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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)

D

dg_2020

Member
Took the ASTB for the first time and got a 59 7/8/8. Honestly, I’m stoked about my score since it was my first time taking the test and fully credit my score to this thread.

I spent just under 6 weeks studying and would highly recommend reading through this entire thread, doing the cram set, and mastering the UAV simulator. The hardest part of the exam for me was the reading section (it was hard to focus since the material was so dry).

Truly the only recommendation I have is to study. Why aim for just a passing score when you can do better with just a few weeks of effort?

Best of luck to everyone! Here’s hoping COVID doesn’t mess with the June boards.
 
H

hsalas

New Member
dg_2020 said:
Took the ASTB for the first time and got a 59 7/8/8. Honestly, I’m stoked about my score since it was my first time taking the test and fully credit my score to this thread.

I spent just under 6 weeks studying and would highly recommend reading through this entire thread, doing the cram set, and mastering the UAV simulator. The hardest part of the exam for me was the reading section (it was hard to focus since the material was so dry).

Truly the only recommendation I have is to study. Why aim for just a passing score when you can do better with just a few weeks of effort?

Best of luck to everyone! Here’s hoping COVID doesn’t mess with the June boards.
Click to expand...
Would you mind sharing what you used to study?
 
D

dg_2020

Member
hsalas said:
Would you mind sharing what you used to study?
Click to expand...

Yea, no problem.

Math and Reading I really did not study for. They aren't hard - just know your basic algebra concepts that you can get from any GRE prep book (probability, fraction/exponent simplification, distance and velocity problems).

For Mechanical, I primarily used Kyle's Study Guide. I went through every set of practice problems and made my own Quizlet for things that I needed to commit to memory.

For ANIT, I used the CRAM practice flashcards and then read the FAA handbook (there is a copy of the handbook in Kyle's Study Guide).

For UAV, watch this Youtube video for a quick review on how to best do it. Once you have the concept down, use this practice test to ensure you have mastered it - there is no reason to miss any points on this section at all.

For the simulation portion I downloaded War Thunder and purchased a Thrustmaster HOTAS for my Xbox. It was like $65 used on Amazon and honestly worth it (using it definitely made me more familiar and confident with a flight stick and throttle and it was just enjoyable to play).

Best of luck and hope that helps!
 
H

hsalas

New Member
dg_2020 said:
Yea, no problem.

Math and Reading I really did not study for. They aren't hard - just know your basic algebra concepts that you can get from any GRE prep book (probability, fraction/exponent simplification, distance and velocity problems).

For Mechanical, I primarily used Kyle's Study Guide. I went through every set of practice problems and made my own Quizlet for things that I needed to commit to memory.

For ANIT, I used the CRAM practice flashcards and then read the FAA handbook (there is a copy of the handbook in Kyle's Study Guide).

For UAV, watch this Youtube video for a quick review on how to best do it. Once you have the concept down, use this practice test to ensure you have mastered it - there is no reason to miss any points on this section at all.

For the simulation portion I downloaded War Thunder and purchased a Thrustmaster HOTAS for my Xbox. It was like $65 used on Amazon and honestly worth it (using it definitely made me more familiar and confident with a flight stick and throttle and it was just enjoyable to play).

Best of luck and hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Thank you!!
 
S

servewithpride

Member
I'm retaking the OAR soon and I was wondering if anyone remember getting a question on the math section that had a sequence of numbers and it wants you to figure out the next number.. I don't remember the exact numbers I got so this example is completely arbitrary but I only remember that they weren't in order so it was something like "6, 15, 9, 30, 24, ..."
Does anybody have tips on how to answer these types of questions?
 
gilan101

gilan101

Pilot Wannabe
servewithpride said:
I'm retaking the OAR soon and I was wondering if anyone remember getting a question on the math section that had a sequence of numbers and it wants you to figure out the next number.. I don't remember the exact numbers I got so this example is completely arbitrary but I only remember that they weren't in order so it was something like "6, 15, 9, 30, 24, ..."
Does anybody have tips on how to answer these types of questions?
Click to expand...

For number sequence problems the way I solve them is to solve the difference between the first two terms first. Example: 3, 6, 9, 12, X

So look for the difference between 3 and 6. It could be we multiply by 2. It could be we add 3. now we look at the difference between 6 and 9. 6x2 = 12, so that does not work. However, 6+3=9, which works. So we move to the next number and try the same procedure. 9+3=12 which works. Now we solve for X. X=15
Another Example: 1, 8, 64, 512, X
Difference between 1 and 8. We could +7 or (1)(8) . 8 and 64, cant +7 to get 64 but (8)(8) does work for this solution. Then (8)(64) = 512 thus x=4096

Try this one 1, 8, 15, 22, X

Answer: X=29

1, 8, 27, 64, x

First, we look at 1 and 8 we could +7 or we could (1)(8). 8+7 does not = 27. (8)(8) also does not = 27. Subtracting of dividing also will not work here. So we move to the next type of solution raising a power lets try ^2.... For 1 we have to have its base be 1. so 1^2 =1. Then we try 8 but we can not square any whole number to equal 8. Let's try raising to the power ^3....1^3 =1 so that good. 2^3 = 8. 3^3 =27 4^3 = 64 so X should be equal too 5^3

1, 8, 16, 25, X

Lets start with addition 1+7 =8 but the adding +7 does not work out for us. However if we just add each number we get 1+7 =8, 8+8=16, 16+9=25 25 +10=35

Hope this helps :)

TLDR:

  1. Compare the first two numbers to each other, then the next two. do not try to compare 1st and 4th number or anything out of sequential order until you have exhausted other possibilities.
  2. Check addition and subtraction first, see if by +/- you get a pattern to develop.
  3. Check multiplication and division and see if a pattern appears this way instead.
  4. Check for exponents both ^ and sqrt.
  5. If none of these work, look for patterns that involve two variables. n*x+y or n^2-y. Something like that.
 
Z

zbr23

Active Member
Yessir, it’s time for another obligatory post-exam synopsis post! In an attempt to spare y’all from spending hours upon hours scrolling back through this wonderful forum, like I did, I’ll try to cover all the pertinent: links, gouge, and personal intel in this here post...

First and foremost, a huge shout out and thank you to guys like: Popeye, Patrick, RhinoHornet, and others I’m surely missing (sorry!) for helping myself and other aspiring aviators attempt to attain their wings and affirm their affinity for flight. But enough alliteration, down to the juicy stuff.

1st attempt: 53 6/7/8
2nd attempt: Well, didn’t happen (as of now anyways) as my OR said these were good enough to proceed. Fingers crossed!!!

What did I use to study?
  • Barron’s “Military Flight Aptitude Tests” 4th Edition (yes, I drove to Barnes & Noble and bought it) (best used for studying: mechanical, physics, and aviation concepts as well as the (2) ASTB-E practice exams AND the (2) AFOQT exams)
  • McGraw-Hill “Conquering GRE Math” 3rd Edition (borrowed from my fiancee)
  • OAR Math Practice Guide: By Carlos Miro (google drive)
  • Peterson’s ASTB-E practice exam (Chapter 5) (google drive)
  • RhinoHornet’s dichotic listening simulator (see link)
  • ANIT practice test (google drive)
  • Popeye’s ANIT gouge (google drive)
  • Popeye’s Math gouge (google drive)
  • Patrick’s personal study guide (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 4 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 8 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 3 (google drive)
  • “Aircraft Performance and Design” by John D. Anderson (textbook from a class I took during undergrad)
  • Quizlet flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Proprofs flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Purchased a Thrustmaster and played War Thunder via Steam (INVERT YOUR JOYSTICK)
  • Compass trick video (see link)
  • Khan academy

What did I bring on game day?
  • Birth Certificate
  • SSN card
  • State issued driver’s license
  • Number 2 pencils
  • Big fat eraser
  • Large bottle of water
  • Bag of snacks (trail mix, crackers, etc.)
  • Piece of paper where I had written:
    • Compass trick!
    • Remember to write down emergency procedures!
    • (2) strips of paper: odd numbers on left side (throttle) and even numbers on right side (joystick)
    • During PBM: prioritize listening AND emergency procedures!
    • Accuracy over speed!

Formulas to actually memorize:
  • Pythagorean Theorem
  • Areas of polygons
  • Volumes
  • Newton’s three basic laws of motion
  • Total internal degrees of polygons (# of sides - 2 multiplied by 180 degrees)
  • D = RT (and its variations)
  • Degree to Radian and Radian to Degree conversion
  • Area/Arc conversions

Actual questions (straight from my scratch paper!):
  • 2(x-3) = y^2 + 1 (solve for x)
  • sqrt(3) + sqrt(27) (simplify)
  • cubedrt(1 - x) = 2*cubedrt(8 - 3x) (solve for x)
  • (2(x+2)^2)^2 - 6x + 2(x+2) / 4 (simplify)
  • (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (simplify)
  • log_5(32,768) = 5^x (solve for x)
  • Several other questions are just too long to type out. Topics include:
    • D=RT (was given multiple of these of different variations and varying difficulties)
    • Probability (was given a couple of these)
    • Perimeter and Area (was given a couple of these)
    • Exponents and Logarithms (was given a couple of these)
    • Series and Sequences (was given a couple of these)
    • F=ma (was given one of these)
    • V=IR (was given one of these)
    • Word problems (was given several of these)
      • “If Sally gets scores … What must she score … to average …?”
      • “Two people are painting a house … How long does it take together?”

Lessons learned:
  • Don’t. Get. Frustrated!!! I know, easier said than done. Just try to put it in perspective. This is just a part of the process. The first hurdle of many in order to achieve your ultimate goal. Brief story here… While I was taking the test, my computer and/or the APEX system kept freezing and my OR had to keep coming in and restarting the computer (god bless NMCI)... I remember arriving around 0815 for my 0900 exam and didn’t leave until almost 1500. It was a very long day filled with “wait, did it record my answer correctly?” “wait, is it saving my progress correctly?” And just the general anxiety and frustration of the computer constantly freezing. I just tried to take it in stride with a “glass half full” mentality. “Hey, this gives me a couple extra minutes to double check my work on the scratch paper.” Eventually though, I did have to resort to repping push-ups in order to control my emotions. Just stay focused and take deep breaths y’all!!
  • Practice Practice Practice inverted gaming controls!!!
  • During the PBM emergency procedures, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted your E and I levels!!!
    • I definitely missed one because I somehow forgot to press the damn clutch
  • Try really hard to get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before. Personally, I was super nervous so I probably got closer to 5… Don’t be me!

Quick exam breakdown (with personal sectional-summations):

  • Math:
    • About as difficult as I figured it would be. I majored in Mechanical Engineering though so I’ve been around math a lot. Remember, this exam is adaptive just like the GRE. The study guides that helped me the most were: Peterson’s practice test 4 and the “OAR math practice guide” by Carlos Miro. Take all of the practice tests I listed above and remember to go back and really review the wrong answers. As mentioned above, I was given problems covering: D=RT, logs and exponents, probability, series/sequences, basic statistics, area/perimeter, various word problems, and factoring/simplifying. None of these problems were inherently difficult. You just have to practice and get used to “GRE math” …
  • Reading:
    • Dry and boring. If you’ve ever taken a standardized test (SAT, ACT, GRE) then you know exactly what I mean. Not much you can really study for here. Brush up on your diction ;) Read books with fewer pictures. Google and review “GRE reading comprehension tips and tricks.” Review the Barron’s book. That’s about it… Honestly, didn’t spend much time studying for the reading section.
  • Mechanical:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the google drive study guides, Peterson’s practice test 8, and the Barron’s book. Study the above and you should do just fine.
  • ANIT:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the various flashcards (cram, proprofs, quizlet) and the Barron’s book. What I’ll also say here is that you shouldn’t spend so much time studying this section that you lose your mind trying to memorize everything. This section varies so much and covers so much material that it’s near impossible. Just review the basics of the topics covered in the aforementioned gouge and call it a day. In the end, if you don’t get super lucky here, in the total randomness of this section, it weighs less than the others towards your overall scores.
  • NAFTI (BI-RV?)
    • Just be honest and try not to fixate or “dig deep” here. Definitely don’t want to expend too much brain power in this section. Honestly, it really felt like there were no wrong answers and what I did answer wouldn’t really affect the score. Obviously, this isn’t a section you can really study for…
  • UAV
    • Can’t stress this enough… Watch the youtube compass trick video!!! Then practice the UAV flashcards and/or various simulators posted within this thread. Do them quickly AND accurately. Seriously, as quick as you can possibly go without error. Even a few extra seconds can hurt your score. I believe I got one or two wrong here; however, I averaged 1.5 - 3 seconds per question.
  • PBM
    • Definitely the most difficult section. For the dichotic listening, I tilted my head towards the ear it told me to. I also practiced with RhinoHornets simulator a lot. When using the simulator I worked my way down to a 0.1 blend and made sure I could average 24/26 correct. To be honest, the actual exam was probably closer to a 0.5 or even a 0.6; however, I would still recommend working your way up (down?) to the most blended you can get. Remember, accuracy over speed!!! As previously mentioned, I purchased a Thrustmaster and downloaded War Thunder via Steam. Remember to invert your joystick!!! If you don’t want to purchase your own throttle/joystick just invert your xbox/ps4 controller and start sucking real bad in the Warzone. For the emergency procedures, remember to write down the control settings before beginning that section!!! As mentioned in my lessons learned section, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted the knobs!!! Emergency procedures are below:
  • Engine Fire:
    • E knob = Low
    • I knob = Low
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Engine Malfunction:
    • E knob = High
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Propeller Malfunction:
    • E knob = Neutral
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Remember, accuracy over speed!!! Here’s the last thing I’ll say on this. When they’re throwing the kitchen sink at you (dichotic + throttle + joystick and throttle + joystick + emergency procedures) just take a deep breath and relax. I was convinced that I absolutely bombed this section. But, I remembered to focus more on the dichotic listening than the throttle/joystick and I essentially stopped tracking the throttle/joystick whenever an emergency procedure had to be done. This section, and really the test as a whole, is supposed to challenge the crap out of you. Just gotta keep your head down and keep pounding!!! Sorry this post is so long. If you made it this far, congrats and I hope you’ve found all this at least somewhat helpful. I’ll update y’all once I hear back from my Aviation Boards. Hopefully, I’ll get the good news and maybe even meet one of you out in the fleet someday!

Links to get you started:
 
gilan101

gilan101

Pilot Wannabe
zbr23 said:
Yessir, it’s time for another obligatory post-exam synopsis post! In an attempt to spare y’all from spending hours upon hours scrolling back through this wonderful forum, like I did, I’ll try to cover all the pertinent: links, gouge, and personal intel in this here post...

First and foremost, a huge shout out and thank you to guys like: Popeye, Patrick, RhinoHornet, and others I’m surely missing (sorry!) for helping myself and other aspiring aviators attempt to attain their wings and affirm their affinity for flight. But enough alliteration, down to the juicy stuff.

1st attempt: 53 6/7/8
2nd attempt: Well, didn’t happen (as of now anyways) as my OR said these were good enough to proceed. Fingers crossed!!!

What did I use to study?
  • Barron’s “Military Flight Aptitude Tests” 4th Edition (yes, I drove to Barnes & Noble and bought it) (best used for studying: mechanical, physics, and aviation concepts as well as the (2) ASTB-E practice exams AND the (2) AFOQT exams)
  • McGraw-Hill “Conquering GRE Math” 3rd Edition (borrowed from my fiancee)
  • OAR Math Practice Guide: By Carlos Miro (google drive)
  • Peterson’s ASTB-E practice exam (Chapter 5) (google drive)
  • RhinoHornet’s dichotic listening simulator (see link)
  • ANIT practice test (google drive)
  • Popeye’s ANIT gouge (google drive)
  • Popeye’s Math gouge (google drive)
  • Patrick’s personal study guide (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 4 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 8 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 3 (google drive)
  • “Aircraft Performance and Design” by John D. Anderson (textbook from a class I took during undergrad)
  • Quizlet flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Proprofs flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Purchased a Thrustmaster and played War Thunder via Steam (INVERT YOUR JOYSTICK)
  • Compass trick video (see link)
  • Khan academy
What did I bring on game day?
  • Birth Certificate
  • SSN card
  • State issued driver’s license
  • Number 2 pencils
  • Big fat eraser
  • Large bottle of water
  • Bag of snacks (trail mix, crackers, etc.)
  • Piece of paper where I had written:
    • Compass trick!
    • Remember to write down emergency procedures!
    • (2) strips of paper: odd numbers on left side (throttle) and even numbers on right side (joystick)
    • During PBM: prioritize listening AND emergency procedures!
    • Accuracy over speed!
Formulas to actually memorize:
  • Pythagorean Theorem
  • Areas of polygons
  • Volumes
  • Newton’s three basic laws of motion
  • Total internal degrees of polygons (# of sides - 2 multiplied by 180 degrees)
  • D = RT (and its variations)
  • Degree to Radian and Radian to Degree conversion
  • Area/Arc conversions
Actual questions (straight from my scratch paper!):
  • 2(x-3) = y^2 + 1 (solve for x)
  • sqrt(3) + sqrt(27) (simplify)
  • cubedrt(1 - x) = 2*cubedrt(8 - 3x) (solve for x)
  • (2(x+2)^2)^2 - 6x + 2(x+2) / 4 (simplify)
  • (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (simplify)
  • log_5(32,768) = 5^x (solve for x)
  • Several other questions are just too long to type out. Topics include:
    • D=RT (was given multiple of these of different variations and varying difficulties)
    • Probability (was given a couple of these)
    • Perimeter and Area (was given a couple of these)
    • Exponents and Logarithms (was given a couple of these)
    • Series and Sequences (was given a couple of these)
    • F=ma (was given one of these)
    • V=IR (was given one of these)
    • Word problems (was given several of these)
      • “If Sally gets scores … What must she score … to average …?”
      • “Two people are painting a house … How long does it take together?”
Lessons learned:
  • Don’t. Get. Frustrated!!! I know, easier said than done. Just try to put it in perspective. This is just a part of the process. The first hurdle of many in order to achieve your ultimate goal. Brief story here… While I was taking the test, my computer and/or the APEX system kept freezing and my OR had to keep coming in and restarting the computer (god bless NMCI)... I remember arriving around 0815 for my 0900 exam and didn’t leave until almost 1500. It was a very long day filled with “wait, did it record my answer correctly?” “wait, is it saving my progress correctly?” And just the general anxiety and frustration of the computer constantly freezing. I just tried to take it in stride with a “glass half full” mentality. “Hey, this gives me a couple extra minutes to double check my work on the scratch paper.” Eventually though, I did have to resort to repping push-ups in order to control my emotions. Just stay focused and take deep breaths y’all!!
  • Practice Practice Practice inverted gaming controls!!!
  • During the PBM emergency procedures, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted your E and I levels!!!
    • I definitely missed one because I somehow forgot to press the damn clutch
  • Try really hard to get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before. Personally, I was super nervous so I probably got closer to 5… Don’t be me!
Quick exam breakdown (with personal sectional-summations):

  • Math:
    • About as difficult as I figured it would be. I majored in Mechanical Engineering though so I’ve been around math a lot. Remember, this exam is adaptive just like the GRE. The study guides that helped me the most were: Peterson’s practice test 4 and the “OAR math practice guide” by Carlos Miro. Take all of the practice tests I listed above and remember to go back and really review the wrong answers. As mentioned above, I was given problems covering: D=RT, logs and exponents, probability, series/sequences, basic statistics, area/perimeter, various word problems, and factoring/simplifying. None of these problems were inherently difficult. You just have to practice and get used to “GRE math” …
  • Reading:
    • Dry and boring. If you’ve ever taken a standardized test (SAT, ACT, GRE) then you know exactly what I mean. Not much you can really study for here. Brush up on your diction ;) Read books with fewer pictures. Google and review “GRE reading comprehension tips and tricks.” Review the Barron’s book. That’s about it… Honestly, didn’t spend much time studying for the reading section.
  • Mechanical:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the google drive study guides, Peterson’s practice test 8, and the Barron’s book. Study the above and you should do just fine.
  • ANIT:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the various flashcards (cram, proprofs, quizlet) and the Barron’s book. What I’ll also say here is that you shouldn’t spend so much time studying this section that you lose your mind trying to memorize everything. This section varies so much and covers so much material that it’s near impossible. Just review the basics of the topics covered in the aforementioned gouge and call it a day. In the end, if you don’t get super lucky here, in the total randomness of this section, it weighs less than the others towards your overall scores.
  • NAFTI (BI-RV?)
    • Just be honest and try not to fixate or “dig deep” here. Definitely don’t want to expend too much brain power in this section. Honestly, it really felt like there were no wrong answers and what I did answer wouldn’t really affect the score. Obviously, this isn’t a section you can really study for…
  • UAV
    • Can’t stress this enough… Watch the youtube compass trick video!!! Then practice the UAV flashcards and/or various simulators posted within this thread. Do them quickly AND accurately. Seriously, as quick as you can possibly go without error. Even a few extra seconds can hurt your score. I believe I got one or two wrong here; however, I averaged 1.5 - 3 seconds per question.
  • PBM
    • Definitely the most difficult section. For the dichotic listening, I tilted my head towards the ear it told me to. I also practiced with RhinoHornets simulator a lot. When using the simulator I worked my way down to a 0.1 blend and made sure I could average 24/26 correct. To be honest, the actual exam was probably closer to a 0.5 or even a 0.6; however, I would still recommend working your way up (down?) to the most blended you can get. Remember, accuracy over speed!!! As previously mentioned, I purchased a Thrustmaster and downloaded War Thunder via Steam. Remember to invert your joystick!!! If you don’t want to purchase your own throttle/joystick just invert your xbox/ps4 controller and start sucking real bad in the Warzone. For the emergency procedures, remember to write down the control settings before beginning that section!!! As mentioned in my lessons learned section, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted the knobs!!! Emergency procedures are below:
  • Engine Fire:
    • E knob = Low
    • I knob = Low
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Engine Malfunction:
    • E knob = High
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Propeller Malfunction:
    • E knob = Neutral
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Remember, accuracy over speed!!! Here’s the last thing I’ll say on this. When they’re throwing the kitchen sink at you (dichotic + throttle + joystick and throttle + joystick + emergency procedures) just take a deep breath and relax. I was convinced that I absolutely bombed this section. But, I remembered to focus more on the dichotic listening than the throttle/joystick and I essentially stopped tracking the throttle/joystick whenever an emergency procedure had to be done. This section, and really the test as a whole, is supposed to challenge the crap out of you. Just gotta keep your head down and keep pounding!!! Sorry this post is so long. If you made it this far, congrats and I hope you’ve found all this at least somewhat helpful. I’ll update y’all once I hear back from my Aviation Boards. Hopefully, I’ll get the good news and maybe even meet one of you out in the fleet someday!
Links to get you started:
Click to expand...

Is the link to the Audio practice dead for just me and everyone else?
 
G

gspock

New Member
Hello Everyone,

I will be taking the ASTB for my first time in July.
My biggest concern regarding this test is the Mechanical and Math sections.
Is the mechanical section mainly just concepts? What kind of concepts/problems should I focus on the most?
Also, with the math portion is there a heavy amount of arithmetic reasoning?

Thanks
 
O

Ordie

New Member
gspock said:
Hello Everyone,

I will be taking the ASTB for my first time in July.
My biggest concern regarding this test is the Mechanical and Math sections.
Is the mechanical section mainly just concepts? What kind of concepts/problems should I focus on the most?
Also, with the math portion is there a heavy amount of arithmetic reasoning?

Thanks
Click to expand...

IMO, the math and mechanical comprehension portions weren't that bad. The math was a mix of arithmetic, algebra, and pre-calculus. The mechanical comprehension portion was mainly looking at images and comprehending directions, force exertion, etc. I would recommend using Barron's Military Flight Aptitude Tests prep guide. The material I saw in there was very similar to the actual ASTB. I studied it for about three weeks and scored 52 6 6 7 the first time, which isn't great but it is qualifying for SNA/SNFO. I might have scored higher if I had studied for a few months or so. There are also some study packets in this thread that people have created that are helpful. Good luck in July and don't waste any time on studying as you can only take the ASTB three times in your life.
 
PilotEngineer

PilotEngineer

Member
Does anyone have a PDF of the Barrons Book? It seems like a good place to start but I would like to avoid purchasing it because I've read a multitude of complaints with the book as well.
 
PilotEngineer

PilotEngineer

Member
DCubi said:
Hey everyone,

Took the test and didn't do as hot as I hope, got a 38 4-4-4

UAV part really got me, and I studied the flashcards but some questions UAV locations really screwed me up. I wish I could've seen what I did bad at in the OAR part.

The flight controlling part was also difficult, anyone know of any practice on the joysticks?

Question that tripped me up: If train A takes off from location A to B at 45 minutes, how fast does he need to go in order to make it there in 30 minutes?

What creates wind vortices?

What plane is best for a tank on the ground?

Any advice is great!
Click to expand...
Vortices are caused by the high-pressure air below the wing and the low pressure above mixing. Vortices are created as a byproduct of producing lift but at the wingtips the vorticity is the strongest (where mixing is the most prevalent). This causes a "downwash" of air, I attached an image so you can visualize this. Vortices cause "Induced drag" and can be minimized by using winglets, pretty much bending the tip of the wing which reduced the size of the generated vortices and decreases the drag.
 

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Austin-Powers

Austin-Powers

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zbr23 said:
Yessir, it’s time for another obligatory post-exam synopsis post! In an attempt to spare y’all from spending hours upon hours scrolling back through this wonderful forum, like I did, I’ll try to cover all the pertinent: links, gouge, and personal intel in this here post...

First and foremost, a huge shout out and thank you to guys like: Popeye, Patrick, RhinoHornet, and others I’m surely missing (sorry!) for helping myself and other aspiring aviators attempt to attain their wings and affirm their affinity for flight. But enough alliteration, down to the juicy stuff.

1st attempt: 53 6/7/8
2nd attempt: Well, didn’t happen (as of now anyways) as my OR said these were good enough to proceed. Fingers crossed!!!

What did I use to study?
  • Barron’s “Military Flight Aptitude Tests” 4th Edition (yes, I drove to Barnes & Noble and bought it) (best used for studying: mechanical, physics, and aviation concepts as well as the (2) ASTB-E practice exams AND the (2) AFOQT exams)
  • McGraw-Hill “Conquering GRE Math” 3rd Edition (borrowed from my fiancee)
  • OAR Math Practice Guide: By Carlos Miro (google drive)
  • Peterson’s ASTB-E practice exam (Chapter 5) (google drive)
  • RhinoHornet’s dichotic listening simulator (see link)
  • ANIT practice test (google drive)
  • Popeye’s ANIT gouge (google drive)
  • Popeye’s Math gouge (google drive)
  • Patrick’s personal study guide (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 4 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 8 (google drive)
  • Peterson’s practice test 3 (google drive)
  • “Aircraft Performance and Design” by John D. Anderson (textbook from a class I took during undergrad)
  • Quizlet flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Proprofs flashcards (see link for jump off point)
  • Purchased a Thrustmaster and played War Thunder via Steam (INVERT YOUR JOYSTICK)
  • Compass trick video (see link)
  • Khan academy
What did I bring on game day?
  • Birth Certificate
  • SSN card
  • State issued driver’s license
  • Number 2 pencils
  • Big fat eraser
  • Large bottle of water
  • Bag of snacks (trail mix, crackers, etc.)
  • Piece of paper where I had written:
    • Compass trick!
    • Remember to write down emergency procedures!
    • (2) strips of paper: odd numbers on left side (throttle) and even numbers on right side (joystick)
    • During PBM: prioritize listening AND emergency procedures!
    • Accuracy over speed!
Formulas to actually memorize:
  • Pythagorean Theorem
  • Areas of polygons
  • Volumes
  • Newton’s three basic laws of motion
  • Total internal degrees of polygons (# of sides - 2 multiplied by 180 degrees)
  • D = RT (and its variations)
  • Degree to Radian and Radian to Degree conversion
  • Area/Arc conversions
Actual questions (straight from my scratch paper!):
  • 2(x-3) = y^2 + 1 (solve for x)
  • sqrt(3) + sqrt(27) (simplify)
  • cubedrt(1 - x) = 2*cubedrt(8 - 3x) (solve for x)
  • (2(x+2)^2)^2 - 6x + 2(x+2) / 4 (simplify)
  • (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (2x^2 + 8x + 8) (simplify)
  • log_5(32,768) = 5^x (solve for x)
  • Several other questions are just too long to type out. Topics include:
    • D=RT (was given multiple of these of different variations and varying difficulties)
    • Probability (was given a couple of these)
    • Perimeter and Area (was given a couple of these)
    • Exponents and Logarithms (was given a couple of these)
    • Series and Sequences (was given a couple of these)
    • F=ma (was given one of these)
    • V=IR (was given one of these)
    • Word problems (was given several of these)
      • “If Sally gets scores … What must she score … to average …?”
      • “Two people are painting a house … How long does it take together?”
Lessons learned:
  • Don’t. Get. Frustrated!!! I know, easier said than done. Just try to put it in perspective. This is just a part of the process. The first hurdle of many in order to achieve your ultimate goal. Brief story here… While I was taking the test, my computer and/or the APEX system kept freezing and my OR had to keep coming in and restarting the computer (god bless NMCI)... I remember arriving around 0815 for my 0900 exam and didn’t leave until almost 1500. It was a very long day filled with “wait, did it record my answer correctly?” “wait, is it saving my progress correctly?” And just the general anxiety and frustration of the computer constantly freezing. I just tried to take it in stride with a “glass half full” mentality. “Hey, this gives me a couple extra minutes to double check my work on the scratch paper.” Eventually though, I did have to resort to repping push-ups in order to control my emotions. Just stay focused and take deep breaths y’all!!
  • Practice Practice Practice inverted gaming controls!!!
  • During the PBM emergency procedures, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted your E and I levels!!!
    • I definitely missed one because I somehow forgot to press the damn clutch
  • Try really hard to get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before. Personally, I was super nervous so I probably got closer to 5… Don’t be me!
Quick exam breakdown (with personal sectional-summations):

  • Math:
    • About as difficult as I figured it would be. I majored in Mechanical Engineering though so I’ve been around math a lot. Remember, this exam is adaptive just like the GRE. The study guides that helped me the most were: Peterson’s practice test 4 and the “OAR math practice guide” by Carlos Miro. Take all of the practice tests I listed above and remember to go back and really review the wrong answers. As mentioned above, I was given problems covering: D=RT, logs and exponents, probability, series/sequences, basic statistics, area/perimeter, various word problems, and factoring/simplifying. None of these problems were inherently difficult. You just have to practice and get used to “GRE math” …
  • Reading:
    • Dry and boring. If you’ve ever taken a standardized test (SAT, ACT, GRE) then you know exactly what I mean. Not much you can really study for here. Brush up on your diction ;) Read books with fewer pictures. Google and review “GRE reading comprehension tips and tricks.” Review the Barron’s book. That’s about it… Honestly, didn’t spend much time studying for the reading section.
  • Mechanical:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the google drive study guides, Peterson’s practice test 8, and the Barron’s book. Study the above and you should do just fine.
  • ANIT:
    • GOUGE, GOUGE, GOUGE. What helped me the most were the various flashcards (cram, proprofs, quizlet) and the Barron’s book. What I’ll also say here is that you shouldn’t spend so much time studying this section that you lose your mind trying to memorize everything. This section varies so much and covers so much material that it’s near impossible. Just review the basics of the topics covered in the aforementioned gouge and call it a day. In the end, if you don’t get super lucky here, in the total randomness of this section, it weighs less than the others towards your overall scores.
  • NAFTI (BI-RV?)
    • Just be honest and try not to fixate or “dig deep” here. Definitely don’t want to expend too much brain power in this section. Honestly, it really felt like there were no wrong answers and what I did answer wouldn’t really affect the score. Obviously, this isn’t a section you can really study for…
  • UAV
    • Can’t stress this enough… Watch the youtube compass trick video!!! Then practice the UAV flashcards and/or various simulators posted within this thread. Do them quickly AND accurately. Seriously, as quick as you can possibly go without error. Even a few extra seconds can hurt your score. I believe I got one or two wrong here; however, I averaged 1.5 - 3 seconds per question.
  • PBM
    • Definitely the most difficult section. For the dichotic listening, I tilted my head towards the ear it told me to. I also practiced with RhinoHornets simulator a lot. When using the simulator I worked my way down to a 0.1 blend and made sure I could average 24/26 correct. To be honest, the actual exam was probably closer to a 0.5 or even a 0.6; however, I would still recommend working your way up (down?) to the most blended you can get. Remember, accuracy over speed!!! As previously mentioned, I purchased a Thrustmaster and downloaded War Thunder via Steam. Remember to invert your joystick!!! If you don’t want to purchase your own throttle/joystick just invert your xbox/ps4 controller and start sucking real bad in the Warzone. For the emergency procedures, remember to write down the control settings before beginning that section!!! As mentioned in my lessons learned section, remember to press the clutch after you’ve adjusted the knobs!!! Emergency procedures are below:
  • Engine Fire:
    • E knob = Low
    • I knob = Low
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Engine Malfunction:
    • E knob = High
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Propeller Malfunction:
    • E knob = Neutral
    • I knob = High
    • PRESS THE CLUTCH
  • Remember, accuracy over speed!!! Here’s the last thing I’ll say on this. When they’re throwing the kitchen sink at you (dichotic + throttle + joystick and throttle + joystick + emergency procedures) just take a deep breath and relax. I was convinced that I absolutely bombed this section. But, I remembered to focus more on the dichotic listening than the throttle/joystick and I essentially stopped tracking the throttle/joystick whenever an emergency procedure had to be done. This section, and really the test as a whole, is supposed to challenge the crap out of you. Just gotta keep your head down and keep pounding!!! Sorry this post is so long. If you made it this far, congrats and I hope you’ve found all this at least somewhat helpful. I’ll update y’all once I hear back from my Aviation Boards. Hopefully, I’ll get the good news and maybe even meet one of you out in the fleet someday!
Links to get you started:
Click to expand...

make this a sticky pls
 
F

Finalfrontiers

Member
Just took the ASTB for the First Time today. Applying for SNA slot.
Scores: 62/8/8/8
Commercial Pilots Certificate (225 hours)
College Senior

Just some things that I noticed on my test were:
Math:
Lots of DRT questions
Few Probabilty questions
Lots of equation questions varying in difficulty(ex. y+1+ = x 1+2)...)
One LOG question
One question about Area
I didn't notice any questions requiring equations. (just my experience, doesn't mean "don't study for them").
Reading:
I felt like this is really hard to prepare for. Most prompts were about the US Navy and its operations. Each varying in difficulty based on how you did on the previous question (since its a CAT exam). But pretty self-explanatory.

Mechanical:
I have not taken a physics class in three years, so I used the gouge to mainly study. Most questions were about the concepts, only a few included calculations.
Few Heat Questions (ex. where it transfer)
Questions about Pressure in a system
One question about a bully system and how many newtons are required to lift the brick (I guessed on this one)
Few electricity questions (one was a calculation V=IR, another was knowing what the Omega Symbol stands for (Ohms))
Question about dropping a bullet and shooting a bullet, which one will hit the ground first (both will hit the ground at the same time)
Just use the gouges on this website for this section, and focus on the concepts.

ANIT:
So, I have my commercial pilots license and have flown over 225 hours in training. So I felt pretty prepared already with knowledge of aviation. This section should come easy to those with some aviation training. Also, I recently have taken a boating safety course which helps with some naval information too. However, both of these options can be pricey, so use the gouges on this website. My experience with this section was a lot of naval questions, specific types of planes that were used in the military (X-2, Dauntless, etc.), history questions, and only a few aviation concept questions. Studying these are important since they can cover any topic they want. Important section if you want to go into aviation.

BI-RV
Can't study for this one. They have two statements, pick the one that you agree with most. I found a lot of these statements to be really out there and you often have to pick between two statements, both of which you probably wouldn't do anyways. Just have to pick one anyways.

UAV
I found this section to be kinda fun. I only practiced the compass trick for about 10 minutes during my study sessions leading up to the test. But, I can't stress this enough. USE THE COMPASS TRICK ON THE TEST. I truly think that this is one of the only ways to really do good on this section of the test.

Dichotic Testing
This section honestly was really difficult to me, even though I have a lot of experience with flight sims and flying. The controls are really touchy. The first part (listening), just focus on the one side that you need to focus on. The test then becomes harder when they start combining the sections. It starts getting frustrating when you have to use the throttle and the yoke. Then they combine listening with this, and it becomes quite harder. I got quite frustrated with it, but just try to have fun with it. The emergency section is frustrating too because they don't tell you which way to move the knobs to decrease fuel and power. So, I confused the colors on engine fire and thought red was low (it means high on the gauges). Ultimately, I thought I did bad on this section, but I guess I didn't. Accuracy over speed (even the instructions tell you this).

This is just my experience with the test. I only really used the gouges on this website to study. Only studied about two weeks ahead of my test. My recruiter gave me some good advice and that was "Don't Overstudy". He has experience with some of the applicants overstudying and doing quite bad on it. Find a good balance in your studies. Focus on trouble areas you have or areas with what your'e not familiar with. Also, don't stress too much about the test and BE CONFIDENT.

I wish everyone luck, and wish me luck when I head to MEPS and then the boards.
 
J

jest19

New Member
Hi everyone,

I'm currently in the process of applying and I've taken the OAR twice now. I've gotten decent enough scores on them, but the program I'm trying for is a little selective and I would like just a couple more points to boost my application (think 2 more points to bring me up to a "competitive" score). Math and reading are no problem for me. I've spent a lot of time studying mechanical material and both times I've taken the test I've felt confident, but then the mechanical section begins and the questions confuse me. The wording seems strange to me and not as straightforward as the material I study. Has this issue happened to anyone else and could anyone provide me with advice on how to counteract this issue?

Thank you all in advance!
 
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