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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)

ChristianM

New Member
Started with doing instrument approaches on Microsoft, but switch to an arcade game on my Mac since it was more dynamic...realism for the astb isn't exactly an issue the idea was just to get my motor functions back on par while being able to think about other things

I ask because I'm taking the ASTB for my 2nd attempt in 3 weeks and I struggled with the joystick portion the most. I scored a 63/5/6/5
 

Duc'-guy25

Well-Known Member
pilot
My advice in the performance based measures, just work on performing two or three tasks at once. Play video games and have someone ask you simple math problems or something, just get used to processing a couple different senses at the same time. I prioritized the plane tracking and did the vertical tracking in my peripheral, and the dichotic listening was just kinda the background thing, it doesn't give you too many numbers so just don't listen to one ear and if you hear a number in the target just think about it for a second and press the proper button. The hardest part for me was the fact the evens were on the right and odds on the left (on ships even numbers are always on the port side and odds on the starboard for frame numbers, boats, rafts, rigs, stations etc etc). Don't think about it too much, and remember if you screw it up no one dies, its just a test and its all relative. Best of luck. I hope this helped you.

EDIT: I pressed the wrong button several times and got flashed "system working in duress" a couple times on emergency procedures (I had no idea initially which was high and which was low...) and I still came out with an 8/9/8, but take that with a grain of salt I'm not entirely sure how the program actually evaluates you.
 

Private Pyle

New Member
Yeah I saw that site earlier and read through it but I couldn't find anything helpful.

Go to a recruiter, bud. You can google the nearest NRD to you, usually in big cities. For example, the Atlanta NRD, where my recruiter is, serves all of Georgia, Alabama, and the pan handle of Florida. No packet needs to be put together before taking the exam. My recruiter has a strict process she follows and will not really do anything until I get a more competitive score (hopefully in April). Go to your nearest Navy Recruiting center in town and they can direct you further.

Frankly, what you need to focus on now is wrapping up with a solid GPA, focusing on any extracurriculars, and staying out of trouble. Remember, everything counts towards OCS whether you're going trying to be a chef or a SNA -- not just the ASTB. Don't waste your 1 of your 3 attempts just to get a feel for it. Look around the forum, especially user Nate's thread about the ASTB-E, find some good gouges, study up.
 

Gillie1985

Member
When it comes to the Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR), Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR) and Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Training (FOFAR) portion. What does each part consist of. For example is the (AQR) the part of which they test your Aviation & Nautical knowledge? If any one knows how each part is broken down on the test, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
 

speedroller

Rangers
When it comes to the Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR), Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR) and Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Training (FOFAR) portion. What does each part consist of. For example is the (AQR) the part of which they test your Aviation & Nautical knowledge? If any one knows how each part is broken down on the test, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Read this:

http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmotc/nami/Pages/ASTBOverview.aspx
 

Deven Bolding

New Member
Good evening gentlemen, I just had a few quick questions regarding the ASTB:

I am currently am a Junior Finance major with a 3.3 GPA NROTC at Notre Dame looking to get a pilot slot. I recently took the ASTB and received a 7 AQR 8 on the PFAR and 6 on the FOFAR, what do y'all think my chances are for a slot considering the current needs and availability for next fall?
 

Gator Guard

always knife hands
Better then good. My brother was in your unit last year and according to him, ND grads seem to get pilot at a higher then normal rate. He got SNA with a 6/7/6. He is a SNFO in primary due to eyesight but that's neither here nor there.
 

ChristianM

New Member
On the Spacial Orientation subtest, does anyone know if it would be better to take longer on a question or answer a question wrong?
 

MikeMillerUK

Nearing the end of Primary
Contributor
On the Spacial Orientation subtest, does anyone know if it would be better to take longer on a question or answer a question wrong?
Wrong is wrong. Taking longer and getting it right is certainly better than missing it entirely. The test allows you to practice as long as you want, so don't start the section until you get comfortable. I made it through the whole section hitting each one within about 2 seconds, only missing 2 or 3 for being careless.
 

ChristianM

New Member
Wrong is wrong. Taking longer and getting it right is certainly better than missing it entirely. The test allows you to practice as long as you want, so don't start the section until you get comfortable. I made it through the whole section hitting each one within about 2 seconds, only missing 2 or 3 for being careless.

Thanks. I didn't ask to see if I could slack off, I was just curious.
 

milfordguy

New Member
Good morning everyone,

First off I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to post their feedback of the test and stated what study materials/habits have been most effective.

I just have a quick question. I have seen several people state the importance of knowing the Navy ranks and insignia.

It is my understanding that the Navy/Marines take the same exact test (ASTB-E). Since I will be submitting my scores for the Marine Corps I was just curios if it is necessary for me to study the Navy ranks/insignias.

I am assuming since the test is the same that I would have the same chance of getting a question on ranks/insignias as someone who is taking the test for the Navy.

Thanks in advance.

Sincerely,
Reginald G. Walker IV
 

thorp337

Member
I recently took the ASTB this past Monday with another candidate, who tested before me. She did better than me, but I scored halfway decently for my first time. I was hoping to for a 4/6/6 but managed to scrape with a 3/5/4 and OAR of 42. My OAR was pretty low considering I missed quite a few math problems from frustration and it capped me, with around 8 mins left. I will say though, the Mechanical comprehension was COMPLETELY different than the books tell you. Between the other candidate and I, we had every book for the ASTB on the market, and it was almost a waste. The reading was straight forward, just heavily military oriented, still basic "find the answer hidden in the paragraph" questions. The Aviation and Nautical Information section really threw me for a loop because it was again, totally different than what I had previously studied. And lastly, my first time with the HOTAS throttle and joystick had me yelling like I was spawn dying in COD. Let me explain...

Math - Dont rush through it like I did. I missed simple questions and It was my own fault. I did see some basic algebra, geometry, roots, exponents, etc. Like i said, I didnt get very far because it cut me off due to nervousness and trying to take it too fast. Just remember its an unlimited amount of questions from a bank that pulls based off of your answers (right to wrong).

Reading - straight forward section. Dense military paragraphs for most, other random ones. Just play the game and find the right answer. Not to vague, not to specific, just right.

Mechanical Comp. - This really confused me: I studied 3 months teaching myself physics, forces, weight distribution, gears, pulleys, etc., and not a damn question was on any of it. My test was about 98% heat/temperature, electricity and indirect force questions of aircrafts. I barely studied electricity (besides the basics) and it screwed me. And Im not talking like "What does this symbol mean? A. a diode", it was some bizaare crap that you would really have to know had you studied electricity. I encountered 1 pulley question and 1 fulcrum weight-distribution question and about 2 other weight questions. Everything else was what I mentioned. Do yourself a favor and make sure you heavily study ALL of it(where ever you can find) and not just the 1 page your book has on electricity.

Aviation/Nautical Info. - Again, 1 or 2 questions about the actual layout of a ship or plane, 1 question on force and I recall a question on where the flaps were located. EVERYTHING else was on history. EVERYTHING. I specifically remember reading "In what war did the EA-6B make its first appearance to blah blah blah?" I was like WTF HOW COULD ANYONE KNOW THIS!?! Of course, if you had heavily studied history, then perhaps you would. My book did not cover much, mostly the technical side of how a plane works, the forces, etc. (And a ship of course, with nautical terminology). It was at that point I started to yell at the screen. Also by this point I was pissed because I knew my applied knowledge was basically useless and I wasn't going to pass.

HOTAS - So i tried my luck on this joyride. Let me tell ya, if you've never tried to use these devices, please practice. It will throw you off so bad if you aren't prepared. I know there is really no way to prepare for it, just try to mentally. You could use Microsoft Flight Sim but the test portion of the ASTB is just a bit absurd. You basically start off learning how the controls work in practice mode, then you do the real thing. Think of Galaga where you have a little ship going up and down vertically and you use the throttle to follow it. Easy, right? Wrong. The throttle is hyper sensitive, so you barely touch it and it goes 100 mph. Trying to follow that little plane was quite fun. It goes up and down at different speeds, so it can be frustrating. Secondly, you have to do this again, but with the joystick which is inverted only up and down. Now, I knew it was inverted, just like a plane, but for some reason, my mind would think all of it is inverted so of course then started more yelling when Im chasing the little plane flying around everywhere and my target is stuck in the upper left corner when I've got it pulled that way thinking its going opposite. This little exercise is like pin the tail on the slow-then-fast-then-slow donkey. Eventually you get to do them together which is where I had my examiner almost crying laughing because I was yelling "THIS SHIT IS NOTHING LIKE ACTUAL FLYING!!!!!" Excuse the language but I was quite mad. I've flow a Cessna a few times and it is not that difficult. But whatever. You also will encounter a dichotic listening exercise, which is the easiest portion of the test, I thought. It will tell you which ear to listen to, and then tap a button based on even and odd numbers. If it says RIGHT then listen to your right ear, and viceaversa. But when all the chaos comes together, hold on to your britches because you're in for a ride. You get to press buttons while listening, follow mr. vertical plane and then follow mr. chaos plane as it flies at different speeds bouncing around like a pong ball on crack. I applaud those of you who get a 6 and above on that section. I got a 5 for my first time and will probably score higher the next time i take it, but damn, that was some of the most ridiculous stuff I've ever done to test my aptitude to fly a plane.

My advice: Study extra hard on the portions you're not sure about. The UAV section is simple, just practice til you get it all right, or memorize the degree headings. I got most of them right minus a few when i confused the tip of the yellow wedge for opposite directions. Don't do that. It tells you exactly how to answer the different questions and headings and its not that hard. Unlimited tries for practice, you'll get it. Anyways, just be prepared for anything and everything on this test. I have no background in aviation besides the things I've taught myself, learned over the past year and the lessons I've taken for flying. I'm confident Ill test much better the second time around, and hopefully you find this humorous and helpful to when you take the exam. Good luck!

J. Thorp
 

hermdj11

Member
Hey everybody, I'm a longtime lurker and just joined a short while ago. I am set to take my ASTB next month and besides all the incredible info I'm getting from previous posts I was hoping I could get a little more direct help on the ANIT section of the test. I've been hearing that it is mostly set on Aviation history with only a few questions covering flight instruments, airport lighting systems, and Nautical terms. Does anybody have a suggestion on what to study more of? Any help will be appreciated greatly.
 
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