ASTB-E Practice Test

If you need help studying for the Aviation Standard Test Battery-E (ASTB-E) or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.

Click below to take a free ASTB-E practice test!

What’s on the ASTB-E?

The ASTB-E is used by the US Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard as part of the selection process for pilots and flight officers.

The ASTB-E is split into six subtests. If you’re interesting in a role that doesn’t involve aviation, you can just take the first three subtests, collectively called the OAR test.

Let’s take a closer look at each subtest:


MATH SKILLS TEST (MST)
~30 questions

The questions on this subtest are designed to assess your college-level math knowledge. These are the topics you’ll come across:

  • Equations and inequalities
  • Algebraic expressions
  • Operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages
  • Properties of numbers
  • Sequences
  • Basic geometry

READING COMPREHENSION TEST (RCT)
~20 questions

The questions on this subtest are designed to assess your ability to read and comprehend. These are the things you’ll be tested on:

  • Main idea
  • Supporting details
  • Making inferences
  • Determining the definition of words in context
  • Tone
  • Author’s purpose

MECHANICAL COMPREHENSION TEST (MCT)
~30 questions

The questions on this subtest are designed to assess your understanding of mechanical and physical principles. These are the topics that are covered:

  • Force
  • Energy
  • Work
  • Power
  • Simple machines
  • Electrical circuits
  • Voltage and current
  • Properties of fluids
  • Properties and uses of mechanical tools

AVIATION AND NAUTICAL INFORMATION (ANIT)
~30 questions

The questions on this subtest are designed to assess your understanding of mechanical and physical principles. These are the topics that are covered:

  • Basic aerodynamics
  • Aircraft components and functions
  • Flight rules and regulations
  • Naval aviation history and notable aircraft
  • Nautical terminology and concepts

NAVAL AVIATION TRAIT FACET INVENTORY (NATFI)
50-100 questions

The NATFI test is simply a personality assessment. These are some examples of the traits that are evaluated:

  • Adaptability
  • Stress tolerance
  • Leadership potential
  • Teamwork skills
  • General behavioral tendencies

PERFORMANCE BASED MEASURES BATTERY (PBM)
Various tasks

The PBM test is made up of one or more tasks that assess various aspects of your situational awareness, such as:

  • Multitasking
  • Psychomotor skills
  • Spatial orientation

Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT)

The ASTB-E is a computer-adaptive test. Basically, this means that the questions will become harder or easier as you go through the exam, based on how well you’re answering the questions.

For example, say you answered the first question correctly. The first question is of medium difficulty, so the next question will be slightly harder. Then, let’s say you answered the second question incorrectly. The next question would then be a medium question.

How to Register

To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to contact a recruiter for the specific branch of the military you plan on joining. They’ll likely put you through a screening and application process before you can fully register.

Once you’re approved, you can schedule a testing appointment.

ASTB-E Test Scores

Once you’ve taken the test, the hard part is over! You should receive your test scores as soon as you finish the test.

Different programs and services have specific score requirements:

Here’s what these abbreviations mean:

  • OAR: Officer Aptitude Rating
  • AQR: Academic Qualifications Rating
  • PFAR: Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating
  • FOFAR: Flight Officer Aptitude Rating

The composite scores are measured on a stanine scale, which ranges from 1 to 9. Your percentile rank compares your performance to other test-takers. For example, a score of 5 suggests you performed better than about 40%-59% of participants.

Once you complete all six subtests, you’ll immediately receive a report of your scores.

Retaking the Test

If you didn’t get the score(s) you wanted on your first try, that’s okay! You can take the OAR test a total of three times, so you can try again for a better score.

Here’s the catch: your most recent score is the only score that will be accepted. This means that if you take the test a second time, that’s the score that will be accepted, even if the score from your first attempt was higher.

FAQs

Q

How many questions are on the ASTB-E?

A

The number of questions varies, but the test generally contains between 150 and 200 questions.

Q

How long is the ASTB-E?

A

The test usually takes between 2 and 3 hours to complete.

Q

What’s the difference between the ASTB-E and the OAR?

A

The OAR test is the collective name for the first three subtests of the ASTB-E.