The ADAPT Test, what is it? Why is it important? As an ab initio you should know as much as possible about this test and in this article I will explain you why and what to expect. It might mean the difference between passing a selection process and failing it.
Probably you have heard about the Compass Test. It is a computer based program which tests your personality, ATPL knowledge, verbal reasoning, potential flying skills and a lot more. Thousands of ab initio pilots were confronted with the Compass Test during one of the selection stages for an airline job. Some passed and a lot of them failed. By now, a lot of Compass Test questions and answers are known and can be found quickly while browsing the internet. In the end this it was it all comes down to: you know the answer > you pass, very straightforward. Pilots that did their research will know which kind of questions to expect and can prepare themselves accordingly. Hence, you are at a major disadvantage when you don’t know the questions because the applicant next to you most probably does and will therefore answers the questions quicker and with fewer mistakes.
Some airlines noticed that the Compass test is not that reliable anymore and therefore they are using the ADAPT test instead. I guess it will be a matter of time before everyone knows these as well but ok.. So let’s move on to the ADAPT test. What is it and what questions can you expect?
The ”Advanced ADAPT Test”’ is a computer based testing system which includes the following elements:
1. Advanced Cognitive Test – This is a more advanced version of the cognitive test, aimed at higher level candidates. It assess a wide range of aptitudes including working memory, perceptual speed & accuracy and spatial relationship reasoning. This is the first stage of the adapt test. You have to complete several intelligence tests under time pressure. Think of mathematical calculations, use laws of physics and complete numerical sequences. You can easily practice this online. For example on this website: yourpilotacademy.com or https://www.123test.com/. Just make sure you know all kinds of numerical reasoning options by heart so you don’t struggle with those type of questions.
2. FAST – A multi tasking and learning assessment made up of physical, cognitive and situational elements. The candidates needs to prioritize and manage multiple activities and learn from previous experience to improve future performance.
This stage is pretty stressful. You have to answer questions within a super limited amount of time. You will see a picture for 5 seconds and then you will get a question about it. The question (and answers) will also last for a few seconds before you will get the next picture. For example: you see a cockpit and then you have to answer in which order the standby instruments were displayed, which colour a specific object had or how much fuel was displayed.
You fly around and you have to answer which ground obstacles (such as factory, airport etc) you arrived at first, how many towers there were, what ATC told you at a specific moment, who else was in the air, what the cockpit looked like and a lot more. In the meantime you have to complete very simple intelligence tests and make sure you avoid obstacles (look at the top picture). You will not have time in between to relax so make sure you take a few shots of coffee and go! You will see super bright pictures and you have to choose which one fits best with the original 5 second picture. It is all about time management so if you don’t know something you just choose a random answer instead of not choosing any answer.
3. Aviation Knowledge Test – This is an assessment to test candidates on more specific aviation topics such as Air Law, General Navigation, Meteorology and Principles of Flight. It consists of 50 ATPL questions, and you will have one hour which should be plenty of time. You either know the answer or you have to guess. Luckily for you guys I wrote down around 75% of similar questions. So here they are, make sure you look up the answers before the assessment and use them to your advantage. To prepare yourself further I recommend this book.
- What is a DME-2 (VOR/DME): Co-located/distances
- Calculate the Track with the use of drift
- Calculate compass heading with variation/deviation
- Diameter of the earth
- How many hpa at 5000′?
- Which one is the most accurate (Glonass/VNAV/GNASS)
- Motor systems in the human body (what happens automatically)
- Nausea in Inner Ear/Tube of Eustagieus
- What does the Airspeed indicator show when your pitot tube is blocked?
- What does the Airspeed indicator show when your static port and pitot tube is blocked?
- QNH/QFE questions regarding field elevation and altitud
- DME, how does it work?
- What is NOT an NDB error?
- TODR/TODA/ASDA
- What does a rhumbline look like on a mercator chart/polar stereo graphic chart?
- Calculate the distance according to the departure formula and the scale on the chart
- Flshing red/green on taxi and in flight? What does it mean
- Download on tail when cg is forward of cp?
- Point of no return/equal time
- Monsoon/Bora
- Skywaves at a high frequency, increase/decrease with wave length
- Another word for courteous?
- Most accurate point on mercator chart and polar stereo graphic
- What is the exact height of the tropopauze?
- SSR transponder, what can they see?
- How does an altimeter work?
- Gyroscope assemblies/vertical/horizontal gyro
- Communication failure, what do you do in which order?
- Refraction/Attenuation at different heights/ high freq
- Take off sequence V speeds (Vmu/Vlof/Vmca etc)
- 35′ height from toda/todr/asda?
- 15 degree turn Vstall is 60 kt, how many knots in a 45 degree turn?
- What is hyperventilation?
- Reciprocating engine is climbing, what happens with drag/speed?
- What is permeable band?
- SSR, where is the interrogater and transmitter?
4. Co-ordination Assessment – This assessment is designed to test a candidate’s hand eye co-ordination and dexterity. By using a joystick the candidate has to hold a ball in the centre of a target circle whilst it tries to move away from the centre. Not a hard exercise, you only have to show that you can respond quickly.
The day before the assessment you will receive a link to Advanced Personality Questionnaire. This is a questionnaire designed to learn more about a candidate as an individual. The answers aim to gain an insight into a person’s values, motivation, attitude and behaviour. It also focuses on aviation critical aspects such as Safety values and Authority Gradient. During the ADAPT test itself you will also get a few personality questions.
Your Pilot Academy
Your Pilot Academy is a new platform for pilots which contains pilot assessment courses to help you prepare for extensive tests like these.
Thats it! Please leave a comment if you have more information that you would like to share or if you feel the above information is incomplete or incorrect. You might also be interested to learn more about the Airline Interview or if you pass the assessment it can be helpful to read about my experiences during the Type Rating!
All the best and may the force be with you. You can do it! 🙂
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