Flight Training Adelaide - Anyone been through there testing for Diploma course??

[andrewnorris1987]

Hi guys,

I have applied for the Diploma in Aviaiton offered by FTA in order to qualify for FEE HELP. I received an email today. Below is information on the testing. Does anybody have any advice on the type of questions asked or just any input into the way it is conducted? Many thanks!!

Maths and Physics test: This is a one hour test and candidates can bring their own calculator. On the back on the test is a conversion table to help you.
Trax: ‘Trax’ is a computer-based pursuit-tracking task modelled on the concept of flying along a spiral path. ‘Trax’ requires adaptation to the dynamics of the three-dimensional flying environment. As such, the test assesses a combination of psychomotor co-ordination, spatial and information processing abilities.
This test is carried out by an experienced flying instructor and assessments are made of the candidates psychometric skills attributes, including spatial awareness, anticipation, reaction, accuracy of control inputs, rate of learning, maintenance of concentration, level of surplus mental capacity, levels of anxiety and general hand/eye coordination.
Spatial Reasoning: This is a paper-based test designed to measure the candidates’ ability to think spatially. The test measures a candidate's ability at recognising the sequence of complex patterns, and the results of this test have a high degree of statistical correlation with pass results in Ground School examinations. Percentile scores are derived by comparing the candidate’s results with the results of pilot candidates from major airlines trained by Flight Training Adelaide. The results are represented as the statistical Percentile of that airline population."

[Centaurus]

Trax: ‘Trax’ is a computer-based pursuit-tracking task modelled on the concept of flying along a spiral path. ‘Trax’ requires adaptation to the dynamics of the three-dimensional flying environment. As such, the test assesses a combination of psychomotor co-ordination, spatial and information processing abilities

I guess if you want to give them your money you have to go through all these hoops first.
Years ago one of my students in the RAAF (who was a brilliant pilot by the way) applied to join the RAAF as a trainee pilot. He failed the dancing ball aptitude test and was told by the Flight Sergeant who supervised the computer test that it was infallible and that he would never make a pilot.

But the Flight Sergeant knew the candidate's father from WW2 and quietly gave the young candidate a pass on the dancing ball aptitude test, meanwhile warning him that he would certainly be scrubbed on the pilots course because the aptitude test was infallible.

In due course I became the candidate's flying instructor and rated him above average. One year later he graduated with his RAAF Pilot Wings and was posted to a fighter squadron with 210 hours. There he flew Mustangs and Vampires and soon was on Meteors. Years passed and after being CO of a C130 Hercules squadron, he was posted as CO of the same recruiting squadron that he had passed through many years earlier.

One evening when everyone had gone home, he sat at the computer and tested himself on the same bouncing ball aptitude test that he had failed a long time ago. Remember he was told by the friendly flight sergeant the test was infallible. Guess what? He failed the test again despite having flown exotic fighters and Hercules transports. AND he was also an experienced flying instructor.

No aptitude test is infallible and I wonder how many potentially fine young pilots have failed similar tests while trying to prove they are the Right Stuff. Keep in mind there will always be plenty of opportunities to learn to fly that don't need specific aptitude tests.