Preparing for OASC Selection: The CBAT Pilot Aptitude Tests
Please note: RAF selection arrangements are updated from time to time, so treat this as a helpful overview and always check the latest details directly with the RAF.
If you’re aspiring to become a pilot in the Royal Air Force, one of the first major hurdles you’ll face is the Computer-Based Aptitude Test, or CBAT. It’s a pivotal early step in selection, used to assess candidates for a range of aircrew and officer branches, and for pilots in particular it carries a high pass mark. Here’s an overview of what it involves and how to give yourself the best chance.
RAF Officer Selection: High Standards and Strict Screening
The RAF sets a high bar for its officers and aircrew, and understandably so. These are people who’ll be entrusted with advanced training, expensive equipment and, ultimately, responsibility for the safety and lives of others. The selection process is designed to identify those with the natural aptitudes to succeed, and the RAF makes no apology for how thorough it is.
What is the CBAT?
The CBAT is a suite of computer-based tests, administered at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) at RAF Cranwell. It’s typically completed in a single sitting that can last up to around six hours, so stamina and focus matter as much as raw ability. You don’t need advanced computer skills to take it, and full instructions and practice questions are provided on screen before each element.
What does it actually test?
Rather than testing knowledge you can revise, the CBAT assesses a range of underlying cognitive and psychomotor abilities. Candidates can face a series of short tests, covering areas such as:
- Numerical reasoning and mental arithmetic, often under time pressure
- Spatial awareness and the ability to build a three-dimensional picture from limited information
- Hand-eye (and sometimes hand-eye-foot) coordination and tracking
- Short-term memory and attention
- Multitasking and the ability to switch between tasks quickly
- Situational awareness, or keeping an accurate mental picture of a changing situation
- The precise mix depends on your chosen branch, and pilots typically face the fuller set of psychomotor and situational tests.
Can you prepare?
Yes, and you should. While you can’t predict the exact questions, you can absolutely build familiarity with the types of test involved, which helps enormously with speed and confidence on the day. Brushing up on mental arithmetic, spatial reasoning and multitasking all pays off. One important word of caution, though: any practice materials will only ever emulate the real tests, so the actual assessment may differ. Practise widely to build genuine skill, rather than over-rehearsing one specific format, and remember that the goal is to sharpen your underlying abilities, not to memorise a particular test.
Test Results
Your performance in these tests will indicate your potential for success during professional training in specific RAF branches. Keep in mind that not all branches require aptitude testing, so the tests you take depend on your branch preferences.
Test Retakes and Eligibility
The CBAT is designed to be sat rarely, and the rules on retakes are strict. In general you may only be able to retake it a limited number of times, and only where a Recruitment Officer supports it, with a significant waiting period before any further attempt. Because the same or similar tests are used across services (the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps use their own versions), attempting a test with one service can also start a time restriction affecting the others. Age limits for your chosen branch can affect your options too. For all of these reasons, it really pays to be properly prepared before your first attempt rather than treating it as a practice run. Always check the current rules directly with the RAF.
On the day, and after
The tests take place in a dedicated room of computer-based stations, with on-screen instructions and practice sessions before each element. Sessions can be long, so a good breakfast and staying hydrated genuinely help. Afterwards, you’ll usually receive a debrief from an OASC staff member to discuss your performance, which can also be a chance to talk through branch options if your results affect your original preference. If you meet the required standard for your branch, you may then be invited forward for further assessment, including exercises, interviews, medical boards and fitness tests.
Approaching the CBAT properly prepared, and with a clear head, is the best way to put your best foot forward.
