Selection.This section covers Aircrew Selection and Aptitude testing.
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Selection.
The Officer and Aircrew Selection Center (OASC) at RAF Cranwell runs aircrew aptitude testing for all 3 services. It consists of a number of computer based assessments.
The tests are taken in a purpose-designed aptitude testing centre, which has the capacity to test up to 45 candidates simultaneously. You will notice the computer keyboard used is of a non-standard design and that a joy-stick and foot pedal arrangement is used for certain tests. Test instructions are all given on the computer monitor for you to read and understand in your own time, and there is usually a short practice session before each test. You can take a break between tests if you wish, but once a test has begun, you must continue to work until it is completed. All aptitude tests are timed so you should always work as quickly and accurately as possible. Try not to spend too much time on any one question, and do not be concerned if you fail to finish all the questions in each test - not all candidates do. The full test programme can last up to 6 hours, so it is a good idea to have a good breakfast and feel fit beforehand.
Examples of the tests are below.
The tests are taken in a purpose-designed aptitude testing centre, which has the capacity to test up to 45 candidates simultaneously. You will notice the computer keyboard used is of a non-standard design and that a joy-stick and foot pedal arrangement is used for certain tests. Test instructions are all given on the computer monitor for you to read and understand in your own time, and there is usually a short practice session before each test. You can take a break between tests if you wish, but once a test has begun, you must continue to work until it is completed. All aptitude tests are timed so you should always work as quickly and accurately as possible. Try not to spend too much time on any one question, and do not be concerned if you fail to finish all the questions in each test - not all candidates do. The full test programme can last up to 6 hours, so it is a good idea to have a good breakfast and feel fit beforehand.
Examples of the tests are below.
Airborne Numerical Test
This is a reasoning test designed to assess your ability to estimate answers to numerical calculations whilst under a degree of time pressure, as demanded in an airborne environment. You will have to:
a. Solve mathematical problems involving time/speed/distance and fuel consumption calculations.
b. Use mental arithmetic involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, to estimate answers. You will not be allowed to use a calculator or work out the answer on paper during the test.
You can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic and calculations involving time/speed/distance and fuel consumption. The total test time, including instructions is approximately 35 minutes and an example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
a. Solve mathematical problems involving time/speed/distance and fuel consumption calculations.
b. Use mental arithmetic involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, to estimate answers. You will not be allowed to use a calculator or work out the answer on paper during the test.
You can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic and calculations involving time/speed/distance and fuel consumption. The total test time, including instructions is approximately 35 minutes and an example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
Auditory Capacity Test.
This is a short term memory test designed to assess your memory capacity under multiple tasks and timed condition. You will have to:
a. Deal with more than one task at a time, e.g. change colours and numbers using the keypad provided, control the movement of a ball presented on screen using a joystick and remember a string of figures.
b. Follow aural instructions given over headphones to remember and recall appropriate actions to take regarding the different tasks.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 23 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Deal with more than one task at a time, e.g. change colours and numbers using the keypad provided, control the movement of a ball presented on screen using a joystick and remember a string of figures.
b. Follow aural instructions given over headphones to remember and recall appropriate actions to take regarding the different tasks.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 23 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Cognitive Updating Test.
This is a multiple tasks test designed to assess your ability to manage and coordinate tasks in a busy working environment. You will have to:
a. Deal with a series of tasks against the time shown in a digital clock, e.g. monitor, control, set up and adjust a variety of technical systems and update information as required.
b. Complete these tasks by means of using multifunction displays, interactive pages and a menu system.
The test administration time, including instructions, is approximately 35 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Deal with a series of tasks against the time shown in a digital clock, e.g. monitor, control, set up and adjust a variety of technical systems and update information as required.
b. Complete these tasks by means of using multifunction displays, interactive pages and a menu system.
The test administration time, including instructions, is approximately 35 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Colours Letters and Numbers Test.
This is a multiple tasks test specifically designed to assess your ability to shift attention between different tasks. You will have to:
a. Deal with more than one task at a time.
b. Monitor changes and pay attention to detail.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 20 minutes. You can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
a. Deal with more than one task at a time.
b. Monitor changes and pay attention to detail.
- Remember sequences of information.
- Complete simple mental arithmetic.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 20 minutes. You can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
Instrument Comprehension Test.
This is a spatial test designed to assess your ability to visualise using pictorial, numerical and verbal information. You will have to inspect instrument readings to visualise the orientation of an aircraft. The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 26 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. Examples of the type of screen you will encounter are shown below and on the next page:
Mathematics Reasoning Test.
This is a reasoning test designed to assess your ability to solve numerical problems. You will have to interpret written descriptions to solve numerical problems using time/speed/distance calculations. The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 18 minutes and you can prepare for this test by practicing calculations using the time/speed/distance formula. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Rapid Tracking Test.
This is an eye-hand coordination test designed to assess your ability to track and target objects. You will have to:
a. Use a joystick to track moving and stationary objects from a location that is moving continuously.
b. Predict the movement of obscured objects.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 16 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Use a joystick to track moving and stationary objects from a location that is moving continuously.
b. Predict the movement of obscured objects.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 16 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Sensory Motor Apparatus Test.
This test is designed to assess your eye-hand-foot coordination. You will have to use a joystick and foot pedal to control the vertical and horizontal motions of a moving circle (i.e. red dot) and keep it as close as possible to the centre of the cross-hair. The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 9 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Situational Awareness Test.
This is a multiple tasks test designed to assess your ability to collate verbal, numerical, pictorial information to build, maintain and update a mental picture of a complex changing situation to solve problems. You will have to:
a. Monitor verbal, numerical, pictorial and coded information which can be presented to you aurally via a set of headphones or visually on screen.
b. Monitor a changing situation to be aware of past, on-going and possible future activities/events that concern the position and movement of a variety of objects.
c. Answer queries on the changing situation and what actions you think is appropriate to take to solve various problems.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 30 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Monitor verbal, numerical, pictorial and coded information which can be presented to you aurally via a set of headphones or visually on screen.
b. Monitor a changing situation to be aware of past, on-going and possible future activities/events that concern the position and movement of a variety of objects.
c. Answer queries on the changing situation and what actions you think is appropriate to take to solve various problems.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 30 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
System Logic Test.
This is a reasoning test designed to assess your ability to solve logical problems related to a system, based on available numerical and verbal information from different sources. You will have to:
a. Collate relevant information from different folders available from a menu system to solve a given problem.
b. Interpret a variety of information presented in the form of tables, graphs, diagrams, equations and factual statements.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 38 minutes and you can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
a. Collate relevant information from different folders available from a menu system to solve a given problem.
b. Interpret a variety of information presented in the form of tables, graphs, diagrams, equations and factual statements.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 38 minutes and you can prepare for this test by practising your mental arithmetic. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown on the next page:
Target Recognition Test.
This is a multiple tasks test designed to assess your ability to search and identify a series of visual targets. You will have to:
a. Scan and search for a variety of targets which can be imageries, colour patterns, strings of alphanumeric characters, codes/symbols and warning signs.
b. Prioritise and alternate between the various scan/search tasks and register as many targets as you can.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 25 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Scan and search for a variety of targets which can be imageries, colour patterns, strings of alphanumeric characters, codes/symbols and warning signs.
b. Prioritise and alternate between the various scan/search tasks and register as many targets as you can.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 25 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Trace Test 1.
This is a spatial test designed to assess your ability to orientate in three-dimensional space. You will have to:
a. Perceive the changing orientation of a moving aircraft from a different perspective/direction.
b. Interpret pictorial information and identify the change in orientation of a given aircraft.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 9 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
a. Perceive the changing orientation of a moving aircraft from a different perspective/direction.
b. Interpret pictorial information and identify the change in orientation of a given aircraft.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 9 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. An example of the type of screen you will encounter is shown below:
Trace Test 2.
This test is designed to assess your ability to remember the movement of objects in three-dimensional space. You will have to:
a. Watch short dynamic scenarios involving the movement of a number of aircraft.
b. Recall the movement and location of moving aircraft in three-dimensional space.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 9 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. Examples of the type of screen you will encounter are shown on below:
a. Watch short dynamic scenarios involving the movement of a number of aircraft.
b. Recall the movement and location of moving aircraft in three-dimensional space.
The total test time, including instructions, is approximately 9 minutes and you do not need to prepare for this test. Examples of the type of screen you will encounter are shown on below: