What priviliges and limitations does an Aircraft(General) mechanic have versus an A&P? The FAA provides practical test standards for Airframe, Powerplant, and General mechanic certificates. Mechanics seem to demonstrate a preference for Airframe &amp; Powerplant, so much that "A&amp;P" is common shorthand for "aircraft mechanic".

That being the case, my questions are:


What can a mechanic who is only "general"-certified do and not do, compared to an A&amp;P?
Is there any real-world benefit in holding a general mechanic certificate?
None. It is required to pass your written general to move on to obtain your Aiframe/Powerplant certification via an Oral &amp; Practical exam. There is no general certification.

If you're looking for a way to work without certification, you can work under a 145's certificate without any.