A&P Experience Logbook: How to Document OJT

Why Your Experience Documentation Matters

The FAA requires all mechanic applicants to demonstrate their practical experience before they can be issued a certificate. This experience is documented in a personal logbook or log sheet and, at the time of application, summarized and endorsed on FAA Form 8610-2 (Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application). Without properly maintained documentation and a valid supervisor endorsement, the FAA and your DME cannot verify your experience — regardless of how many years you have worked in the industry.

The logbook is not just an administrative formality. It is also a tool that helps you track your own progress, identify gaps in your experience, and ensure that you are getting exposure to all the task areas relevant to your ratings. Many applicants discover partway through their 30-month experience period that they have been neglecting certain task areas, forcing them to seek out additional work in those areas before their supervisor can endorse the form.

Experience Requirements: 18 or 30 Months of Practical Work

The experience requirement for a mechanic certificate is defined in 14 CFR §65.77. You need 18 months of practical experience for one rating (Airframe or Powerplant) and 30 months for both. However, an applicant who is a recent graduate of an FAA-approved Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school may substitute successful completion of the school's curriculum for the entire experience requirement — the fastest path to certification.

Your experience must be gained while working with the procedures, practices, materials, tools, and equipment generally used in constructing, maintaining, or altering airframes and powerplants. The experience period is calculated in calendar months, not working hours — meaning part-time or seasonal work counts proportionally less. A supervisor who is a certificated A&P mechanic must be able to attest to the work you performed, which is why keeping contemporaneous records is essential.

What You Need to Document

Your experience documentation should cover the full scope of work relevant to the ratings you seek. For the combined A&P, the main task areas include:

• Airframe Structures — Sheet metal repair, composite repairs, structural inspection, corrosion control, and major/minor repairs per the appropriate data (AC 43.13-1B, SRM, manufacturer's manuals).
• Airframe Systems — Landing gear, flight controls, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, environmental control systems, fuel systems, fire protection, and ice and rain control.
• Powerplant Systems — Engine removal and installation, component replacement, troubleshooting, run-up and test procedures, and propeller maintenance.
• Engine Systems — Lubrication, ignition and starting, fuel metering, induction, cooling, and exhaust systems for reciprocating and turbine engines.
• Electrical Systems — Wiring repair, component testing, battery maintenance, and system troubleshooting.
• Avionics Systems — Navigation and communication equipment, instrument systems, and autopilot testing (often performed alongside a certificated mechanic).
• Maintenance Documentation — Maintenance record entries per §43.9, inspection records per §43.11, and work order documentation.

For each task you log, include the date, aircraft type and N-number, component part number and serial number (where applicable), a detailed description of the work performed, the reference data used (AMM chapter, AC 43.13-1B, AD, SB), and the name and certificate number of the supervising mechanic.

How Much Detail Do You Need?

The FAA does not specify an exact number of tasks or hours — the requirement is stated in months of experience, and the Form 8610-2 asks your supervisor to attest to the period and nature of your experience. However, your documentation should demonstrate "sufficient variety and depth" across the task areas for your ratings. Most successful applicants log between 150 and 300 individual tasks across their experience period, spanning multiple aircraft types and systems.

A common mistake is logging the same type of task repeatedly — for example, 100 oil changes — without getting exposure to other areas like structural repairs or systems troubleshooting. The DME and FAA look for breadth as much as depth. If your documentation shows that you have only worked on one type of aircraft or one type of task, you may be asked to get additional experience before your certificate is issued.

Documentation Formats: Paper vs Digital

The FAA accepts both paper and digital experience logs, as long as they contain the required information and can be verified by your supervisor when they endorse Form 8610-2. Paper logbooks are traditional and still widely used, but digital tools offer significant advantages: automatic backups, easier searching, the ability to generate summaries for the 8610-2 endorsement, and built-in reminders.

Whichever format you choose, ensure that your entries are made promptly — ideally at the end of each shift or within a few days of completing the work. Entries that are logged weeks or months after the fact are harder to verify and may raise questions during the certification review. Each entry should be reviewed regularly by your supervising mechanic so they can confidently endorse your experience when you apply.

The FAA Form 8610-2 Process

When you have completed your experience requirements and passed your knowledge tests, you prepare your certification application. The steps are:

• Complete FAA Form 8610-2 — The "Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application." Sections 1–7 capture your personal information, ratings sought, and knowledge test results. The experience section must be endorsed by a supervisor who can attest that you have the required practical experience.
• Get the experience endorsement — A certificated A&P mechanic who supervised your work signs the experience section of the form, attesting to the period and nature of your experience. Many applicants also use the FAA's electronic system (IACRA) to submit the application, which routes it to the DME electronically.
• Present your documents to the DME — At the oral and practical test, you present your Form 8610-2, your Airman Knowledge Test Reports, proof of training (if using the Part 147 waiver), and a government-issued photo ID.
• Complete the oral and practical test — The DME evaluates your knowledge and skills across the ACS tasks for the ratings you seek. If you pass, you receive a temporary certificate on the spot.

If the DME or FAA finds issues — missing endorsements, insufficient variety, or unverifiable experience — they will tell you what needs to be corrected. Addressing these deficiencies can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the nature of the issue. This is why keeping your documentation organized from day one is so important.

Common Documentation Mistakes to Avoid

Based on feedback from DMEs, FSDOs, and experienced A&P mechanics, here are the most common documentation errors that cause certification delays:

• Missing supervisor details — Every entry should note the supervising mechanic's name and certificate number. A log full of unsupervised "I did X" entries is hard to endorse credibly.
• Vague task descriptions — "Performed maintenance on Cessna 172" is not sufficient. Describe exactly what you did: "Removed and replaced No. 1 cylinder, performed compression check, and completed run-up test per Cessna maintenance manual Chapter 71."
• No data references — Include the applicable data for each task (AMM chapter, AD number, AC 43.13-1B section, or manufacturer's instruction). This mirrors what the FAA expects of §43.9 maintenance records.
• Too much repetition — 100 similar tire changes do not demonstrate breadth. Seek out diverse tasks early in your experience period.
• Illegible entries (paper logbooks) — If your supervisor or the DME cannot read it, it does not count. Consider a digital log if your handwriting is difficult to read.
• Backdating entries — This is a serious offense that can result in your application being rejected outright. Always log entries promptly and accurately.

Tips for a Smooth Certification

Here are practical strategies that will help you avoid delays when your experience is reviewed:

• Start organized. Set up your documentation format on day one. Use consistent naming conventions, task categories, and reference formats throughout.
• Review quarterly. Every three months, go through your log and identify any task areas that you are neglecting. Use this review to guide conversations with your supervisor about the types of work you need.
• Get your supervisor involved early. Make sure the A&P mechanics you work with understand that you will need an experience endorsement, and ask them to review your entries regularly. Some supervisors prefer to review weekly rather than letting entries pile up.
• Keep supporting documents. Retain copies of work orders, job cards, and maintenance records that correspond to your log entries. While you do not need to submit these with your application, having them available can resolve questions quickly if the DME asks for verification.
• Use a digital log tool. Digital platforms often include structured fields that prevent the common mistakes listed above, and they make it easy to generate the summary your supervisor needs for the 8610-2 endorsement.

Preparing for Your FAA Exams While Logging Hours

One of the best things you can do as an apprentice is to study for your FAA knowledge tests while you are logging your practical experience. The material in the tests — especially the Airframe and Powerplant subjects — directly relates to the work you are doing every day. Studying and working simultaneously reinforces both your theoretical knowledge and your practical skills.

Sky License is designed to fit around your apprenticeship schedule. Our platform's adaptive learning algorithms identify your weak areas and focus your study time where it is most needed, so you can prepare for exams efficiently without sacrificing time on the hangar floor. Many of our users pass all three knowledge tests before completing their experience requirement, allowing them to move directly to the oral and practical exam as soon as their experience is endorsed.

Read the full A&P Apprentice Guide: how to become an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer →

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