passing; ACS retests missed ACS-code-related areas and shifts evaluation by applying the 70% standard across the entire test. Practical testing also changes from stop-on-failure with a 5-test structure to fewer ACS tests with different stop-after-fail thresholds and carry-forward retest logic.

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Connor