Big Year Ahead for the ATEC Credential

​We expect 2026–27 to be a big year for the ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential.

Participation has already grown dramatically. In 2024, four students from one Choose Aerospace program sat for the credential exam. By 2026, 31 students from five schools participated. This year, we are taking several important steps to help even more eligible students prepare for and earn the credential.

Beginning with the 2026–27 program year, Choose Aerospace licensing includes two attempts at the ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential exam for students who successfully complete all 12 courses and receive their teacher's endorsement. Students earn the credential by passing a comprehensive written examination with a score of 75 percent or higher. The credential provides third-party validation of students' foundational aviation maintenance knowledge aligned with the FAA Mechanic Airman Certification Standards. It can enhance employability for students seeking non-certificated technician roles and provide opportunities for credit for prior learning at participating FAA-certificated aviation maintenance technician schools.

We also want students to have plenty of time and the right resources to prepare. Thanks to generous support from ASA (asa2fly.com), Choose Aerospace programs will receive Prepware School at no additional cost. This is a platform teachers can use to build and assign quizzes for their students and is the same platform used in the ATEC exam. Each guide includes an activation key for Prepware, giving students another way to prepare using the same platform used to administer the credential exam.

We are equally grateful to aviation education materials provider Navispire (navispire.org), which is helping us put these resources directly into the hands of our students. Also included in your annual license fees, the study guides will be made available through a coupon code teachers can use when ordering through Navispire. Codes and ordering instructions will be sent directly to teachers in a couple of months.

Our goal is to identify students who will be eligible to test in May 2027 early enough to give them months, rather than weeks, to prepare. Teachers should watch their inboxes this fall for detailed guidance on Prepware School, study materials, identifying eligible students, and planning for credential testing. Schools with strict district software approval or student data policies should reach out to Kelly early so we can provide guidance.

Completing all 12 Choose Aerospace courses represents a significant investment of time and effort. The ATEC credential gives students an industry-recognized way to document what they have learned and carry that achievement with them as they move into employment, military service, or an A&P school.

With testing, study materials, and preparation resources now built into the Choose Aerospace experience, we are excited to see how many students reach that milestone in 2027.

Learn more about the ATEC General Aviation Maintenance Credential.