Does my FAA A&P certificate authorize me to work on any aircraft?

Your A&P certificate authorizes you to perform and certify maintenance within the scope of your ratings on any type-certificated civil aircraft — provided you are familiar with the methods, techniques, and practices applicable to the specific work under 14 CFR §65.81. Familiarity is your responsibility; if you have not worked on a specific type, you should be trained before performing work. Employers and repair stations typically enforce type training through their training programs and documentation systems.

Is there an FAA registry of mechanic type training?

No. Unlike pilot type ratings, which appear on the pilot certificate and in the FAA Airmen Inquiry system, mechanic type training certificates are maintained by the employer, training provider, or the mechanic's personal records — not by the FAA. When applying for jobs, mechanics typically present type training certificates or letters from previous employers documenting type experience.

How long does a type training course typically take?

Duration varies by aircraft complexity, course format, and provider. A basic systems familiarization course for a narrow-body transport may run 3–5 days of CBT plus classroom instruction. A full maintenance type course including practical tasks can run 2–4 weeks. Some airlines or MROs run initial hire training programs of 4–8 weeks that combine type training with their own procedures and compliance requirements. Verify duration and content with the specific provider.

I have an A&P certificate. Should I pursue type training before or after the IA?

The answer depends on your career goals. If you work in general aviation and aspire to perform annual inspections, the IA is the clear priority. If you want to work at an airline or major MRO, type training on commercial aircraft is typically more valuable than the IA — commercial operators do not use IAs for their maintenance approvals. Many mechanics pursue both at different stages: type training while employed at a commercial operator, and the IA later if they shift toward general aviation.

Do FAA mechanics need a type rating to work on an A320 or a 737?

No. The FAA does not issue type ratings to mechanics — that is a pilot certification concept. Your authority comes from the A&P certificate and its ratings. What you do need is the competence and, for work under Parts 121 and 135, the authorisation that comes from your employer's FAA-approved training programme for that aircraft. The training is real and required by the operator; it simply is not a rating on your certificate.

Is type training worth paying for myself?

Usually not before you have an employer, because operators generally deliver type training through their own approved programmes and a self-funded course does not carry authorisation with it. Where self-study does pay is in making you credible in an interview and in shortening the time it takes to become useful once training starts — knowing the ATA structure and the major systems of a type before day one is a visible advantage that costs only time.

Aircraft Type Ratings for A&P Mechanics

In aviation maintenance, the term 'type rating' is often used informally to describe manufacturer or operator-approved training on a specific aircraft type — for example, Airbus A320, Boeing 737NG, or Boeing 787. For mechanics, this is distinct from the FAA pilot type rating system. Understanding what type training actually means for A&P mechanics, how it is acquired, and why it is increasingly important for airline and MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) employment will help you plan the post-certificate phase of your career.

Written by the AMTprep editorial team · Published June 24, 2026 · Last reviewed September 3, 2026

Written against the FAA primary sources cited at the foot of this page.

Type Ratings for Mechanics vs. Pilots: An Important Clarification

Pilot type ratings are FAA certificates required to act as pilot in command of certain aircraft — they are issued by the FAA and appear on the pilot's certificate. For mechanics, there is no equivalent FAA-issued type rating certificate. The FAA A&P certificate authorizes you to maintain and certify work on any type-certificated civil aircraft within the scope of your ratings, provided you are familiar with the methods, techniques, and practices applicable to that aircraft. The 'type training' or 'type rating' that employers and MRO providers refer to is manufacturer-approved or airline-approved training on a specific aircraft model — it is a training qualification, not an FAA certificate. This distinction matters: your FAA A&P remains the legal authorization; the type training is the employer's evidence that you are qualified to work on a specific fleet.

How Type Training Works for Mechanics

Manufacturer type training programs (such as Airbus Training, Boeing Global Services training, or CFM training for the LEAP engine) are multi-day to multi-week courses covering aircraft systems, maintenance procedures, troubleshooting, and the use of the manufacturer's maintenance manuals and Component Maintenance Manuals (CMMs). Course completion is documented by a training certificate or training record from the manufacturer or an authorized training provider. Airlines and Part-145 MRO shops maintain their own internal training programs on their specific fleets, which may go beyond the manufacturer's baseline training. Many employers will provide type training to newly hired mechanics — the expectation is that you hold an A&P certificate and can be trained on the specific fleet, not that you arrive pre-trained. However, having prior type training on a common commercial type can significantly accelerate hiring.

Major Transport Types: A320, 737NG/MAX, and 787

The three commercial transport types that appear most frequently in airline and MRO job postings are the Airbus A320 family (A318, A319, A320, A321 — narrow-body workhorse of most global carriers), the Boeing 737NG and 737 MAX (the world's most-produced commercial aircraft — 737-600/700/800/900NG and the 737 MAX 7/8/9/10), and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (wide-body, all-composite fuselage, GEnx or Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines). Type training on these platforms is offered by manufacturer training centers, Part-147 schools with commercial partnerships, and some online/CBT (computer-based training) programs combined with practical components. Other significant commercial types include the Airbus A330, A350, and Boeing 777. On the regional side, Bombardier CRJ and Embraer E-jet training is in demand at regional carriers.

Why Type Training Matters for Career Advancement

Airlines, MRO shops, and charter operators that operate specific fleets need mechanics who can legally work on and certify that fleet. While an A&P certificate is the legal baseline, an employer hiring for line maintenance on an A320 fleet needs confidence that you can safely work on that aircraft on day one (or day 10 of training, not day 60). Mechanics with documented type training on high-demand commercial types often command higher starting wages, have shorter new-hire training periods, and are more competitive in a tight hiring market. For mechanics pursuing an Inspection Authorization (IA), general aviation type familiarity (Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft, Cirrus) matters more than transport type training. Type training also supports the post-certification retention that makes advanced certifications like the IA more valuable — see the IA guide for how continued engagement with specific aircraft types supports IA renewal.

Porting Type-Rating Knowledge from EASA to FAA Context

Mechanics who have trained on commercial types in an EASA context (Part-66 Modules, type endorsements) will find that much of the technical knowledge is directly applicable — aircraft systems do not change depending on which regulatory authority certifies you. The differences are regulatory: in EASA, type ratings for mechanics are formal endorsements on the Part-66 license issued by the national authority; in the FAA system, there is no equivalent formal endorsement. A mechanic with EASA A320 or 737 type training applying for an FAA A&P position should clearly document their training history — employers and MROs recognize the training value even without an FAA equivalent certificate. AMTprep's type-rating quiz content (included with the Complete plan) draws on jurisdiction-neutral technical questions covering major transport types — a useful supplement to formal type training.

How to Acquire Type Training as a Newly Certificated A&P

Newly certificated mechanics typically acquire type training through their employer's onboarding program. If you want to enter the job market with pre-existing type familiarity, options include: manufacturer-authorized type training courses (expensive but recognized globally); Part-147 schools with commercial airline partnerships that include type-specific modules; and community college aviation programs that incorporate commercial type coursework. Online computer-based training (CBT) modules are available for some types and can supplement hands-on training but rarely substitute for it — most employers require a practical component. Budget and access to the actual aircraft for hands-on tasks are the practical limiting factors for pre-employment type training. Starting your career at a general aviation shop or Part-145 repair station that works on commercial types is often the most accessible route to documented type experience.

ATA Chapters: How Type Courses Are Organised

Every type course, maintenance manual and technical publication for a transport aircraft is organised by ATA chapter, and learning the numbering is the cheapest thing you can do to make type training legible.

The system comes from the Air Transport Association specification now published as ATA iSpec 2200, and it assigns a two-digit chapter to each aircraft system, used consistently across manufacturers. Chapter 21 is air conditioning on an Airbus and on a Boeing. Chapter 24 is electrical power, 27 flight controls, 28 fuel, 29 hydraulic power, 32 landing gear, 34 navigation, 49 the auxiliary power unit. The seventies are reserved for the powerplant: 71 power plant, 72 engine, 73 engine fuel and control, 79 oil, 80 starting.

The practical value is navigational. Once you know the chapter, you can find the relevant section of any manual for any type without knowing that type, which is exactly the skill line maintenance demands. It is also how technical training and question banks are indexed, so studying by chapter maps onto how the material is actually delivered.

For an A&P moving from general aviation to transport aircraft, this is often the largest single adjustment. The systems are recognisable; the documentation culture around them is not, and it is organised on a scheme that nobody explains because everyone in the room already knows it.

Familiarisation, Ramp and Transit, and Line and Base

Type courses are commonly described in levels, and the terminology comes from the European Part-66 and Part-147 framework rather than from the FAA. It is worth knowing anyway, because manufacturers and training providers use it internationally and you will meet it in course catalogues.

Level 1, general familiarisation, is an overview: what systems the aircraft has and roughly how they work. It supports conversation and orientation rather than maintenance authority.

Level 2, ramp and transit, covers turnaround activity — servicing, replenishment, minor defect rectification within the limits of the minimum equipment list, and the checks associated with a transit. This is where a great deal of day-to-day line work sits.

Level 3, line and base, is the full theoretical and practical course supporting deeper maintenance and, in the European system, certification privileges on type.

The important qualification for a US mechanic is that the FAA does not issue type ratings to mechanics and does not require this course structure. An A&P certificate with the appropriate rating is the regulatory authority; what type training buys you is the competence and the employer authorisation to work on the aircraft, and under Parts 121 and 135 it is the operator's approved training programme that governs. The levels are an industry vocabulary, not an FAA requirement.

Keeping Type Knowledge Current

Type knowledge decays faster than certification knowledge, and it decays specifically in the areas you do not touch.

A mechanic working a narrow line role on a single type will stay sharp on the systems that generate defects and go quietly stale on everything else — which is a problem the day a base check, a fleet change or a job move puts the rest of the aircraft in front of them. Employers' recurrent training is built around regulatory currency rather than around your personal gaps, so it does not solve this.

Two habits address it. The first is periodic self-testing by ATA chapter rather than by aircraft: a run through chapters you have not worked recently tells you where the decay is, and it is much cheaper to find out in practice than on the aircraft. The second is following the technical publications for your type — service bulletins, airworthiness directives, revisions to the maintenance manual — as a routine rather than as an event.

There is a career argument as well as a competence one. The mechanic who is credibly current across multiple types is the one who moves onto new fleets when they arrive, and fleet transitions are among the more reliable opportunities for progression in this industry. Currency is easier to maintain continuously than to rebuild from cold.

Frequently asked questions

Does my FAA A&P certificate authorize me to work on any aircraft?: Your A&P certificate authorizes you to perform and certify maintenance within the scope of your ratings on any type-certificated civil aircraft — provided you are familiar with the methods, techniques, and practices applicable to the specific work under 14 CFR §65.81. Familiarity is your responsibility; if you have not worked on a specific type, you should be trained before performing work. Employers and repair stations typically enforce type training through their training programs and documentation systems.
Is there an FAA registry of mechanic type training?: No. Unlike pilot type ratings, which appear on the pilot certificate and in the FAA Airmen Inquiry system, mechanic type training certificates are maintained by the employer, training provider, or the mechanic's personal records — not by the FAA. When applying for jobs, mechanics typically present type training certificates or letters from previous employers documenting type experience.
How long does a type training course typically take?: Duration varies by aircraft complexity, course format, and provider. A basic systems familiarization course for a narrow-body transport may run 3–5 days of CBT plus classroom instruction. A full maintenance type course including practical tasks can run 2–4 weeks. Some airlines or MROs run initial hire training programs of 4–8 weeks that combine type training with their own procedures and compliance requirements. Verify duration and content with the specific provider.
I have an A&P certificate. Should I pursue type training before or after the IA?: The answer depends on your career goals. If you work in general aviation and aspire to perform annual inspections, the IA is the clear priority. If you want to work at an airline or major MRO, type training on commercial aircraft is typically more valuable than the IA — commercial operators do not use IAs for their maintenance approvals. Many mechanics pursue both at different stages: type training while employed at a commercial operator, and the IA later if they shift toward general aviation.
Do FAA mechanics need a type rating to work on an A320 or a 737?: No. The FAA does not issue type ratings to mechanics — that is a pilot certification concept. Your authority comes from the A&P certificate and its ratings. What you do need is the competence and, for work under Parts 121 and 135, the authorisation that comes from your employer's FAA-approved training programme for that aircraft. The training is real and required by the operator; it simply is not a rating on your certificate.
Is type training worth paying for myself?: Usually not before you have an employer, because operators generally deliver type training through their own approved programmes and a self-funded course does not carry authorisation with it. Where self-study does pay is in making you credible in an interview and in shortening the time it takes to become useful once training starts — knowing the ATA structure and the major systems of a type before day one is a visible advantage that costs only time.

ACS subject areas covered here

These are the FAA Mechanic ACS areas this guide maps to. Each page breaks the area down and carries free practice questions with worked rationales.

Primary sources

Related guides

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