I’ve read on here that the real joystick portion on the test is closer to the medium difficulty on the Jantzen sim. If you practice on highest difficulty it should be “easy”. According to other people that have actually taken it.
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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)
- Thread starter edato
- Start date
For my practice setup I have a button on the stick for even number and an odd number for the throttle. Is that how it is during actual exam? I’d hate to go in doing all that and then they reverse it. I basically have it where joystick(right side) is even and throttle (left) is odd
RegalNaviator
New Member
AFAIK, The throttle will be odd and the trigger on the the stick with be evens. So what you're doing is right.
RegalNaviator
New Member
Does anyone know if they are able to hook up a Hotas One to an android or to a computer without installing drivers? I dont have a PC to train on, I only have my schools library, but I'm restricted from downloading drivers on those computers. I have a Chromebook at home, have any of you used a flight stick on those?
If you wanted to use an adapter that has a USB A to USB-C or B(depends on your phone) however I've no idea if the HOTAS One will support that type of format on a phone. drivers are the essential part that allows you to use the joystick and I don't know a way around them. Chromebook should support hotas but I vaguely remember hearing you cannot install anything on a chromebook. check on youtube or reddit.
You can connect a HOTAS 1 to the Android version without drivers.
RegalNaviator
New Member
Do I just get a USB to C adapter? Amazing app by the way. Its a fantastic resource.
Thank you for your support; it is greatly appreciated. The USB-C adapter should work. Check out the last lesson in the PBM section of the syllabus; it's explained there for Android devices. Best of luck!
BudKnight
Member
Hello everybody. Just took the ASTB yesterday, scored a 56/7/8/8. Thanks for all the help, couldn't have done it without this thread.
The ASTB Prep App was by far what I studied the most. I also read a lot of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (Kyle's guide highlighted chapters) and did a lot of the practice tests from Gomez's drive. Also the Jantzen sim was instrumental in doing well on the PBM. I inconsistently studied for around two months and probably averaged about an hour or two for the days I did study.
B.S. Biology
GPA: 3.62
Here's my report:
MATH
Went in thinking this was one of my stronger sections. Honestly thought I was bombing it hard. Lots of complex algebra simplification and probability as well as a good amount of geometry.
READING
Also thought this was one of my stronger sections. Felt somewhere in the middle on how I was doing while taking it. Extremely boring topics with some questions being harder than others. You really just have to stay alert and try to differentiate minute details in the passage and answers. I felt like reading the answers before helped personally but again just read carefully and use process of elimination and you should be okay.
MECHANICAL
Went in thinking this was one of my weaker sections. Actual test was pretty easy. From what I remember it was a lot of simple machines, specifically pulleys and levers, and easier projectile motion questions.
ANIT
Overall a little easier than expected. Very aviation heavy. I remember questions about p-factor, what's the width of a ship called, etc. I think reading the PHAK helped a ton, definitely worth taking a look at. Not much about jersey colors or rate/rank abbreviations. Know your basics about the forces acting on an aircraft and know your aircraft structure.
NATFI
Given two choices, pick the better/less worse one. Some of these were really on the fence and others were obvious. Someone on here said that think of it in context of the Navy and I think that helped a lot. In my head that meant if it were close between the answers, pick the one that emphasizes teamwork over individual worth, that kind of thing.
PBM
UAV - The prep app is SUPER helpful for this. I would practice whenever I was a passenger in the car or had a couple minutes of free time. I found the compass trick to be helpful at first but I think it's better if you get to the point where it's 2nd nature. My average reaction time in practice was less than 2 seconds.
Dichotic Listening - Not sure if it depends on your test or if I messed up when mapping my practice controls (probably option 2 lol) but the controls on the test were opposite to my practice (test controls- clutch=odd #/trigger=even #). To counteract my instincts I drew a line splitting a piece of scratch paper in half and writing ODD on the left side and EVEN on the right and placing said paper on the keyboard in front of me. This might only apply to me since I probably just messed up my control mapping but felt like it was worth sharing.
Leaning your head towards the target ear is also a really great trick to use. Jantzen's sim is different from the test but nonetheless is helpful in just practicing it in general. The target ear will switch during the test. Overall just practice makes perfect.
Stick and Throttle Portion - Easier than expected. Practiced Jantzen's sim for preparation. Starting on medium and working up to hard difficulty in the sim will make this a breeze.
Combined Listening and S&T Portion - I found the biggest challenge to be not zoning out. Just focus on the listening first and foremost then the stick then the throttle. I definitely missed two listening cues because I pressed the wrong button but even if you mess up stay focused.
S&T and Emergency Procedures - Didn't practice this before hand. Just take your time memorizing the controls. I used a similar trick to the Listening portion of the test and wrote the procedure for each and put it in front of me. I think the trick when writing the procedure is to make it simple and easy to read.
Terrain Identification - Felt like this was my worst PBM section. I think I did okay, ASTB prep app is very helpful for this.
Again, thanks a lot everybody and good luck!
The ASTB Prep App was by far what I studied the most. I also read a lot of the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (Kyle's guide highlighted chapters) and did a lot of the practice tests from Gomez's drive. Also the Jantzen sim was instrumental in doing well on the PBM. I inconsistently studied for around two months and probably averaged about an hour or two for the days I did study.
B.S. Biology
GPA: 3.62
Here's my report:
MATH
Went in thinking this was one of my stronger sections. Honestly thought I was bombing it hard. Lots of complex algebra simplification and probability as well as a good amount of geometry.
READING
Also thought this was one of my stronger sections. Felt somewhere in the middle on how I was doing while taking it. Extremely boring topics with some questions being harder than others. You really just have to stay alert and try to differentiate minute details in the passage and answers. I felt like reading the answers before helped personally but again just read carefully and use process of elimination and you should be okay.
MECHANICAL
Went in thinking this was one of my weaker sections. Actual test was pretty easy. From what I remember it was a lot of simple machines, specifically pulleys and levers, and easier projectile motion questions.
ANIT
Overall a little easier than expected. Very aviation heavy. I remember questions about p-factor, what's the width of a ship called, etc. I think reading the PHAK helped a ton, definitely worth taking a look at. Not much about jersey colors or rate/rank abbreviations. Know your basics about the forces acting on an aircraft and know your aircraft structure.
NATFI
Given two choices, pick the better/less worse one. Some of these were really on the fence and others were obvious. Someone on here said that think of it in context of the Navy and I think that helped a lot. In my head that meant if it were close between the answers, pick the one that emphasizes teamwork over individual worth, that kind of thing.
PBM
UAV - The prep app is SUPER helpful for this. I would practice whenever I was a passenger in the car or had a couple minutes of free time. I found the compass trick to be helpful at first but I think it's better if you get to the point where it's 2nd nature. My average reaction time in practice was less than 2 seconds.
Dichotic Listening - Not sure if it depends on your test or if I messed up when mapping my practice controls (probably option 2 lol) but the controls on the test were opposite to my practice (test controls- clutch=odd #/trigger=even #). To counteract my instincts I drew a line splitting a piece of scratch paper in half and writing ODD on the left side and EVEN on the right and placing said paper on the keyboard in front of me. This might only apply to me since I probably just messed up my control mapping but felt like it was worth sharing.
Leaning your head towards the target ear is also a really great trick to use. Jantzen's sim is different from the test but nonetheless is helpful in just practicing it in general. The target ear will switch during the test. Overall just practice makes perfect.
Stick and Throttle Portion - Easier than expected. Practiced Jantzen's sim for preparation. Starting on medium and working up to hard difficulty in the sim will make this a breeze.
Combined Listening and S&T Portion - I found the biggest challenge to be not zoning out. Just focus on the listening first and foremost then the stick then the throttle. I definitely missed two listening cues because I pressed the wrong button but even if you mess up stay focused.
S&T and Emergency Procedures - Didn't practice this before hand. Just take your time memorizing the controls. I used a similar trick to the Listening portion of the test and wrote the procedure for each and put it in front of me. I think the trick when writing the procedure is to make it simple and easy to read.
Terrain Identification - Felt like this was my worst PBM section. I think I did okay, ASTB prep app is very helpful for this.
Again, thanks a lot everybody and good luck!
RegalNaviator
New Member
My HOTAS One works great on the app. I just bought a USB to USB type C connector, and it works like a plug and play.
mpesposito
Member
I do the same thing it’s been a big help to see step by step how to set up problems and if you get them wrong go check your math and see where you were wrong. Been a big help for sure
Hello Everybody! Thanks for all the help, you guys were lifesavers! Just took the ASTB, first attempt: 54 7 9 8
I am a 10yr AD USAF Enlisted Aircrew with a B.S in Business Administration (No physics classes, highest math course was stats).
I had a 4 week study plan. Study materials that I used were ASTB Prep App (leaned heavy on this to set foundation, took a lot of notes to help me study/review on the backend), Gomez’s Drive (to drive home points) and the ANIT CRAM Flashcards (just one look over prior to the test). PBM practice on the prep app using the X52 joystick/throttle. ChatGPT helped dumb down a lot of concepts for me.
The OAR portion felt very difficult. I felt a lot better during the second half of the test. I timed out of every single section (talk about a confidence killer) except the ANIT portion.
MATH: Prep app to set a good foundation (lots of notes), Gomez’s drive for the worksheets. I did not take any of the practice test. First question already had me stumped. It felt like I was going 50/50 on most of the questions. Getting some right, then taking many educated guesses. A lot of probability, simplify/solve expression, geometry type questions. Saw DRT and logs questions. I did end up getting a binary code question. No matrices. Formulas provided on screen if needed.
READING: Only section that I did not study or prepare for. Read a short passage/paragraph, answer the question. Material was dry, but for the most part was relatable for me. Being currently enlisted might’ve helped here.
MECHANICAL: Studied the most for this out of fear. Took a lot of notes from the prep app and utilized the practice tests on the drive. Took the practice test over and over until the concepts were drilled into my head. Mechanical advantage, pully’s, gears, newton’s laws… But I feel like the prep app and Gomez drive taught me all I needed.
ANIT: Flying background, so I expected this to go better than the others. Lots of notes via the prep app. I didn’t use anything on the drive. I did a one-time lookover the cram flashcards during final review. For sure aviation heavy, but don’t slouch on the navy studies.
NATFI: The most head scratching portion. Some questions you feel strongly for both. Some questions, make you not want to select any. Just be true to yourself.
PBM: All practice done using the prep app and X52. Just tried to do a little bit everyday to be the muscle memory. Build up to the harder modes. Focus on accuracy. The test components were easier on the actual ASTB. The recruiter had a Thrustmaster, which was probably the worst part for me. The throttle had so much play and was hard to control. During practice I was only scoring mid 30% range for throttle/joystick and around 1.8-2.0 sec for UAV on hard (no compass). Terrain ID (used compass and pencil technique) on test actual was significantly easier than the prep app. I didn’t practice any DLT function until 2 days prior.
Sorry for the long write-up, but reading through these helped me so much! Hopefully this can have the same effect. Cheers!
I am a 10yr AD USAF Enlisted Aircrew with a B.S in Business Administration (No physics classes, highest math course was stats).
I had a 4 week study plan. Study materials that I used were ASTB Prep App (leaned heavy on this to set foundation, took a lot of notes to help me study/review on the backend), Gomez’s Drive (to drive home points) and the ANIT CRAM Flashcards (just one look over prior to the test). PBM practice on the prep app using the X52 joystick/throttle. ChatGPT helped dumb down a lot of concepts for me.
The OAR portion felt very difficult. I felt a lot better during the second half of the test. I timed out of every single section (talk about a confidence killer) except the ANIT portion.
MATH: Prep app to set a good foundation (lots of notes), Gomez’s drive for the worksheets. I did not take any of the practice test. First question already had me stumped. It felt like I was going 50/50 on most of the questions. Getting some right, then taking many educated guesses. A lot of probability, simplify/solve expression, geometry type questions. Saw DRT and logs questions. I did end up getting a binary code question. No matrices. Formulas provided on screen if needed.
READING: Only section that I did not study or prepare for. Read a short passage/paragraph, answer the question. Material was dry, but for the most part was relatable for me. Being currently enlisted might’ve helped here.
MECHANICAL: Studied the most for this out of fear. Took a lot of notes from the prep app and utilized the practice tests on the drive. Took the practice test over and over until the concepts were drilled into my head. Mechanical advantage, pully’s, gears, newton’s laws… But I feel like the prep app and Gomez drive taught me all I needed.
ANIT: Flying background, so I expected this to go better than the others. Lots of notes via the prep app. I didn’t use anything on the drive. I did a one-time lookover the cram flashcards during final review. For sure aviation heavy, but don’t slouch on the navy studies.
NATFI: The most head scratching portion. Some questions you feel strongly for both. Some questions, make you not want to select any. Just be true to yourself.
PBM: All practice done using the prep app and X52. Just tried to do a little bit everyday to be the muscle memory. Build up to the harder modes. Focus on accuracy. The test components were easier on the actual ASTB. The recruiter had a Thrustmaster, which was probably the worst part for me. The throttle had so much play and was hard to control. During practice I was only scoring mid 30% range for throttle/joystick and around 1.8-2.0 sec for UAV on hard (no compass). Terrain ID (used compass and pencil technique) on test actual was significantly easier than the prep app. I didn’t practice any DLT function until 2 days prior.
Sorry for the long write-up, but reading through these helped me so much! Hopefully this can have the same effect. Cheers!
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RegalNaviator
New Member
Congratulations man. I'm getting ready to take the ASTB with only about 4 weeks prep too, with several hours of studying a day, so it makes me feel better that someone like you got a really great score with a relatively short study time. Do you remeber if there were a lot of questions for enlisted rates or types of boats on the ANIT portion?
No rates. I did have some boat questions. What helped me the most for this shortened study period was having a plan of action. I built a calendar product, breaking down what sections I had to/wanted to cover and when. It not only held me accountable but guided me through. Lock in, you got this!
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