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Oasc cbat, 2016

Does anyone know if there are any target recognition tests you can buy to practice for CBAT please?

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Original post by JennyfromWales
Does anyone know if there are any target recognition tests you can buy to practice for CBAT please?


Hi there. In the CBAT document the only thing the RAF mentions about being able to practice the tests is the mental maths, the idea is the rest is just testing your natural abilities which you can only change so much.
Original post by Machstang
Hi there. In the CBAT document the only thing the RAF mentions about being able to practice the tests is the mental maths, the idea is the rest is just testing your natural abilities which you can only change so much.


Yes, unfortunately several of the tests are not clear what is needed if you have never seen them before. People with excellent abilities can get the first few wring whilst they work out what is needed.
If you can see them and have a go so that you know what to expect, then you are showing your natural ability.
The target recognition test is asking you to recognise loads of things at the same time as pressing buttons to confirm sighting of other things. I did badly on htat because I was ensure what was needed at first.

If anyone knows of a suitable practice one I'd be grateful.
Target recognition test? Which one is that?
Is it the one with a grid with things to tick off such as damaged enemy tanks, friendly buildings etc and codes to the right? Plus a scanning silhouette and three coloured balls you have to confirm when they appear?
Yes, that's the beast
Unfortunately no, but I think video games experience helped here. You could also try word searches, but the skill you'd want to develop is the ability to scan quickly, accurately, and monitor more than one system and target at once.
Perhaps some sort of RTS or action puzzle game could help if nobody comes up with something more specific for you.
Thank you, trying to find something suitable. Spent all my life so far resisting video games so I think I was foolish and should play loads before resit.
Reply 7
You don't need to buy anything.

Take a little longer with the practise example next time, but the fact you know what you're expecting means you'll do better - people almost always improve on their second attempt.

The whole point of the aptitude tests is they're testing innate abilities. Yeah, there are elements you can prepare for - like the mental arithmetic - but largely it's just what's in your head.
Thank you Drewski. I wasn't expecting to fail as I already have my PPL and am pretty well qualified, so I felt like a failure. Pick yourself up, dust yourself down and do better next time as you say. Grateful for the feedeback.
Reply 9
Original post by JennyfromWales
Thank you Drewski. I wasn't expecting to fail as I already have my PPL and am pretty well qualified, so I felt like a failure. Pick yourself up, dust yourself down and do better next time as you say. Grateful for the feedeback.


Sorry, but for tests like these, things like PPLs, degrees, whatever, mean nothing.

But yes, think on the tests you did, and get ready for the next time.
Reply 10
+1 for what Drewski said about PPLs etc not being a reliable indicator as to ability to pass aptitude tests. Students with PPLs have failed grading before and I don't think they expected to fail either!
Yes, it is just that if you can fly a plane, surely you have the aptitude to..er....fly a plane. That is where my mind went. I have passed civilian pilot aptitude tests, no bother. Cbat is much tougher.
Reply 12
Original post by JennyfromWales
Yes, it is just that if you can fly a plane, surely you have the aptitude to..er....fly a plane. That is where my mind went. I have passed civilian pilot aptitude tests, no bother. Cbat is much tougher.

And so it should be. Having the capacity to fly a Cesna 172 S+L @8kft in VMC is nowhere near the same as what is required of a military pilot hedge hopping to evade radar, while taking down a CAS brief, at night, on instruments, wearing goggles.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by JennyfromWales
Yes, it is just that if you can fly a plane, surely you have the aptitude to..er....fly a plane. That is where my mind went. I have passed civilian pilot aptitude tests, no bother. Cbat is much tougher.


Bare in mind that the CBAT isn't just for piloting. The test you describe will have various uses, it'll be graded one way for pilots, one way for ABMs, one way for ATCOs, another for IntOs... It sounds quite similar to the CLAN test that was part of my aptitude test a few years ago - and that portion was relevant to 6 different branches.

I get where your mind went, it's a fully understandable assumption, but if you think it through a little, you'll realise the extra factors involved.
Yes, of course. Didn't stop me sinking into despair on the day though. The TRT is different to CLAN. It has a screen which is pale gre with clouds passing over and small symbols on it that are pale. Also a set of alpha numeric scrolling down the right hand side of the page and flashing lights to click a button for and a scan panel for an object. I shall do better next time.

Bit fed up that you can't reapply for 12 months and it took 2-3 months to process last time so it will be 14 -15 months before I can claw my way back.
Reply 15
Original post by JennyfromWales
Yes, of course. Didn't stop me sinking into despair on the day though. The TRT is different to CLAN. It has a screen which is pale gre with clouds passing over and small symbols on it that are pale. Also a set of alpha numeric scrolling down the right hand side of the page and flashing lights to click a button for and a scan panel for an object. I shall do better next time.

Bit fed up that you can't reapply for 12 months and it took 2-3 months to process last time so it will be 14 -15 months before I can claw my way back.


I was quite surprised to learn that the aptitude tests could be retaken after 12 months, especially when you are briefed on the day that "it is not a test of intelligence, in our experience you either have the aptitude or not and often people can only improve their scores on subsequent attempts because they already have an experience of being in the test situation rather than a greater increase in capacity".*

A colleague of mine took the tests three times during his career and failed three times so I believe there is some truth in that you either "have it" or not. They also have no problem in telling potential pilots that a good score at aptitude does not make a good military pilot, and grading is considered the best method of potential pilot selection (but again a pass at grading is by no means a guarantee of a pass on the pilot course).
I was told that aptitude peaks at age 22, so if you fail before that it is worth going back as you will not have reached your full aptitude. Also, that most people get 10-15% higher on their second try, so it isn't raw aptitude really.
Original post by JennyfromWales
I was told that aptitude peaks at age 22, so if you fail before that it is worth going back as you will not have reached your full aptitude. Also, that most people get 10-15% higher on their second try, so it isn't raw aptitude really.


NFI's post above explains that.
Reply 18
Original post by JennyfromWales
I was told that aptitude peaks at age 22, so if you fail before that it is worth going back as you will not have reached your full aptitude. Also, that most people get 10-15% higher on their second try, so it isn't raw aptitude really.


Of course, if you do something more than once then your aptitude and capacity is used for different purposes. When you go back to Cranwell you will already be at an advantage over first timers. Even seemingly little things like where you have to go in the morning, what the room looks like, where the toilets are, which way the doors open etc. These are all things that take up capacity and as you will already (consciously or subconsciously) know these small details, you will have spare capacity to take on new information.

The aptitude part comes in where it assesses how quickly your brain can process the new information and put it to use. Learning something does not demonstrate good aptitude, receiving information, processing it and performing a function quickly is good aptitude, and the CBAT is designed to max you out and give you a rough scientific 'number' as to what your capacity is. If it makes you feel any better I thought I had creamed in massively, but I passed, so anything is possible :biggrin:
Congratulations NFI, good job done.

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