The FAA has included several key deadlines as part of an interim final rule overhauling aviation maintenance technician school regulations under FAR Parts 65 and 147. The rule is expected to be officially published in the Federal Register in mid-June, after which the public will have 30-days, or until Mid-July, to submit comments. The rules will become effective in mid-October, or 120 days after they are published in the Federal Register.

Under one major revision, the FAA is transitioning from using the mechanic practical test standards (PTS) as the testing standard to obtaining a mechanic certificate. As a part of this transition, the FAA developed mechanic airman certification standards (ACS), which add task-specific knowledge and risk management elements. That will result “in a comprehensive presentation that integrates the standards for what an applicant must demonstrate to pass the written, oral, and practical tests for a certificate or rating,” the agency said.

To allow for each school to train its students under the curriculum aligned with the ACS, the FAA will use the PTS as the testing standard until July 31, 2023. Starting Aug. 1, 2023, the FAA will use the ACS to conduct mechanic certification tests.