FAA Adds Path for DME Testing at Multiple Part 147 Schools

In its latest revision to the Designee Management Policy, effective September 15, 2026, the FAA added a provision intended to expand access to mechanic testing by making it easier for designated mechanic examiners (DMEs) to conduct oral and practical exams at multiple aviation maintenance technician schools.

The change addresses a familiar obstacle: a DME may be willing to travel to a school that needs testing support, but securing authorization for additional locations—particularly across Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) boundaries—can delay or prevent those arrangements. Broader authorization could help schools bring examiners to their graduates and give applicants more options for completing certification.

FAA Order 8000.95E, Volume 5, Chapter 6, paragraph 5.i (page 231 of 433), establishes a process for adding a single entry to a DME’s Certificate Letter of Authorization (CLOA) covering multiple domestic part 147 locations. The managing office approves the initial request, allowing additional schools to be documented without separately listing each one on the CLOA.

The broader authorization still carries requirements. Before testing at each school, the DME must obtain a letter permitting testing and use of its tools and equipment, complete the FAA’s AMTS testing checklist, and provide both documents to the managing specialist for inclusion in the DME’s training file. Each test still requires DMS preapproval identifying the actual facility. DMEs must also continue to maintain their required fixed base of operations and equipment.

The provision is a welcome step toward making examiner capacity more accessible. Its practical impact will depend on whether this “blanket approval” process reduces delays and the need to obtain separate approvals across FSDOs, while retaining school-specific documentation and individual test preapprovals.

DMEs pursuing the blanket authorization are encouraged to contact ATEC to share successes or hurdles in obtaining approval. Those experiences will help the council assess implementation and identify where further clarification may be needed.