They got rid of the questions about bank/roll/pitch. It's just the UAV questions.
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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)
- Thread starter edato
- Start date
They got rid of the questions about bank/roll/pitch. It's just the UAV questions.
Taking the test Friday morning. Been studying 2-4 hours a day using various books, study guides, khan academy, and searching through threads on here. Hope to do well enough to apply for SNA next go around. Hopefully sometime near May or June.
InitialOCS
Member
Military Flight Aptitude Tests (http://www.amazon.com/Barrons-Milit...2519&sr=8-1&keywords=military+flight+aptitude)
Again, this was a good baseline for skills and source of practice tests, but look to go beyond this material through using this forum and the dummies officer candidate tests book.
Regarding speed versus accuracy - I think accuracy is definitely more important throughout. On the UAV I'd guess I was taking 5-8 seconds on each question, but still did quite well. Complicating things slightly, I believe that the rest of the joystick tests are combined into those scores so doing well enough on that could hide poor UAV results.
Just got back from the taking the ASTB this morning and am very pleased with my scores! 53, 6,7,6. I am going for SNA and my recruiter was pretty happy with my scores as well. I am graduating from Penn State this spring and currently have a GPA of 3.4. Wanted to say thanks to everyone who has posted on here over the past 2.5 years or so since the new test came out. So many of my questions were on the test that people had posted on here somewhere. So I'll give back what I remember from this morning:
Math:
Probabilities, rates, simplifying were the main things I came across. Know your exponents and how to simplify/factor ugly equations. I did not have any logs, matrices, or binary code. Test cut me off with about 12 minutes left.
Reading:
This is section is painfully dull and hard to concentrate. A few times I had to stop reading, taking a deep breath and then dive back in to refocus. The military/Navy stuff can become a drag and bit confusing but try to stay focused! Cut me off early.
Mechanical:
Saw some density, pressure, and pulley questions. The Barron's and personal study guide floating around here prepared me pretty well for what I came across. No electricity problems. Cut me off early.
Aviation Section:
Saw some of the common questions, who broke the sound barrier, what plane was converted to an air tanker during Desert Storm? Parts of ships/planes, what rotates what. Pretty simple stuff if you use the materials from the personal study guide and look through other peoples posts of questions they had.
UAV: Thought this section was kinda fun and challenging. I practiced the flash cards from the quizlet website or whatever it was with a written compass and that helped a lot. Just doesnt prepare you for the rapidness that actually comes during the test. It is was hard to get your bearings set for every new problem coming. I think I averaged around 4-5 seconds and got 47/48 right.
PBM:
I actually loved this part, yeah its hard but who doesn't love a good challenge? Got a little messed up on the prop emergency but got it straightened out after a couple seconds. The other two I completed nearly right away. Just write down the procedures and practice them before you click the trigger to go to the test. Dichoctic portion is easier when you leave your head towards what side you're supposed to be listening to. Messed up a couple times on the clutch/trigger pulls for odds and evens but for the most part got them all right. The most trouble I had with this section was the throttle. It was very hard to control and was either flying up and flying down at a rate that was almost impossible to control.
All in all, I am happy with my test scores for my first attempt and don't plan to retake unless I get denied from the board. I used the Personal study guide that is floating around here somewhere, Barrons, For Dummies, and looked through almost every page from Dec. 2013 reading what people posted. If you don't know something, look it up on google or Khan Academy. If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM and I'll be more than happy to help with whatever I can!
Blackbeard
Math:
Probabilities, rates, simplifying were the main things I came across. Know your exponents and how to simplify/factor ugly equations. I did not have any logs, matrices, or binary code. Test cut me off with about 12 minutes left.
Reading:
This is section is painfully dull and hard to concentrate. A few times I had to stop reading, taking a deep breath and then dive back in to refocus. The military/Navy stuff can become a drag and bit confusing but try to stay focused! Cut me off early.
Mechanical:
Saw some density, pressure, and pulley questions. The Barron's and personal study guide floating around here prepared me pretty well for what I came across. No electricity problems. Cut me off early.
Aviation Section:
Saw some of the common questions, who broke the sound barrier, what plane was converted to an air tanker during Desert Storm? Parts of ships/planes, what rotates what. Pretty simple stuff if you use the materials from the personal study guide and look through other peoples posts of questions they had.
UAV: Thought this section was kinda fun and challenging. I practiced the flash cards from the quizlet website or whatever it was with a written compass and that helped a lot. Just doesnt prepare you for the rapidness that actually comes during the test. It is was hard to get your bearings set for every new problem coming. I think I averaged around 4-5 seconds and got 47/48 right.
PBM:
I actually loved this part, yeah its hard but who doesn't love a good challenge? Got a little messed up on the prop emergency but got it straightened out after a couple seconds. The other two I completed nearly right away. Just write down the procedures and practice them before you click the trigger to go to the test. Dichoctic portion is easier when you leave your head towards what side you're supposed to be listening to. Messed up a couple times on the clutch/trigger pulls for odds and evens but for the most part got them all right. The most trouble I had with this section was the throttle. It was very hard to control and was either flying up and flying down at a rate that was almost impossible to control.
All in all, I am happy with my test scores for my first attempt and don't plan to retake unless I get denied from the board. I used the Personal study guide that is floating around here somewhere, Barrons, For Dummies, and looked through almost every page from Dec. 2013 reading what people posted. If you don't know something, look it up on google or Khan Academy. If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM and I'll be more than happy to help with whatever I can!
Blackbeard
Riskitbiskit
Biskit
A new member here. I went into the ASTB this morning almost entirely blind. Beforehand I had only studied some of the material on Air Warriors and skimmed over a prep book I was given for a total of maybe 6 hours. I pulled a 45 4/4/5 which I am aware is awful. I'm an NROTC Marine Option (History Major) looking to be a Marine Corps aviator. I need to hit a 4/6/6 in order to pass. I have no background in physics and have always been notoriously poor at math. Any recommendations on study material for that? I felt the most lost on the math section between the two. I'm wondering what I should study specifically in order to improve my score? The unfortunate part is I don't really understand how I scored on each part of the test so I'm not sure what I need to work on.
Also are there any ASTB simulators out there? A program to practice that ridiculous video game using a joystick and throttle? I know there are just your average flight simulators....but something specifically like the ASTB test? I plan on devoting my entire summer to studying so that come Fall 2016 I can pass.
Feedback/advice that anyone could provide would be highly appreciated.
Also are there any ASTB simulators out there? A program to practice that ridiculous video game using a joystick and throttle? I know there are just your average flight simulators....but something specifically like the ASTB test? I plan on devoting my entire summer to studying so that come Fall 2016 I can pass.
Feedback/advice that anyone could provide would be highly appreciated.
InitialOCS
Member
As a general note I'd suggest reading through the past 15 or so pages of this thread at least. You'll be able to figure out a more thorough answer to most of your questions than you will likely directly receive. That said here's a go at answering them:
Depending on just how bad the math is I'd suggest starting with ARCO GRE Prep (I think this is the one I got out of the library.) This took me up from written out addition/subtraction/multiplication/division to the more basic higher math you'll see on the test. As a liberal arts major I hadn't touched math since graduating from high school and hadn't done it without a calculator since middle school or even elementary school so that was critical. After going through that I'd suggest various books targeted at the ASTB (and other service OCS tests since the practice test writers tend not to know the difference and all the practice exams are fairly similar.)
Physics: The study guide from earlier in this thread will help allot. Kyle Stevens was super awesome a couple pages ago and attached everything he studied with. If simple machines give you trouble this book will tell you everything you could possibly need to know in detail that I found very helpful for comprehension.
Regarding prepping for the video game, so far as I know there isn't anything that directly preps for it. I think the biggest thing it is testing beyond your ability to use very unresponsive/poorly-calibrated controls is your ability to simultaneously multi-task. I made a few suggestions a few pages back (no guarantees that they'll help!) Basically what they amounted to were to find relatively simple videos games that can be played one handed, e.g. pinball, Ibb&Obb, and play the game on two different computers right next to each other simultaneously. I hope that would simulate the need to look at two screens simultaneously while making relatively simple inputs based on the data on each screen - just like the ASTB. If you had trouble with the UAV portion the compass trick spelled out in detail either earlier in this thread or the ASTB-E thread, also in the ASTB sub-forum, will be very helpful.
Best of luck!
Depending on just how bad the math is I'd suggest starting with ARCO GRE Prep (I think this is the one I got out of the library.) This took me up from written out addition/subtraction/multiplication/division to the more basic higher math you'll see on the test. As a liberal arts major I hadn't touched math since graduating from high school and hadn't done it without a calculator since middle school or even elementary school so that was critical. After going through that I'd suggest various books targeted at the ASTB (and other service OCS tests since the practice test writers tend not to know the difference and all the practice exams are fairly similar.)
Physics: The study guide from earlier in this thread will help allot. Kyle Stevens was super awesome a couple pages ago and attached everything he studied with. If simple machines give you trouble this book will tell you everything you could possibly need to know in detail that I found very helpful for comprehension.
Regarding prepping for the video game, so far as I know there isn't anything that directly preps for it. I think the biggest thing it is testing beyond your ability to use very unresponsive/poorly-calibrated controls is your ability to simultaneously multi-task. I made a few suggestions a few pages back (no guarantees that they'll help!) Basically what they amounted to were to find relatively simple videos games that can be played one handed, e.g. pinball, Ibb&Obb, and play the game on two different computers right next to each other simultaneously. I hope that would simulate the need to look at two screens simultaneously while making relatively simple inputs based on the data on each screen - just like the ASTB. If you had trouble with the UAV portion the compass trick spelled out in detail either earlier in this thread or the ASTB-E thread, also in the ASTB sub-forum, will be very helpful.
Best of luck!
Biggity
Member
I'll be pretty blunt, because any sugar-coating to the answer is distracting at best.
Find a copy of Peterson's Publishing Master the Military Flight Tests, the edition I used was 8th Ed. It will help lay a good foundation of knowledge, at the very least.
atrickpay's study gouge was worth its weight in gold. I used it almost exclusively to reinforce my ability to recall/utilize formulas, with some time spent reinforcing simple things like percentages and whatnot.
Since you're pushing for Marine option, I suggest doing some supplementary studying on nautical terminology. Being a history major in NROTC, I'd assume you would know what different decks are called, but some questions will ask you to identify which aircraft debuted during a certain timeframe (at least, my test did).
For the UAV portion, the most popular advice - draw a simple compass rose with cardinal directions and rotate it to match the screen - is quick and simple, not to mention effective.
Going into this test with 6 hours of studying is only effective for the incredibly smart or incredibly lucky. I suggest you do not base your future career on luck. Your supply will run out, and as a pilot that is the one resource you should not be relying on for day-to-day operations. My CO put it best a few years ago:
"Aside from your typical gear loadout, you carry three bags with you to the plane every time you fly. One bag, Knowledge, is the only factor you exercise complete control of. Load up on it. The seams should be stretching to hold the wealth of information that will aid you in your endeavors. The second, Experience, will grow with time. Just as with Knowledge, make sure the Experience you gain is quality. Challenge yourself everyday in order to ensure that what goes in to your bag is nothing but A-1 prime-choice experience. Trimming the fat now guarantees you'll enjoy your wealth of experience later. Lastly, when you are in a situation and your Experience doesn't cover the sh*tstorm you just flew into, and your Knowledge lends nothing to right the aircraft, you'll have to reach into your last bag, Luck. This bag isn't bottomless, gentlemen. You only get so many pulls from it. When you walk to the plane with these three bags, don't start the preflight by asking yourself if this is the day you reach in and pull out a handful of nothing."
If that quote doesn't put it into perspective, then remember Goose: "The Defense Department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid." (Quoting TopGun was somewhat taboo at WTI, I can only imagine that there are two separate camps of thought on it here at AirWarriors. Be gentle.)
Ryan Ensor
Active Member
Hey guys, I've been studying for the UAV section a ton using these flashcards: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshow.php?title=_36014
The problem is, while some of them seem to be right to me using the compass technique, a bunch of the answers don't make any sense to me (especially the ones around flashcard 9).
Any help here would be incredible, taking the test on Monday.
The problem is, while some of them seem to be right to me using the compass technique, a bunch of the answers don't make any sense to me (especially the ones around flashcard 9).
Any help here would be incredible, taking the test on Monday.
Rotate your compass so that whatever way you are going, say East, you would have the East arrow pointing towards the ceiling. If you're going South, you rotate it so the South arrow is pointing towards your ceiling.
Ryan Ensor
Active Member
thanks, even after trying that, it seems like on everything i practice, the opposite of what i think should be right is the right answer, dosen't make any sense to me. I have to be doing something wrong still
Can someone post or attach the best study guides around this forum for the ASTB? I've taken it twice and scored horribly both times. I mainly have a lot of trouble with the math and joystick/throttle portion. Everyone's math test is so different each time and I have no idea what to expect.
cberger
Member
Hi everyone, I am just looking for some advice & feedback. I am currently a Midshipman in the NROTC program, Navy option, striving to be a Naval Aviator.
I've taken the ASTB once so far. I scored a 6-7-7. I simply want to know if I should retake the ASTB or not. I think my biggest challenge was the Math portion of the exam. I've received mixed feedback on my question, "Should I take the ASTB again?" Some say yes, others say no (officers and people who have been selected as Student Naval Aviators). I know guys who have gotten accepted with lower scores than my own. However, my gut tells me to take it again because I think I can do better, and my goal is straight 8s (the "shoe-in" score, from what I've heard)
When looking at my overall package, this is what I'm working with:
ASTB: 6-7-7
GPA: 3.0 cumulative in a Tier 1, technical engineering major (Systems Engineering), with a couple very low semester GPAs and some high ones.
PFA score: 300
Leadership in NROTC: Strong
I still have time to retake the test, but not much. I service select in October, and can take my ASTB again anytime (I've already gone 90 days since my last exam). My package needs to be finalized in August, giving me ample time to take the test two more times before the deadline if need be. Any feedback is highly appreciated. Thank you!
I've taken the ASTB once so far. I scored a 6-7-7. I simply want to know if I should retake the ASTB or not. I think my biggest challenge was the Math portion of the exam. I've received mixed feedback on my question, "Should I take the ASTB again?" Some say yes, others say no (officers and people who have been selected as Student Naval Aviators). I know guys who have gotten accepted with lower scores than my own. However, my gut tells me to take it again because I think I can do better, and my goal is straight 8s (the "shoe-in" score, from what I've heard)
When looking at my overall package, this is what I'm working with:
ASTB: 6-7-7
GPA: 3.0 cumulative in a Tier 1, technical engineering major (Systems Engineering), with a couple very low semester GPAs and some high ones.
PFA score: 300
Leadership in NROTC: Strong
I still have time to retake the test, but not much. I service select in October, and can take my ASTB again anytime (I've already gone 90 days since my last exam). My package needs to be finalized in August, giving me ample time to take the test two more times before the deadline if need be. Any feedback is highly appreciated. Thank you!
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