How to Get Your A&P License WITHOUT A&P School (2026 Guide)

How to become an aircraft mechanic: there are exactly 3 ways to get your A&P license (Airframe & Powerplant) — FAA Part 147 school, the military, or civilian OJT. Here's the practical breakdown of all three. 🧰 Not sure yet? Take our FREE A&P Aptitude Test: https://school.greasepilot.com/lead-m... I'm Michael Sawyer with Grease Pilot. I earned my A&P in 2009, I hold an Inspection Authorization. In this video I walk through the real pros and cons of each path to becoming an FAA-certified aircraft mechanic — no fluff, just how it actually works. THE 3 WAYS TO GET YOUR A&P LICENSE: 1) FAA Part 147 certified school — structured, broad curriculum, but the highest cost and least real-world experience 2) The military — earn the experience while you serve (MOS conversion, FSDO sign-off, the JS-AMTCC program) 3) Civilian OJT (on-the-job training) — the most flexible and lowest-cost path: work under a certified A&P, log your hours, and build your experience package for the FAA You'll also learn: ✅ The 18-month (single rating) / 30-month (both A&P) experience requirement ✅ How the FAA counts hours (160 hrs/month) and why part-time still works ✅ Why documentation is the #1 thing that trips people up on the OJT route ✅ How to build the experience package your FSDO wants to see ✅ That the FAA writtens, oral, and practical exams are the SAME no matter which path you choose ▬▬▬ START HERE ▬▬▬ ▶️ WATCH NEXT — A&P OJT Experience Requirements Explained:    • A&P OJT Experience Requirements Explained   📺 Every lesson in order — the A&P OJT Training Lessons playlist:    • A&P OJT Training Lessons   📘 The OJT requirements lesson (18 vs 30 months, Form 8610-2, your FSDO visit): https://school.greasepilot.com/lesson... 🔗 A&P OJT Links & FAA references: https://school.greasepilot.com/ojt-li... 🚀 START YOUR JOURNEY — Connect with an A&P supervisor for free: https://school.greasepilot.com/free-s... 📲 Grease Pilot OJT Tracking Software (log hours, attach photos, get digital supervisor sign-offs, and export a clean PDF package for the FAA): https://school.greasepilot.com/ojt-tr... 📖 Full written guide — costs, timelines, and 20 FAQs: https://school.greasepilot.com/insigh... Which path are you taking to your A&P? Drop a comment — I'd love to hear where you're at on your journey. 🔔 Subscribe to learn more about becoming an aircraft mechanic. ▬▬▬ CHAPTERS ▬▬▬ 00:00 Intro — the 3 ways to get your A&P 02:00 Overview of the three methods 02:33 Method 1: FAA Part 147 School 09:05 Method 2: The Military Route (MOS & FSDO) 18:13 Method 3: Civilian OJT / Field Experience 19:28 Documenting hours & digital sign-offs (the #1 hurdle) 21:59 Your OJT experience package for the FAA 22:47 Part-time flexibility & how the FAA counts hours 24:18 Summary of all 3 paths 26:08 The FAA test is the SAME for every route 26:29 Cheapest vs. most flexible — which path fits you? 27:01 Free A&P aptitude test + the lowest-risk way to start 27:56 Wrap-up DISCLAIMER: Educational content only — not legal or FAA regulatory advice. Always confirm current requirements with the FAA (14 CFR Part 65 and the ACS) and your local FSDO. #AircraftMechanic #APLicense #AviationMaintenance