uk military pilot aptitude tests

[olster]

Greetings military aviators. My son is very keen on a military pilot career. He is in a current uk UAS and doing an engineering degree. Is there any means of 'prepping'/ advice for the aptitude tests? Many thanks in advance.

[Rhino power]

You'll probably find the answers you're looking for in the following thread, you can search the thread too to save slogging through all the pages...

http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/405176-officer-aircrew-candidates-please-read-thread-first.html

-RP

[Wholigan]

Also, if he's on a UAS, the staff there will give him some very good advice and will probably even sort some practice interviews for him.

[muppetofthenorth]

UAS students in the past have been given the chance to go to OASC for a dry run of the aptitude tests.

Get him to be a self starter and find out for himself.

[Brat]

I took both of my sons to Speedwing consultants. A tad expensive, I think at the time 300 quid each.

The man who met me asked where my oppo was, and when I pointed at my two young boys, was a tad concerned and remarked that they had never given the aptitude test to children before.

Both were rated well, the younger higher. The oldest is a Captain with a charter airline having flown commercially since he was 18, the younger works as an aircraft technician for Delta in the US.

He was instinctually a better pilot of the two from an early age, just never interested.

The tests they described to me, seemed very similar to those I had done at Biggin Hill, years before, before doing the practical Fleet Air Arm tests at Roeborough on the Chipmunk.

My particular intake started with around twenty-five, ended with three.

[Jayand]

How old were your kids when they went along?

[Bugs to forty]

UAS students in the past have been given the chance to go to OASC for a dry run of the aptitude tests.

UAS can do a Test in Advance (TIA) as a career informing opportunity prior to formal application but, as for anyone else attempting CBAT, each occasion is recorded and the results are valid for 12 months with no re-test allowed in that period.

[muppetofthenorth]

UAS can do a Test in Advance (TIA) as a career informing opportunity prior to formal application but, as for anyone else attempting CBAT, each occasion is recorded and the results are valid for 12 months with no re-test allowed in that period.

That's the badger.

And OP's son should know about it. Doesn't need his dad doing his work for him.

[salad-dodger]

Get him to be a self starter and find out for himself.
How does that work then?

[MFC_Fly]

And OP's son should know about it. Doesn't need his dad doing his work for him.
If he does need his dad doing his work for him then maybe he won't pass the aptitude tests :E

[Pontius Navigator]

How does that work then?

With your experience you should know.

[olster]

Guys, thank you very much for your replies. I am certainly not leading him by the hand I am merely trying to give him guidance which I guess / hope most parents would do. I am an airline captain in the U.K. And obviously have an amazing resource with the great ex military guys that I fly with. The real point that I am getting to is there any means of practicing for the CBAT test? Thanks again.

[Brat]

How old were your kids when they went along?

They were 9 and 7. Their grandfather had been, and I was an airline captain at the time.

[Bugs to forty]

The real point that I am getting to is there any means of practicing for the CBAT test? Thanks again.

Sharpening up on mental maths skills is always going to help a little but the fact that your son is studying engineering suggests his general grip of maths is sound! Other than that, there's not a lot one can do to prepare as the tests themselves are designed to spot aptitude rather than familiarity. It's a long day in front of a computer screen but hopefully he'll get the scores he wishes for. Best of luck.

[Bob Viking]

Agreed with Btf.

I did no specific prep and knew no more than the AFCO were able to tell me. I had been an Air Cadet but didn't attend UAS. I passed at my first attempt.

This is not a brag (although I realise it sounds like it). It's true that there is a fair amount of inate ability required. Engineering students with parents who are pilots are probably well prepared already!

Best of luck.

BV

[Pontius Navigator]

Maths is good, but you also need to be competent at fast mental arithmetic. Once a competent pilot with an engineering degree the whole world will open up.

[haltonapp]

Can he chew gum and walk in a straight line with a bone dome in one hand? Treat all those who are not fighter pilots as beneath him and not worthy of respect? I'm sure he'll do well!

[Melchett01]

Capacity and speed of thought.

Flying an aeroplane is one thing. Operating it as a weapons system something entirely different. My laissez-faire approach ('we've lost an engine ... Fine, got another one and 20,000ft to play with') was never going to see me barrelling down a valley at 200ft and 420 kts!

Next time you're driving down the motorway together try chucking a few random mental arithmetic questions (how long to destination at current speed etc) at him or asking him what was on the last road sign you passed. Very unscientific, but might give you an idea.

[Al-bert]

Had never heard of air cadets or UAS, had only flown twice as a passenger on a Dan Dare Comet, knew nothing about the RAF or aeroplanes but somehow managed 29 years and spec aircrew - they must've been short of pilots in 1970!

[[email protected]]

And 1981 - I was a 20 yo landscape gardener with no family military or aviation connections and one trip in a Cessna as my flying experience.

I know the modern way is to try and train for tests but frankly I'm not sure it makes any difference.

[Al-bert]

I did get some strange looks at Biggin Hill mind, when the interviewing officer, a pipe smoking Wg Cdr, asked me what my second choice would be if I failed pilot training. I'm not sure he'd heard of the RAF Marine Branch!

[Pontius Navigator]

It used to be that you could walk in to any busy crew room (that is one with people drinking coffee) and ask a question. The answer was always as forthcoming as a google search.

[Al-bert]

It used to be that you could walk in to any busy crew room (that is one with people drinking coffee) and ask a question. The answer was always as forthcoming as a google search.

Ah, crew rooms,and coffee, I remember them. When I left (1999) they only seemed to have spec aircrew (commissioned and snco) in them. The youngsters were all drinking Dr Pepper or some such pop and hiding away in offices working at ISS or ATPL's, or something. :rolleyes:

[BEagle]

Al-bert wrote: Ah, crew rooms,and coffee, I remember them.

In the early '80s, a group of us were chatting with the Boss in the crew room. One of the Flt Cdrs dashed in, grabbed a coffee and was on the point of leaving when the Boss said to him "Not staying to finish your coffee, A* ?" To which the Flt Cdr, ever eager to show how important he was :rolleyes:, replied "Sorry Boss, I've got a lot of work to do...."
Came the riposte "That doesn't surprise me, for someone who works as slowly as you do!"

Much mirth and off flounced A* in high dudgeon!

[olster]

Many thanks for all your replies, chaps - we will see how it goes. Cheers

[Rasputin412]

https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/how-to-apply/ast/

He could try this. The test is online and timed to 25 minutes. This would be a good place to start. My son has already practiced this to see the 'style' of the test.