PCAA AME exam preparation means getting ready for module-based theory papers built on the EASA Part-66 syllabus: multiple-choice questions with three options, a 75% pass mark, an average of 75 seconds per question, and written essays in Modules 7, 9 and 10. Study the foundation modules first, practise under timed conditions, and treat every module as its own 75% target.

Pakistan's AME licence is issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), and its AME licensing order is based on EASA regulations adapted for Pakistan, which is why Pakistani institutes teach the Part-66 module structure. You can find the current order and forms through the PCAA's personnel licensing publications. This guide covers what the exams actually look like, how many questions you need to get right, the order to study in, how to handle essays, what happens if you fail, and what each exam costs. If you are still weighing AME against other careers, start with our guide to the aviation scope in Pakistan and come back here once you have decided.

What Does PCAA AME Exam Preparation Involve?

PCAA AME exam preparation is the work of passing every Part-66 theory module your licence category requires, then pairing those passes with documented practical experience before you apply to the PCAA. Passing the papers is only the first half of the licence, and the two halves are prepared for very differently.

• Theory module exams: one paper per module. Under the Part-66 module structure, a B1.1 licence needs 13 modules and a B2 licence needs 12, as set out in our Part-66 modules explained guide.
• Essay questions: a written section inside the Maintenance Practices, Human Factors and Aviation Legislation papers, marked against a list of key points.
• Practical experience: a representative cross section of maintenance tasks on aircraft, supported by documentation when you apply.
• The licence application: submitted to the PCAA with your exam results and experience records.

How Are Part-66 Module Exams Structured?

Each Part-66 module is examined as a separate paper. Most papers are multiple choice with three options and one correct answer, and the pass mark is 75% for every module. The rules below come from Appendix II of Annex III (Part-66) to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, the basic examination standard.

With no penalty marking, an unanswered question has a zero chance of scoring and a guess has a one in three chance. On a paper where you can miss 25% of the questions, flagging the hard ones and guessing on whatever is left when time runs out is a sound tactic.

How Many Questions Do You Need to Answer Correctly?

You need 75% of the questions correct on each paper, which sets a clear number for every paper size. The larger aircraft-specific papers are long enough that pacing becomes part of the exam.

The two real paper sizes come from our Part-66 module breakdown, and the pass thresholds are the 75% rule applied to them. On the Module 13 paper, 47 wrong answers is a pass and 48 is not. A 188-question paper also runs close to four hours, so you should be near question 48 after the first hour and near question 96 after the second.

In What Order Should You Study the Part-66 Modules?

Study the foundation modules first, the legal and human-factors modules next, and the aircraft-specific modules last, because the later papers assume you already handle the earlier material without effort. The order below follows the way the syllabus builds.

B1 and B2 share Modules 1 to 10 but not the depth. The licence categories themselves are explained in EASA's guidance on the Part-66 licence categories, and our guide to B1.1, B1.3 and Category A sub-categories shows which module set each one needs.

How Do You Prepare for the Essay Questions?

Preparing for Part-66 essays means preparing key points, because examiners mark against a model answer with a list of required points, and you need 75% of them with no significant error. A tidy essay with a wrong safety statement can fail while a plain essay with correct points passes.

1. Build a key-point sheet per topic. For each syllabus item in Modules 7, 9 and 10, write the short list of facts an examiner would expect to see.
2. Write to a 20-minute clock. Each essay gets 20 minutes. Practise until you can state your points, in order, with time to reread.
3. Use plain technical sentences. One point per sentence is easier to mark than a long paragraph that hides three.
4. Check for significant errors. Ask of every line whether it could be read as unsafe or wrong. A cautious, correct point beats an ambitious, shaky one.
5. Remember the partial-retake rule. If you pass the essay part but miss the multiple-choice part, only the multiple-choice part is retaken.

How Should You Structure the Weeks Before a Module Exam?

A six-week cycle per module works well: map the syllabus, learn it in topic blocks, practise questions by topic, then run timed full papers before you review and rest. Adjust the length to your course timetable, since many students overlap two modules.

1. Week 1, map the syllabus. List every topic in the module's knowledge syllabus for your category and mark the level it is examined at.
2. Weeks 2 and 3, learn in blocks. Finish one topic before starting the next and write a one-page summary of each.
3. Week 4, question practice by topic. Work untimed. For every wrong answer, explain why the other two options are wrong, because the real paper writes wrong options to look plausible.
4. Week 5, timed full papers. Sit complete papers at 75 seconds per question. Flag hard questions, move on, and aim to finish with ten minutes spare to return to them.
5. Week 6, repair and rest. Revisit only the topics that cost you marks, sit one last mock two days before, and keep the night before light.

What Happens If You Fail a Module Exam?

If you fail a Part-66 module, you must wait at least 90 days before resitting it, or 30 days if you complete approved retraining with a Part-147 organisation. After three consecutive failed attempts on the same module, you wait one year before starting a new set of three.

• Find the cause first. Was it content, pace or nerves? A topic-by-topic score breakdown, where your institute provides one, tells you where to put the next weeks.
• Consider the 30-day route. Tailored retraining at a Part-147 organisation shortens the wait, which can matter when your next exam session is the real deadline.
• Retake only what you failed. A failed multiple-choice part or a failed essay part is retaken on its own.
• Watch your attempt count. The attempt limit is why you should book a module only once your timed mock scores sit comfortably above 75%.

At Aviation Training Hub (ATH), exam sessions run on fixed dates in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, which you can see on the ATH exams registration page. A missed session means waiting for the next one, so a 90-day resit wait can stretch further in practice.

How Much Do the Exams Cost?

At ATH, each EASA module exam costs €139, and the full AME programme involves 16 exams, about €2,224 in total, paid one month before each exam. Exam fees are billed separately from tuition and in a different currency.

Treat exam money as part of your study plan. A resit means another sitting, so confirm the fee and refund terms on ATH's fee structure page before you register, and check the PCAA's own fee schedule for anything charged at licence application stage.

Do Module Passes Alone Give You a Licence?

No. Passing the modules proves your knowledge, but an AME licence also needs documented practical experience and an application to the PCAA. Under EASA Part-66, point 66.A.30, the years of experience depend on your training route and your category.

Source: Annex III (Part-66) to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014, point 66.A.30(a). The experience must be practical and cover a representative cross section of maintenance tasks, and your application must be supported by documentation. That is why on-the-job training matters as much as the exams, and why a Part-147 course route cuts the experience requirement so sharply.

Why Is It Worth the Effort in 2026?

Passing these exams puts you into a market that is short of certifying engineers. Boeing's 2026 Pilot and Technician Outlook projects demand for 728,000 new maintenance technicians worldwide over 2026 to 2045.

• Global demand: Boeing's Pilot and Technician Outlook puts the 20-year requirement at 728,000 maintenance technicians.
• Local fleet growth: PIA's fleet is projected to grow from 18 to 38 aircraft by 2029 following privatization, with AirSial and Fly Jinnah also adding aircraft, as covered in our aviation scope in Pakistan guide.
• Career routes: a licence opens airline, MRO and manufacturer roles, and a top-up degree is an option for management tracks.

How Aviation Training Hub Prepares Students for Module Exams

This section describes ATH's own programme structure, not a third-party finding. ATH teaches the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme over two years and six semesters of four months, with intakes in January, April, July, September and November. The sequence broadly follows the study order in this guide: foundations in year one, specialised modules in year two.

Coursework at ATH is built around practical tasks and projects rather than exams alone, so students work through applied tasks alongside the module syllabus. The full module list, campuses and entry requirements are on the ATH Aircraft Maintenance Engineering programme page. If you are choosing a route after FSc, ICS or DAE, read AME after FSc, ICS or DAE, and graduates who want a degree can look at the BSc (Hons) Aircraft Engineering Management top-up.

Common Mistakes in PCAA AME Exam Preparation

• Studying from the wrong regulator's guide. A guide written for another country's exam system will mislead you on paper format, pass marks and resit rules.
• Leaving questions blank. With no penalty marking, an empty answer is a certain zero.
• Never practising at 75 seconds per question. Plenty of candidates know the material and still run out of time on the long aircraft-specific papers.
• Preparing for multiple choice only. Modules 7, 9 and 10 include essays, and a weak essay part forces a retake of that part.
• Booking before you are ready. Three consecutive attempts, then a one-year wait, makes every sitting count.
• Memorising answer banks. Wrong options are written to look plausible, so understanding the reason behind each answer is what holds up.
• Studying the wrong depth. The same module is examined at different levels for B1 and B2, so read the knowledge syllabus for your own category.

Conclusion

PCAA AME exam preparation is a systematic process rather than a test of how much you can cram. Learn the exam rules, work out the pass threshold for your papers, study in the order the syllabus builds, prepare essays through key points, and protect your attempts by booking only when you are ready. With demand for licensed engineers rising in Pakistan and worldwide, the preparation is worth doing properly.

If you want help choosing a route, a start date or a licence category, talk to the ATH team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about PCAA AME exam preparation