Air League RAF Cranwell Aptitude Testing

[Danny212]

Hii

I saw threads for this from a couple of years ago, and decided not to re-start those threads.

I have just recieved news that I have been selected to attend RAF Cranwell's Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre for Aptitude testing.

Does anyone know what would be involved in the Air Leagues aptitude test in particular and what their experience has been like?

Thanks in advance! :)

[El_Presidente]

Danny, mine was about 16 years ago now.

But, there were the computer based exercises - hand eye coordination; memory recall; simple maths; the plane orientation thingy...

There was also the team based 'leaderless' exercises of negotiating shark infested custard; and then I think the good cop bad cop interviews with two officers - one Wg Cdr and one Sqn Ldr. Current affairs; about the RAF; and about the individual.

That I think took us up to end of Day one and chop time.

Day two involved the more intimate (I wish) guided group discussions; medicals; and written exercises of maths, English etc. Followed up with the scenario based exercise about rescuing some villages stranded on an island using only two sticks and a camel. Time distance speed, logic and reasoning. Note, this last exercise does not necessarily look for a 'right answer' but more looks to see if you can plan, problem solve and then re-plan...and then you have to present this plan to the assessing staff who will question your decision making process.

Hope this helps!!



:}

[GolfTangoFoxtrot]

Hi Danny,

Was it by post or by email that you received notification regarding Cranwell? I still haven't heard anything and I am pretty sure my application wasn't so awful it would be cut at this stage!

GTF

[Danny212]

El_Presidente Thanks for the very detailed information. However my testing is only one day...arrival by 18.00 at RAF Cranwell..and then aptitude testing begins at 07.15 the next day and we are free to leave by the end of lunch that day.

I'm guessing because yours was 16 years ago A LOT has changed but thank you nonetheless. I have a rough idea of what may be involved!

GTF: I called them yesterday and they said they were still marking them all. Then this morning I got an email telling me that I was through to testing. You should get a response soon. I was rejected by RAFA and AirCadetsHQ so I'm HOPING that I get through this.

Thanks guys! :):):)

[El_Presidente]

Danny, sorry, I only really read Cranditz, and OASC - the information I gave was for the 2 day selection process for commissioning!!

Maybe more useful later on?

:ok:

[Danny212]

Haha no problem!
Maybe ;)
Hopefully I get through this first :)

[4015]

It's been a couple of years since I was at OASC, for the RAF instead of Air League but the same tests, and not much has changed since then.

You're referring only to the aptitude tests, which go a little something like this:

You'll be woken up at 0600 (if my memory serves me right) by something that sounds like a fire alarm. Breakfast is in the Candidate's Mess (get a good breakfast, my preferred is a fry up for big days like this!) and from there you'll make your way over to the OASC selection centre. All of these locations will be made nice and clear for you, and are very close together.

You'll enter the selection centre and probably relax in the waiting area for a while, before you're collected and taken upstairs to the aptitude waiting room. After a briefing (great fun actually) you'll be taken through to the test room. This is a room which is a little bit like a partitioned office - around the walls are individual workstations separated by blue screens.

You'll be assigned a workstation and told to make yourself comfortable. Do feel free to remove ties, jackets, undo top buttons and all of that, you will get warm quite quickly!

There are a number of tests, I can't remember all of them but here's what I can remember:

Mathematics - Only covers simple things, addition, subtraction, short multiplication and division. Brush up on your mental arithmetic and you'll be fine.

Verbal Reasoning - You will be given information over several different pages, and a set time to read it all. You will have plenty of time to do so. You will then be asked questions which require you to find relevant information and make links across the pages.

Eye/Hand/Feet coordination - The crosshair test. You'll be given a dot and asked to keep it in the centre of a cross on the screen using the joystick and the rudder pedals.

Eye/Hand coordination - You are asked to keep a dot following a line of other dots cascading down the screen. You'll hear a 'beep' through the headphones when you get it right. I remember hearing silence punctuated by a VERY occasional beep!

Spatial reasoning - Two for this that I remember. A spitfire will fly onto a screen and fly around. You are expected to watch it, and then put in a control movement to echo what the plane has just done from the plane's perspective. This gets quite difficult when it's upside down coming towards you. The other test is to be shown a cockpit panel with the instruments showing a certain aircraft attitude, pitch and roll. You then have to pick out the appropriate picture from a number of options.

Memory - A number of different coloured aircraft fly onto the screen. You have to watch all them (3 or 4 to start, more later) and remember as much as you can. After a period of about 20 seconds you will be asked a question, for example "Which side did the yellow aircraft leave the screen?"

Mixed Bag - The most fun one! A number of coloured diamonds fly across the screen. You have to press the appropriate coloured button as the diamond passes through the coloured block on the screen. There are 4 colours. In addition to this, you will be shown a sequence of letters and have to remember this. A short while later, 4 similar sequences appear in the corners, you have to select the correct option. In addition to this, you will be expected to carry out simple mathematical problems.

The UAV - This may have been a test example but I think it has been taken on now. You are expected to operate a UAV. There are a number of screens, including navigation, communications, tasks and engine management. You will have to deal with all of these throughout the flight. I can't really explain this one, the only advice I can give is learn how to be methodical and work out your own method when you get all of the information on the day.

There are a couple I have missed, but can't give it to you on a plate!

Hope this helps,

4015

[Danny212]

4015 you honestly couldn't have been more helpful!!!
Thank you so much!!
I'm going to brush up on my mental maths...and well for the others...obviously just try my best!
Thanks once again! :D

[Danny212]

Has anyone else been invited for an interview before the aptitute tests? I got my letter yesterday!