How to Pass the EASA & GCAA Part-66 Exams: A Complete Guide

What Part-66 is, and who sits it

Part-66 is the European (EASA) regulation that defines the Aircraft Maintenance Licence (AML) and the basic theoretical knowledge an aircraft maintenance engineer must hold. The UAE's GCAA CAR-66 and the UK CAA Part-66 follow the same structure. The licence is split into categories: A (line mechanic), B1 (mechanical), B2 (avionics) and B3 (piston aeroplanes at or below 2000 kg).

Each category must pass a defined set of the 17 modules at a defined knowledge level (1, 2 or 3). Higher categories study more modules to greater depth — which is why the same module can have a different exam length for a B1 candidate than for a B2.

The exam format — know it before you start

The basic-knowledge exams are multiple-choice. Each question has three options, only one of which is correct, and there is no negative marking — so you should never leave a question blank. The pass mark is 75% for every module.

You are given roughly 75 seconds per question, so a longer module means a longer paper: exam lengths follow the official Appendix II table, from 16 questions on the shortest modules up to well over a hundred on Module 11 or 13. Time pressure is real, so practising against the clock matters as much as knowing the content.

• 3 options per question, one correct — no negative marking, so always answer
• 75% to pass, every module
• About 75 seconds per question; paper length follows Appendix II
• Question and option order are randomised — learn the concept, not the position of the answer

Don't forget the essays

Some modules add a written essay alongside the multiple-choice paper, and the rules differ by authority. Under EASA, Regulation (EU) 2023/989 removed the Module 9 and 10 essays from June 2024, so Module 7 is now the only EASA essay module (two essays, 40 minutes). GCAA CAR-66, however, still examines Modules 7, 9 and 10 by essay. If you are sitting the GCAA exams, budget study time for essay technique on all three.

A study plan that works

• Work module by module in the syllabus order, not at random — later modules build on earlier ones.
• Read the summary notes for a sub-section, then immediately test yourself with a quiz. Recall beats re-reading.
• Use interactive simulations for the abstract topics (electrics, physics, digital) — manipulating a circuit or a cycle fixes it in memory far better than a static diagram.
• Build mind maps to link concepts within a module so you can see the whole picture.
• Once a module's topics are solid, sit a full-length timed mock exam at the official question count. Treat it like the real thing.
• Review every wrong answer and its explanation — your mistakes are your syllabus for the next session.

The mistakes that fail candidates

• Memorising answers instead of understanding concepts — randomised options punish this immediately.
• Skipping the maths in Modules 1, 2 and 3 instead of practising it.
• Never practising against the clock, then running out of time in the real exam.
• Leaving questions blank — with no negative marking, a guess is always better than nothing.
• Ignoring the modules you find boring (legislation, human factors) — they carry the same 75% bar.

How Certify66 helps

Certify66 is built around exactly this method: concise notes and mind maps on every sub-section, thousands of practice questions with explanations, 50+ interactive simulations for the hard-to-picture theory, and timed mock exams drawn at the official Appendix II lengths. It is an independent study aid — used alongside your approved training organisation, not instead of it — and it works for EASA, GCAA and UK CAA candidates alike.