I've heard a lot about this new ASTB before I got to A-pool. I'm assuming that since we've been discussing it since early 2010 and they're still using A-poolers as guinea pigs that it'll be rolled out soon. I haven't found a detailed overview of the new test, so with all my spare time I thought I'd write one up after I tested it out last week.
Math
The questions are the same as the old ASTB Math section. However, there’s no set number of questions. The program will keep asking questions until it has a good grasp on your performance or time runs out, which I believe is 40 minutes.
Reading
The questions are also the same as the old ASTB except for the varying number of questions and extended time limit.
Mechanical
Also the same kinds of questions, but has the varying number of questions and extended time limit. You get a 15 minute break after this.
Aviation and Nautical Information
Again, the same kinds of questions but with the varying number of questions and extended time limit.
Spatial Apperception
From here on is where they changed it up most. You’re given an illustration showing how a UAV is situated over a target area. On the right you’re shown a building with four parking lots oriented in a North, South, East, and West layout as it would be seen through the UAV cameras. You’re asked to identify a specific parking lot. For example, you’re shown the UAV approaching from the Northwest and asked to identify the east parking lot. Either a green or red circle appears around the lot you selected and shows a reaction time, which is also calculated in the scores.
I remember being very pressed for time on the old spatial apperception section, but this one also varies in number of questions and has an extended time.
Personality Test
This was my most frustrating section. You’re given 99 questions with two statements each. You choose which one best describes you, but it’s very common that neither statement describes you at all or both statements describe you very well.
Another New Section
They called this section some long scientific term.
1) In the headphones, it will say a string of numbers and letters in the right side and a different string of numbers and letters in the left side at the same time. At the beginning, it will say “right” or “left”. If it says “right”, you have to tune out the voice in the left side and push a button on the throttle when you hear an odd number in the right side and squeeze the trigger on the joystick if you hear an even number in the right side. Letters don’t count. It will switch to “left” and you have to tune out the right voice.
2) Next, you’ll use the throttle to track a target moving sporadically on a single vertical axis. The further above 50% you move the throttle, the faster the pipper moves up and the same with below 50% moving down. When you’re near the target, the pipper turns green. You are supposedly graded on how long/often the pipper is green.
3) Next, you use the joystick to track a target moving sporadically to the left, right, up and down. Again, the pipper turns green when you are near enough to the target. The controls are inverted, where pushing forward on the joystick causes the pipper to rise.
4) Next, you’ll combine the two. There will be two separate targets, one moving on the vertical axis and the other moving up, down, left, and right. You have to track both targets with the pipper with the throttle and joystick at the same time.
5) Next, you’ll combine #4 above (tracking) with #1 above (listening). You’re tracking both targets with the throttle and joystick and now listening for the numbers they call out, while clicking the throttle button for odd numbers and joystick trigger for even.
6) Next, they add EPs. They have two knobs on the throttle, one for your “fuel” and one for your “engine” (I think). For a fire, you have to turn both down and hit the throttle button. For an engine failure, you have to turn both up and hit the throttle button. There’s one more scenario I can’t remember. But they include that among tracking your targets and listening for the numbers.
Then you go home and finish a lengthy biographical survey asking about your education and experience with athletics, math, science, etc. It took me around 1 hour 45 minutes to finish everything. The OAR score is still only made of the first three sections, but the scored for the FOFAR, PFAR, and AQR are now made up of all sections combined.
Math
The questions are the same as the old ASTB Math section. However, there’s no set number of questions. The program will keep asking questions until it has a good grasp on your performance or time runs out, which I believe is 40 minutes.
Reading
The questions are also the same as the old ASTB except for the varying number of questions and extended time limit.
Mechanical
Also the same kinds of questions, but has the varying number of questions and extended time limit. You get a 15 minute break after this.
Aviation and Nautical Information
Again, the same kinds of questions but with the varying number of questions and extended time limit.
Spatial Apperception
From here on is where they changed it up most. You’re given an illustration showing how a UAV is situated over a target area. On the right you’re shown a building with four parking lots oriented in a North, South, East, and West layout as it would be seen through the UAV cameras. You’re asked to identify a specific parking lot. For example, you’re shown the UAV approaching from the Northwest and asked to identify the east parking lot. Either a green or red circle appears around the lot you selected and shows a reaction time, which is also calculated in the scores.
I remember being very pressed for time on the old spatial apperception section, but this one also varies in number of questions and has an extended time.
Personality Test
This was my most frustrating section. You’re given 99 questions with two statements each. You choose which one best describes you, but it’s very common that neither statement describes you at all or both statements describe you very well.
Another New Section
They called this section some long scientific term.
1) In the headphones, it will say a string of numbers and letters in the right side and a different string of numbers and letters in the left side at the same time. At the beginning, it will say “right” or “left”. If it says “right”, you have to tune out the voice in the left side and push a button on the throttle when you hear an odd number in the right side and squeeze the trigger on the joystick if you hear an even number in the right side. Letters don’t count. It will switch to “left” and you have to tune out the right voice.
2) Next, you’ll use the throttle to track a target moving sporadically on a single vertical axis. The further above 50% you move the throttle, the faster the pipper moves up and the same with below 50% moving down. When you’re near the target, the pipper turns green. You are supposedly graded on how long/often the pipper is green.
3) Next, you use the joystick to track a target moving sporadically to the left, right, up and down. Again, the pipper turns green when you are near enough to the target. The controls are inverted, where pushing forward on the joystick causes the pipper to rise.
4) Next, you’ll combine the two. There will be two separate targets, one moving on the vertical axis and the other moving up, down, left, and right. You have to track both targets with the pipper with the throttle and joystick at the same time.
5) Next, you’ll combine #4 above (tracking) with #1 above (listening). You’re tracking both targets with the throttle and joystick and now listening for the numbers they call out, while clicking the throttle button for odd numbers and joystick trigger for even.
6) Next, they add EPs. They have two knobs on the throttle, one for your “fuel” and one for your “engine” (I think). For a fire, you have to turn both down and hit the throttle button. For an engine failure, you have to turn both up and hit the throttle button. There’s one more scenario I can’t remember. But they include that among tracking your targets and listening for the numbers.
Then you go home and finish a lengthy biographical survey asking about your education and experience with athletics, math, science, etc. It took me around 1 hour 45 minutes to finish everything. The OAR score is still only made of the first three sections, but the scored for the FOFAR, PFAR, and AQR are now made up of all sections combined.
