Aptitude Testing

[Stumpyotoole]

Hello all,
More and more over pilot selections are involving computerised tests to evaluate 'motor' coordination, aptitude, numeracy skills and memory recall etc... :{
Can 'natural aptitude' be improved on?!
Are there any programs available to buy for the general public that replicate the Compass, Pilapt Tests that FTO's and airlines use in their selection processes?
Are they a good replica? Have they made a difference and helped any here on this forum get through phases of selection?
Where can they be found and how much do they cost?
Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated!!
Cheers,
Dan. :ok:

[effortless]

Most things improve with practice so practice, practice, practice. Good luck helps too but the more you practice the luckier you get.

[Superpilot]

First of all, with most of these tests you are given 2 or 3 attempts at each part. This is obviously in place to test for your innate ability to learn and progress. However, there are a couple of programs out there that will definitely give you an idea of what to expect for the CTC, BA and FTE PILAPT Tests - same layout, colours, wording and concepts. Knowing what to expect is a bit part of getting it right (even if you don't practice much) and for this reason it would be worthwhile buying one of them. They do a good enough job IMHO.

You'll hear a lot of people saying 'play more video games'. Well, I've had my PPL for 5 years and am a major flight sim fan. I probably have more experience of multi-tasking (thanks to my day job) than most uni-grads who have got into these schemes and I've failed 1/3 pilot aptitude tests, I actually failed 2, but was pardoned because I have a PPL (work that one out ;)). It depends more on your state of mind and alertness on the day. If you're having a crappy time through no fault of your own you will probably fail.

One is called PILAPT Prep and the other Cockpitweb. Yahoo or Google for them...

[BigGrecian]

Having worked in an area dealing with aptitude test results - people's results generally do not change from one sitting to another. You've just got to use what your mother and father gave you!

[gone till november]

Stumpy try this link.

It is very similar to the Micropat testing as used by BA and was the best £50 i ever spent.
http://www.cockpitweb.com/pilottest.html

Big Grecian to apoint i have to disagree with your assertion as i improved my scores in my BA interview this year as opposed to last year.

The above programme helped me to increase my capacity for the most evil of tests which is at the end of the Micropat where you're trying to identify shapes colours and numbers while trying to keep an errant flight director cross haired and thrown in for good measure numbers counting down in different steps and having to identify when the step change happens ALL at the same time.

Good luck:ok:

[newbie008]

has anyone tried pilapt prep? Im still pondering whether to buy it or not?

[Wannabe24]

I purchased PILAPT Prep and it has been worthwhile. It has a few tests which cockpitweb doesn't but then and again cockpitweb has a few that PILAPT Prep doesn't. Worth it for £25 if you ask me

[newbie008]

are you on ctc course? Just wondering whether it will be useful for this. Suppose your right as its only £25

[ccc111]

Can anyone tell me the website to buy this software, ive found cockpitweb but not pilapt prep

Cheers

[Eddie_Crane]

Can anyone tell me the website to buy this software, ive found cockpitweb but not pilapt prep
Cheers

this (http://www.pilapt-prep.co.uk/) me thinks

[waldo_uas]

If you know what the aptitudes entail you can normally think about it before hand and employ certain techniques the ensure you dont waste time during the tests. It can also mentally prepare you for what is coming.

[Stumpyotoole]

Can anyone confirm to me in the pilot aptitude tests for GAPAN and PILAPT, when taking the 'crosshairs' test if the controls are as in an aeroplane (i.e. joystick forward makes the horizontal bar lower - as if it is the nose of the aircraft) or if they are set to represent the ILS (for example) where bar would raise as the joystick is pushed forward.

If anyone can help I would appreciate it!

[ccc111]

I think if the bar moves down you push forward. So like an ILS

[paranoidcastle]

Hello,

If I remember rightly, its best to think of the "dot" as the nose of the aircraft, - so to move the dot "up" ( towards the top of ) the screen ( relative to the crosshairs ) pull back on the 'stick, - likewise with pedals...
- But like I said on an earlier post, I only managed an average score when I did the tests... mind you - I missed the pre-test briefing - and afterwards it became apparent that the other candidates were "advised" on some helpful strategies -especially regarding the short term memory tests...
It occurs to me that its probably helpful to practise similar tests... maybe the EPST (www.epst.com (http://www.epst.com)) IPAS program..
Some might disagree, but I know of no human activity that can't be improved by practice.. - its well known for example that IQ scores ( supposedly fixed ) can improve if one practices enough tests ( and they needn't be of the same type...

- Good luck with the tests. :)

[paranoidcastle]

Similar to my previous thread....( which only generated 4 replies )
Wondering how many out there never bothered with Aptitude Testing, - just went ahead and did it (successfully ) anyway....
- And how many opted for testing, scored less than a "high" score but didn't let it deter them... ( and again have been successful )...

[sicky]

As far as i know, before going onto a CPL course, all flight schools require aptitude tests, and an interview.

[portsharbourflyer]

Never bothered with aptitude testing (achieved first time passes in all ground exams, CPL and IR skill tests), if you are funding it all yourself there is little point. If your determined enough to do this and want to do this you are not really going to be deterred by a poor aptitude test result? If you do the test and get a poor / average result it is only going to affect your confidence to plough ahead with the training. So the only reason to do aptitude testing is when it is part of the selection process for a "sponsorship" scheme(eg; ctc wings, as close as you will get to a sponsorship these days).



If you can pass the class one medical and raise the funds, and have a back up plan if it all goes wrong then there is no reason not to go ahead.

Sicky; Only the integrated schools use aptitude testing for candidates as a general rule.

[sicky]

Thanks for clearing that up. I only want to do integrated, which is probably why i got that impression. :ok:

[portsharbourflyer]

Well examine other options as well. If you want to do integrated that is fair enough, but for the same price as an integrated course you could do modular training and a type rating (if 737,757, A320 are the sort of thing you want to fly), also you could go to the states do an FAA intern/instructor scheme and come back with a 1000 hours (there are one or two schemes with the option of multi engine instruction, hence the chance to build multi time) in the same time (or not much more time) as it takes to do an integrated course. After converting the FAA rating to JAA ratings in the UK you would still spend less than the course at Oxford or Jerez. Remember not all students whom graduate from the integrated courses get the sought after recommendations to the airlines, which I assume is your reason for selecting integrated.

Anyway goodluck with what ever you choose.

[sicky]

I will definately have a closer look at the other options available. I've already looked into everything but i do need to look into modular in greater depth.

You're right though, my plan is to get onto an integrated course and work my ass off to try and get myself a recommendation and some good results to back it up. However, i know it's not quite as simple as that, aswell!

Fingers crossed it all works out, whichever route i go down.

[MrScottish]

Maths and Physics can always be improved by practice, here's some practice for you from The Cabair website. The Cabair Maths and Physics tests are identical to these practice tests and infact most of them were the actual test questions. http://www.ccat.org.uk/fw_assessments.htm.

When it comes to the PILAPT tests I wouldnt recommend any preperation, the instructions are clear and you have time to practice what needs to be done before each test is complete. The calmer you are the better you'll do I'd say.

I did the tests last year and with the above preperation I was accepted to the Cabair Integrated course.

Hope that helps.
MrScottish