Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB)

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ASTB FAQs

What is it?

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Selection Test Battery (commonly referred to as the ASTB) was developed to predict the success of students in aviation officer training programs. The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard use various tests from the complete test battery as a primary selection instrument for their aviation programs.

Where does the test come from?

The Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI) controls the administration, verification, and management of test scores, and all materials related to the test battery.

What does the ASTB measure?

The ASTB is primarily an aptitude test it assesses math skills and aptitude, the ability to extract meaning from written material, familiarity with mechanical concepts and simple machines, and the ability to perform mental rotations to determine the orientation of aircraft in 3-dimensional space.

The ASTB also measures your knowledge of aviation and nautical terminology, familiarity with aircraft components and function, knowledge of basic aerodynamic principles, and grasp of some flight rules and regulations. You can improve your performance on this part of the battery by studying. Examinees with aviation and (to a lesser extent) shipboard experience will typically do well. Both these concepts have proven to be excellent predictors of both training performance and success in training. If you walk in with some level of basic knowledge in these areas you'll be more likely to succeed as an aviator.

What types of items does each of the ASTB tests contain?

The ASTB covers five types of items:

• Mathematics: The math skills assessed by the ASTB subtests include arithmetic and algebra, with some geometry. The assessments include both equations and word problems. Some items require solving for variables, others are time and distance problems, and some require the estimation of simple probabilities. Skills assessed include basic arithmetic operations, solving for variables, fractions, roots, exponents, and the calculation of angles, area, and perimeter of geometric shapes.
• Reading Comprehension: Reading comprehension items require ASTB examinees to extract meaning from text passages. Each item requires the examinee to determine which of the response options can be inferred from the passage itself. This is pretty straightforward, although it is very important that examinees remember that incorrect response options may still appear to be 'true' - only one answer to each item can be derived solely from the information in the passage.
• Mechanical Comprehension: Items contained within the mechanical comprehension portion of the ASTB include topics that would typically be found in an introductory high school physics course and the application of these topics within a variety of situations. The questions in this portion of the test gauge examinees' knowledge of principles related to gases and liquids, and their understanding of the ways in which these properties affect pressure, volume, and velocity. The subtest also includes questions that relate to the components and performance of engines, principles of electricity, gears, weight distribution, and the operation of simple machines, such as pulleys and fulcrums.
• Aviation & Nautical Information: ASTB subtests also assess an examinee's familiarity with aviation history, nautical terminology and procedures, and aviation-related concepts such as aircraft components, aerodynamic principles, and flight rules and regulations. Of all the ASTB subtests, ANI scores are the most easily improved by study because it is largely a test of knowledge, rather than aptitude. Examinees can prepare for this subtest by reviewing general reference materials, such as encyclopedias, FAA and civilian aviation books, and handbooks and manuals that provide an overview of basic piloting, navigation, and seamanship. In addition to these sources, some examinees have used commercially available study guides. Even though NOMI does not endorse a particular study guide, books that are designed to prepare individuals for military aptitude flight tests and officer candidate tests often provide a good introduction to aviation and nautical-related subjects.
• Spatial Apperception: These items evaluate an examinee's ability to match external and internal views of an aircraft based on visual cues regarding its direction and orientation relative to the ground. Each item consists of a view from inside the cockpit, which the examinee must match to one of five external views. These items capture the ability to visualize the orientation of objects in three-dimensional space.
• Aviation Supplemental Material: The final subtest of the ASTB will typically contain a variety of items that are similar in format and content to the items in the preceding subtests.

What scores will I receive after taking the ASTB?

Your test results will be categorized as follows:

• Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR): used to predict academic performance in aviation preflight instruction (API) and primary phase ground school.
• Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR): used to predict primary flight performance for Student Naval Aviators (SNAs).
• Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Rating (FOFAR): used to predict primary flight performance for Student Naval Flight Officers (SNFOs).
• Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR): used by the Navy to predict academic performance in Officer Candidate School.

Which tests make the greatest contribution to each score I received?

The formulas used to compute ASTB score components are proprietary information and will not be released by NOMI. The following general guidance may assist you in preparing for an ASTB test or retest.

• Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR): This score is affected by performance on all subtests, but the strongest influence is made by the Math Skills Test.
• Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR): This score is affected by performance on all subtests, but the greatest contribution is made by the Aviation & Nautical Info and Spatial Apperception Tests.
• Flight Officer Flight Aptitude Rating (FOFAR): This score is affected by performance on all subtests, but the strongest influence is made by the Math Skills Test.
• Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR): This score is affected by performance on the first three subtests, Math Skills, Reading Comprehension, and Mechanical Comprehension.

I heard there were some questions with no right answers on the ASTB. Is this just a rumor?

There were a few flawed items in one of the subtests released with the new ASTB forms in 2004. NOMI caught these before any of the tests had been given, but several of the test booklets had already been mailed out to recruiters. Therefore, the flawed items were eliminated from the scoring key until updated forms were sent out. During the time period that the flawed items were in the field, examinee scores were calculated using fewer items so that examinee scores were not affected by the flawed items.

I have seen study guides for military aviation tests in bookstores. Would these guides help me study for the ASTB?

NOMI does not endorse any commercial study guides, but the guides might be helpful for examinees who want to acquire testing strategies, review and practice math principles and problems, familiarize themselves with military history and aviation terminology, and practice pacing on timed tests.

The Hartford Public Library has online study resources at http://hplct.org/ under Adult > Learner Services > Test Preparation Guides & Online Tutorials > Featured Resources > Military > ASVAB Core 1 and Core 2.

Where can I take the ASTB?

The Coast Guard Academy has copies of the ASTB on-hand to administer whenever someone might want to take it. You can also make arrangements to take it at most Navy and Marine Corps recruiting centers. However, when it is impractical for you to travel to one of these centers, your ESO may be able to request temporary custody of an exam for up to 30 days. (Whether your ESO can do so depends on your unit's ability to provide adequate security for the test materials and otherwise comply with ASTB administration requirements laid out in the Examiner's Manual.)

How can my ESO obtain a copy of the ASTB for me to take at my unit?

Your ESO can send a letter or an email to one of the contacts listed below at NOMI. Either letter or email must contain the name and SSN of the individual(s) requesting the ASTB, state who will be proctoring it, and how the test materials will be stored while in your ESO's custody. NOMI’s address is:

Naval Operational Medicine Institute (Code 341)
220 Hovey Rd.
Pensacola , FL 32508-1047

Email address is joyce.wrightwayne@med.navy.mil

Phone number is: (850) 452-2257 x1060

Can I take the ASTB on a computer? Will I have an advantage if I take the paper version of the test?

At some test sites, the ASTB is available in a web-based format called APEX.NET. The content on the computer-administered version of the test is identical to the paper-and-pencil version of the test. The web-based version of the ASTB allows for the administration of the exam anywhere in the world, but the system is operated on a secure server that is monitored and controlled by NOMI.

Even though some individuals feel more comfortable taking the paper version of the test, studies have found that there is virtually no difference in pass rates between the paper and computer versions of the test.

How can I find out my ASTB scores? Is there any way to find out my scores immediately?

The paper-and-pencil version of the ASTB must be sent to NOMI to be scored. Unlike previous forms of the test, scoring manuals were not issued to the fleet for ASTB Forms 3, 4, and 5 in order to protect test security. Therefore, recruiters and other test administrators are no longer able to provide unofficial scores for the test. In order to obtain scores for the test examinees or recruiters may call 850-452-2257. After hearing the message, press Option 3, then Option 5 to obtain scores. An official score letter will be generated that can be sent be faxed mailed, or emailed to a military or education address.

Immediate scores on these ASTB forms can be generated using the APEX.NET web-based platform for ASTB administration. Ask your recruiter for more information, or have him or her contact NOMI at 850-452-2257 x1060.

How many times can I take the ASTB?

You may only retake the battery three times. After the first time, you're required to wait at least 30 days before taking it again (i.e., you can't take it until the 31 st day after your first test). After the second time, you're required to wait at least 90 days before taking it for the last time (i.e., you can't take it until the 91 st day after your second test). Regardless of whether your re-test scores are higher than those of a previous test, only the most recent scores are considered for program eligibility.

What if I take a re-test before the required waiting time has passed?

If you take a re-test too early or if you take a re-test using a form that you've already taken, the scoring computer will consider it an illegal test. An illegal test is counted as one of the three tests you may take in your lifetime, even though the score is not counted as a valid score.

References

U.S. Navy BUMEDINST 1532.1K
Examiner's Manual for the United States Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Selection Test Battery (NOMI P-5098C)

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