Pilot Aptitude Testing

Pilot Aptitude Testing is the practice of testing the aptitude of pilots. This is achieved using a collection of tests, known as a ‘test battery’, which seek to identify the strengths of an individual and ultimately help the assessor, whether it be a flying school, airline or the military, understand whether the individual has what it takes to become a commercial or military pilot.

The tests are normally undertaken on a computer, with or without a joystick, and can include the assessment of a wide variety of skills, ranging from hand-to-eye coordination, multi-tasking, spatial awareness, mental arithmetic et cetera.

Like other types of aptitude test, computerised pilot aptitude tests typically work in two ways – either using ‘norm-referenced’ or ‘criterion-referenced’ scoring to provide information to an assessor on an individual’s aptitude.

What is norm-referenced scoring?

A pilot aptitude test that uses norm-referenced scoring seeks to compare an individual’s performance against a ‘norm group’.

The norm group is a group comprised of other individuals who have previously undertaken the same assessment. By comparing one individual against a large group of other individuals, the assessment can ascertain how strong or weak their competencies are.

The simplest way to think about this is to understand that as you are being compared against other individuals, there is no ‘hard and fast’ pass mark, but rather information that places you in a group of people and subsequently ranks your score as below or above average. In many cases, it is then up to an assessor to make a decision on whether your performance is suitably appropriate to the job role.

What is criterion-referenced scoring?

A pilot aptitude test that uses criterion-referenced scoring will, unlike norm-referenced scoring, typically set a specific criterion (i.e. X performance in hand-to-eye coordination and Y performance in ability to multi-task) for you to achieve. This could be considered a pass mark in the usual sense of the word.

Particular criteria is normally set on a case-by-case basis dependant on the job role and assumed experience of the test taker (e.g. it would be anticipated that an experienced pilot may score higher than an inexperienced pilot).

You may head to your local library to read the wealth of books that are available on aptitude tests, or you may research forums to ascertain tips on what to expect for a particular assessment, however, both of these methods of preparation have considerable flaws.

Online Books

There are a wealth of books available on aptitude tests, however, very few (if any) are focused on preparing for a pilot aptitude test. Instead, many are focused on preparing for graduate or entry-level assessments, such as those used by large corporations for positions in finance et al. Whilst these books are a fantastic way to prepare for these types of assessments, they are entirely unsuitable for preparing yourself for a pilot aptitude test. This is because assessments used to assess individuals who wish to work in finance et al are completely different to assessments used to assess professional pilots, as previously discussed.

Reading Forums

Reading through forums for information on pilot aptitude tests can be a better place to start, however, it is not necessarily the most suitable approach to take. In most cases, information that is posted on forums may be out-of-date, incorrect or intentionally misleading. Furthermore, this type of information is normally based upon personal opinion of the test taker and thus an assessment which one individual declares as ‘easy and straightforward’ may actually be ‘difficult and complex’ to the next person.

Dedicated Pilot Aptitude Testing Preparation Tools

The better way to prepare for a computerised pilot aptitude test is to a dedicated tool, such as the online preparation software provided by Pilot Aptitude Test. Click the image below to access some practice tests.

Much in the same way that you would use hiking boots to climb a mountain or running shoes to compete in a marathon, choosing to use a tool designed specifically for the purpose of helping you to prepare for a pilot aptitude test will provide you with far greater chances of success.

Good preparation software will enable you to familiarise yourself with the mechanisms and techniques that may be used to assess and interrogate your competencies in a computerised pilot aptitude test.

Furthermore, a good preparation software will provide activities modelled on real-world assessments, in environments that are representative of those used in the real-world, and it’ll provide feedback on your performance to enable you to obtain insight into your strengths and weaknesses.

We would recommend using the online preparation software provided by Pilot Aptitude Test.

Since incorporation in 2011, this particular online preparation software has helped over 25,000 pilots to prepare for a variety of computerised pilot aptitude tests at airlines, flying schools and military institutions.

Unlike other software that followed in its footsteps, www.pilotaptitudetest.com was established by professional pilots over a decade ago with the sole aim of helping individuals to prepare for a broad array of computerised pilot aptitude tests.

In particular, not only does this preparation platform provide activities modelled on real-world assessments, in environments that are representative of those used in the real-world, it provides feedback to individuals using norm-referencing (a concept discussed earlier in this article) and boasts reliance on a norm group that is comprised of thousands of data points from over 25,000 individuals, to truly help an individual to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Yes! An additional benefit to this approach is that the online preparation software provided by Pilot Aptitude Test can be used to prepare for a variety of different computerised pilot aptitude tests. Whether it be a COMPASS, PILAPT, Cut-e or a military assessment, an individual using the online preparation software provided by Pilot Aptitude Test will be able to focus on improving pilot competencies and understanding their strengths and weakness, rather than blindly undertaking activities that they believe to be included in their future assessment.

Get started today and by visiting this link on a desktop device- the earlier you start, the greater your chances of success!