Out of curiosity about this, I talked to someone at NAMI today who gave me some great gouge on the new ASTB. None of this information is official, and all of it is subject to change:
- A revised ASTB is currently scheduled to be rolled out in APR 2010.
- It includes a new psychomotor component that uses a stick and throttle. All test sites won't have the capability to administer this portion of the test.
- A new (and long) bio inventory and personality inventory is being tested.
- There will be new paper forms, and additional tests that require a computer (such as the psychomotor component) can be administered separately.
- The existing sections for mechanical comprehension, math, reading, etc., will remain more or less the same, but would get revised questions.
- The computerized version of the test will be "adaptive", in that the test questions can be different for each person, and will get harder as more questions are answered correctly or easier as more questions are answered wrong. This enables the computerized version of the test to use less questions to accurately assess the examinee in each area. (The current ASTB forms used on paper and computer are identical.)
NAMI is currently offering the new test to selected aviation candidates. They can then examine how well the new portions of the test predict success among students. For example, if the new personality/bio portions don't significantly aid in predicting success or attrition, NAMI might decide to not include them.
Again, this information is subject to change at any time, but I just wanted to pass this along for those wondering about the new ASTB.