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Prepare for the TBAS
Overview
I will let the AFROTC experts tell the details if they wish. You will commit to being an officer before you find out whether you get a pilot slot. Also you will be 50% done with pilot training before you find out which track you will be on, and then you will be 98% finished with pilot training before you find out which airframe you get. For all the non-zoomies (or non-FAGs if you like) here: The problem with prop and wings is that for something like 45 years, you had to put up with somewhere between 7-11 months of being a freshmen (followed by Recognition) to earn them. I cant really give you a good understanding of the academy. There are approximately 1050 AF pilot slots every year. AFA gets 500 of them, AFROTC gets 500, and AFOCS gets 50. Since there are many many more ROTC pilot-wannabes, your chances of getting a slot, should you be PQ'ed, is greater by far at AFA. Now, getting slot that is not with a drone is another matter. I was in AFROTC and switched over my last semester in college. I went to the OSO office and got a guaranteed pilot slot, went to OCS last summer, and am now at TBS. I chose to go the PLC route, versus the OCC route because my recruiter said there were about three times as many pilot slots for PLC candidates. I would like to be a pilot in the military. I will be starting at a university in a few months and I am trying to weigh my options. I am quite interested in AFROTC, but, I dont like the uncertainty of getting a pilot slot. A few weeks ago I found out about the Guaranteed pilot slot through USMC P.
The Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) is a computerized psychomotor test battery. It is used as a tool for the selection of United States Air Force pilot candidates. TBAS scores are combined with the candidate’s Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT), and flying hours to produce a Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score. The PCSM score measures a candidate’s aptitude for pilot training – that means a predictive measure of whether or not a person will do well during Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). The TBAS score is just one facet out of many that make up the “whole-person” concept that is used to determine the PCSM score. In AFROTC, the Detachment Commander factors in a slew of scores to rank pilot candidates who eventually compete nationwide for AFROTC pilot slots.
Preparation
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There are some “urban legends” out there that say playing certain video games will help you prepare for the TBAS. The most sound advice is: get a good night’s sleep the night prior and eat breakfast before taking the test. Clear your mind and be ready to concentrate on the tasks at hand. No game is going to prepare you for the TBAS. Here is a link to online TBAS Preparation Flash Cards. Join our online discussion forums to find out what others think of the TBAS.
Administration
You must complete the TBAS Candidate Worksheet, and bring it with you on the day of the test. You should also bring a valid form of ID, your Social Security card, your current college transcript, and your logbook if you have any flying experience. The TBAS test will test your concentration and ability to multitask. If you experience some condition that is genuinely stressful, or if you are too ill/tired to take the TBAS, you will need to reschedule for another time. There is no penalty for rescheduling.
When you are ready to begin the test you will be seated at the TBAS station and asked to enter the data from your completed < a href='https://pcsm.aetc.af.mil/CANDIDATE%20INFORMATION%20WORKSHEET.doc' target='_blank'>Candidate Worksheet into the TBAS for use in processing and tracking your test scores. The test administrator will then read a standard instruction briefing to you. Detailed instructions for each of the nine subtests will appear on the computer screen. Take all the time you need to make sure you understand these instructions. You will not be penalized for time spent on instructions.
Much like its predecessor, the BAT Test, the TBAS consists of ten subtests that measure psychomotor skills and cognitive aptitude. The test takes approximately 1 hour (most candidates finish the test in about 30 minutes). After you have completed the test, the test administrator will send the raw data to a central scoring facility. Provided you have already taken the AFOQT, you should be able to check your PCSM score via the AETC website within 1-2 days after we receive your TBAS test. Please check with your Test Control Officer (TCO) as to when they will send the TBAS test.
It is very important that you do not discuss the contents of the test with anyone other than the test administrator. If you do discuss the test with anyone else you will be held responsible for violating a legal regulation, Air Force Instruction 36-2605, Air Force Military Personnel Testing System. You will also be disqualified from consideration for Air Force pilot training.
Advice from Recent Test Takers
- “Well, I got my TBAS score back last week and was hoping I would do well enough to submit my package for the upcoming UFT active duty board, but am pretty bummed that my PCSM is only a 52 with a 98 Pilot. Am planning to retake it as soon as the 180-day point rolls around. Any of you guys have any words of advice, aside from logging more flying hours and playing FPS with an inverted view? I had trouble with MULTI-TASKING! I just could not track the moving target with the joystick while also trying to work the rudders. Maybe my hand-eye coordination is just atrocious. I know all TBAS testing locations use the same joystick but dang, the one I used was not very sensitive.”
- “I focused between the two parts you have to track. Keep “ball” you have to track with the rudder in your peripheral, and let your hands and brain do the rest. I started trying to anticipate its direction change, but quickly realized that didn’t work. It probably measures reaction time more than if you can keep it in the container. Good luck next time! “
- “How exactly do you study for the spacial orientation ? Are there any good resources online or anything?”
“Flash cards.
Take one set, and draw up and airplane flying over the four squares at headings of 0, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, and 315.
Take another sheet, draw about 12 sets of four squares with a N, S, E or W next to them. This is your answer sheet. Mix up the first set of cards and flip through them, marking the North, East, South or West squares as indicated by the N/S/E/W on your answer sheet. Repeat. You’ll notice a pattern.”
- “Take your time and carefully read and reread all instructions before beginning a section. There is no time limit here and, if I remember correctly, you get a little sample before you take the actual test. Study this, imagine what you are going to do, imagine possible variations (particularly for the Directional Orientation Test) and what your response will be, and mock test yourself (touch but don’t push buttons… particularly for the Emergency Scenario Test)….”
- “The control inputs during the actual TBAS Test are the HOTAS Cougar (~300$) and CH-Rudder Pro USB (120$).
Cougar is a metal joystick and throttles combo and CH Rudder Pro is a plastic rudder pedals with a weird feel to them due to pedals being too close to each other and not enough feedback. Both are sufficient to test reflexes.”
Test Descriptions
Directional Orientation Test
Measures spatial orientation abilities: The participant must determine a UAV’s position relative to a target. The test simultaneously presents a “tracker map” which shows the location and heading of the UAV; and a forward field of view, as seen through a fixed, forward pointing camera of a UAV, which shows a single building surrounded by four parking lots. The task is to click on the parking lot that a computer generated voice instructs. There are 48 questions.
3-Digit and 5-Digit Listening Test
Participants are presented with auditory letters and numbers. They must squeeze the trigger when they hear any of the three or five specified numbers. The test lasts approximately three minutes.
Participants use rudder pedals to keep a box over an airplane as it moves horizontally along the bottom of the screen. The airplane moves at a constant speed and changes direction when it “hits” the side of the screen or if a participant successfully targets it for multiple seconds. The task lasts three minutes and the level of difficulty (speed of the airplane) increases as the task progresses.
Participants use the joystick to keep the gun sight on the airplane as it moves at a constant rate. The airplane randomly changes direction when it hits the side of the screen or if a participant successfully targets it for multiple seconds.
This test requires you to perform two previously tested tasks simultaneously. First, you track an airplane moving along a horizontal axis as you did in the Horizontal Tracking Test. Second, you track an airplane moving in two dimensions as you did in the Airplane Tracking Test.
This test requires you to perform three previously tested tasks simultaneously. First, you will track an airplane moving along a horizontal axis as you did in the Horizontal Tracking Test. Second, you will track an airplane moving in two dimensions as you did in the Airplane Tracking Test. Third, you will respond when you hear any of the three or five specified target numbers.
Participants simultaneously perform the horizontal tracking task and the airplane tracking task, they are presented with three emergency scenarios (one at a time) which they must cancel out by typing a code with the keyboard.
AFOQT Test Advice
“Study advice: The Military Flight Aptitude exam book is good for mazes, mechanical comp, word knowledge etc. However study the Officer Candidate Tests book, it is much better and more challenging in the math and arithmetic knowledge sections (spelling is obviously not my strength). Study to realistic times ONCE YOU HAVE mastered the problems.”
Air Force Pilot Training Topics
What does it take to become a Pilot?
To compete for a pilot or navigator allocation you need to:
- Be enrolled full-time in a school offering Air Force ROTC and qualify for the program
- Meet all physical requirements
- Achieve qualifying scores on the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. Maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average
- Receive a waiver for any civil involvement (for example, speeding tickets, minor infractions, etc.)
- Be commissioned prior to reaching your 29th birthday
If you are interested in becoming an Air Force pilot or navigator, start talking to your detachment admissions officer (for college students) or Regional Director of Admissions (for high school students) as soon as possible. If you are medically qualified and desire a flying career, you must compete for pilot and/or navigator allocations about 15 months prior to graduation and commissioning. Your junior year in college is when things really take off.
Order of Merit
Categorization is the process by which AFROTC cadets are selected for rated slots (e.g. Pilot, Navigator, Air Battle Managers). Categorization occurs the Spring prior to graduation. Competition for rated slots is based on an “order of merit” numeric score and is very competitive. A selection board at AFROTC Headquarters determines rated positions based on nationwide scores. A cadet’s order of merit score is made up of the following:
- Distinguished Graduate, top 10% – 10 Points
- Superior Performer, next 10% – 9 Points
- Top Third (not including DG or SP) – 8 Points
- Middle Third – 7 Points
- Bottom Third – 6 Points
- Not yet attended Field Training – 5 Points
The Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) score (applies to pilot candidates only) is worth up to 15 maximum OM points. The PCSM is an index that is supposed to quantify a pilot candidate’s aptitude for success at Undergraduate Flying Training (UFT). It incorporates your AFOQT Pilot score, the results from your TBAS test, and your flying hours. (For more on the TBAS, see below). Click here for more PCSM information.
After you have taken the AFOQT and TBAS tests, you can check your PCSM online. Along with your PCSM score, you are given a scale indicating what your PCSM would be with additional flight hours. If you can afford to spend time and money, we recommend achieving more flight hours to not online increase your PCSM, but also to get more practice and become a better aviator.
After flying, make sure you formally log your flight hours and submit them to the PCSM office at HQAETC no later than January 15 of your categorization year. That is the last point at which you can update your PCSM.
Work hard, prepare for the AFOQT. Your AFOQT score is factored into your overall score differently depending on whether you are competing for a pilot, navigator or ABM slot. All candidates must have a minimum score of 15 (Verbal) and 10 (Quantitative). These are absolute minimums and not waiverable for categorization even if you were able to get a waiver to get into the POC.Pilot candidates must have a minimum score of 25 (Pilot), 10 (Navigator) and cumulative 50 (Pilot + Navigator). Also, your AFOQT Pilot score will factor into your PCSM score for OM purposes.
Navigator candidates must achieve a minimum score of 10 (Pilot), 25 (Navigator) and cumulative 50 (Pilot + Navigator). Also, you will receive up to 15 maximum OM points from your AFOQT Navigator score.
For ABM candidates, your AFOQT Academic Aptitude score will count for up to 15 maximum OM points.
You can take the AFOQT twice with a 180-day minimum interval between tests. You cannot take this test more than twice. Regardless of which test scores are higher, the most recent AFOQT scores are what count – so be careful when you decide to re-take the test.
Study hard, review the study guides and spend the time preparing for the AFOQT.
Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS)
The Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) replaced the Basic Attributes Test (BAT) as of August 2006. All pilot candidates must take the TBAS, which just like the BAT, is a computer-based test designed to aid in pilot selection. Typically, you are offered an opportunity to take it at field training. It will be incorporated into your PCSM score and thus into your OM score. You can take the TBAS twice as long as there is a 180-day interval between tests.
You will never receive an official TBAS score. But there are indicators that can tell you whether you scored low on the test. If when you check your PCSM score online, and it is low despite a decent AFOQT Pilot score, you might want to consider a TBAS retake because this may be an indication your first TBAS attempt scored low. Only the most recent TBAS score is the one that counts.
Medical
You will not receive an additionally physical prior to the categorization board. Instead, whatever physical you used to enter onto contract status will be screened for PPQ (Potential Pilot Qualification) and/or PNQ (Potential Navigator Qualification) status. The requirements for PPQ/PNQ are:
PPQ 20/70 (distant vision), 20/20 (near), refractive limits +2.00/-1.50, .75 astigmatism
PNQ 20/200 (distant vision), 20/40 (near), refractive limits +3.00/-2.75, 2.00 astigmatism
Source: AFOATSI 36-2011, para. 3.11
Once you have been selected you will have to complete a Flying Class I (pilot) or IA (navigator) physical prior to commissioning. Check our Aerospace Medicine Archive for FAQs or join our online discussion forums and ask a Flight Doc a question.
Age
Because pilot and navigator candidates must enter training prior to their 30th birthdays, you must be scheduled to graduate and receive your commission prior to your 29th birthday. This cannot be waived (refernce: AFROTCI 36-2013 paragraph 3.2.4).
| FACTORS | RANGE | MULTIPLIED BY | WEIGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSS | 5-10 | 5 | 50% (50 points) |
| GPA | 2.0-4.0 | 3.75 | 15% (15 points) |
| PFT | 75-100 | 0.15 | 10% (10 points) |
| FT | 5-10 | 1 | 10% (10 points) |
| PCSM (Pilot only) | 1-99 | 0.1516 | 15% (15 points) |
| AFOQT-N (Nav only) | 1-99 | 0.1516 | 15% (15 points) |
| AFOQT-AA (ABM only) | 1-99 | 0.1516 | 15% (15 points) |
NOTE * :
- The formula for calculating the RSS is (10*((1-R/C)+0.5/C)) where R=UCR and C=Class Size
- The PCSM is used for categorization processing if applying for pilot slot.
- The AFOQT-N is used for categorization processing if applying for CSO slot.
- The AFOQT-AA is used for categorization processing if applying for ABM slot.
Excerpt from AFROTCI 36-2013:
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9.7. Detachment Pilot/CSO/ABM Categorization Processing.
9.7.1. The Det/CC will assign each individual a UCR based on the entire Fiscal Year (FY)
commissioning class, regardless if the individual is competing for a pilot/CSO/ABM slot. As
with PSP selection, consider the cadet’s potential based on performance as a cadet before
assigning the UCR. WINGS will compute the RSS based upon the UCR and class size based
on formula in Table 9.2.
Table 9.2. Pilot/CSO/ABM Order of Merit
FACTOR RANGE MULTIPLIED BY WEIGHT
RSS (Note 1) 5-10 5 50%
Cumulative GPA 2.0-4.0 3.75 15%
PFT 75-100 0.15 10%
FT 5-10 1 10%
AFOQT-N (Note 2) 1-99 0.1516 15%
PCSM (Note 2) 1-99 0.1516 15%
AFOQT-AA 1-99 0.1516 15%
9.7.2. Submit pilot/CSO/ABM candidates to HQ AFROTC/RRFP by entering categorization
data into WINGS prior to nomination cut-off. Wings will compute each candidate’s OM
score using the most current information available. Once the OM is calculated and the
applicant has met the categorization process, the OM will not be adjusted. Exception:
Cadets not completing FT prior to the March board will automatically receive FT score of
“0.” Once FT is complete, upward adjustment to the OM is authorized based on FT results
only and happens automatically.
9.7.3. Cadets: Must submit preferences via memorandum to the commander prior to the
established cut-off date.
9.7.3.1. Cadets competing for pilot must indicate their Undergraduate Pilot Training
(UPT) preference (Figure 9.4). Preferences must be updated in WINGS prior to
nomination cut-off. NOTE: Cadet’s volunteering for ENJJPT must understand that
ENJJPT is a fighter-oriented program and if successfully completed, will likely
result in a fighter or bomber assignment based on Air Force needs; and if
eliminated from ENJJPT, they will not be eligible for any other UPT.
9.7.3.2. All cadets competing for CSO must provide their track preference: Heavy or
Strike/Strike Fighter track (Figure 9.4). Track preferences must be updated in WINGS
prior to nomination cut-off.
Check out this handy Order of Merit Calculator
AFOQT Test Advice
“Study advice: The Military Flight Aptitude exam book is good for mazes, mechanical comp, word knowledge etc. However study the Officer Candidate Tests book, it is much better and more challenging in the math and arithmetic knowledge sections (spelling is obviously not my strength). Study to realistic times ONCE YOU HAVE mastered the problems.”