From the Oatey (biggest name in AAV's) spec sheet on mechanical valves Versus AAV:
It is important to note that a mechanical vent that relies on a spring to open/close IS NOT considered an AAV. A mechanical vent is a device that operates in a similar manner to that of an AAV...it opens to admit air under negative pressure conditions and closes at static/positive pressures. A mechanical vent does not meet this chapter’s requirement noted in these paragraphs due to its reliance upon a spring for it to function properly.
Read all the technical info here:
http://www.oatey.com/apps/catalog/in..._SVA_link3.pdf
Dom.