Final answer:
A mechanic can find the aircraft certification category in the FAA's Type Certificate Data Sheets, which provide the airworthiness standards the aircraft must meet.
Step-by-step explanation:
A mechanic can find the category in which a particular aircraft is certificated by consulting the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Type Certificate Data Sheets (TCDS). The TCDS is a formal description of the aircraft, engine, or propeller, and it will list the certification category assigned to the aircraft.
These categories might include Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, Commuter, Transport, and others, each of which dictates the airworthiness standards the aircraft must meet. To locate the correct TCDS, a mechanic would need the airplane's manufacturer's name, model, and serial number.