100+ Free RAF Officer Aptitude Practice Questions
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Aircrew (instrument comprehension): The attitude indicator shows the nose symbol ABOVE the horizon line and the wings level. The aircraft is:
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Key Facts: RAF Officer Aptitude Exam
6 sections
Defence Aptitude Assessment areas
RAF Defence Aptitude Assessment
~98
Approx. DAA questions
RAF DAA section breakdown
~1 hour
Typical DAA duration
RAF DAA
23 tests
CBAT sub-tests for aircrew
Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre
Free
Cost to applicants
RAF Recruitment
Cranwell
OASC location (Lincolnshire)
RAF College Cranwell
The RAF OASC aptitude tests are the battery for officer and aircrew selection. The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA) has about 98 timed multiple-choice questions across six sections — verbal, numerical, spatial, work rate, mechanical and electrical — in roughly one hour. Aircrew also sit the CBAT at RAF College Cranwell. There is no fee, no published pass rate, and role-specific weighted thresholds decide selection.
Sample RAF Officer Aptitude Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your RAF Officer Aptitude exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Read the passage: 'All Tornado aircraft based at the station were grounded for maintenance. Some Typhoon aircraft were also grounded.' Based ONLY on this information, which statement must be true?
2In RAF verbal reasoning items you must judge a statement as True, False, or Cannot Say using only the passage. Passage: 'The squadron flew 40 sorties on Monday and 30 on Tuesday.' Statement: 'The squadron flew more sorties on Monday than Tuesday.' The correct judgement is:
3Choose the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'ascend'.
4Complete the analogy: Pilot is to Aircraft as Captain is to ____.
5Passage: 'Only personnel holding a current security clearance may enter the operations room. Corporal Hughes does not hold a current clearance.' What follows?
6Passage: 'The briefing starts at 0900. All crew must arrive 30 minutes before the briefing. Flight Lieutenant Roe arrived at 0840.' Statement: 'Roe arrived on time.' Judge the statement.
7Select the word that best completes the sentence: 'The new radar system greatly enhanced the squadron's ability to ____ incoming threats.'
8Passage: 'No fast-jet pilots in the squadron are over 40. Some officers in the squadron are over 40.' Statement: 'Some officers in the squadron are not fast-jet pilots.' Judge it.
9Identify the grammatically correct sentence suitable for a field report.
10Passage: 'Every aircraft inspected passed the safety check. Aircraft B was inspected.' Which conclusion is valid?
About the RAF Officer Aptitude Exam
The RAF Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) aptitude tests assess whether candidates have the cognitive and psychomotor skills required for RAF officer and aircrew roles. The core battery is the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA), a computer-based, timed test of roughly 98 multiple-choice questions across six sections: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, spatial reasoning, work rate, mechanical comprehension and electrical comprehension. Pilot, RPAS, air traffic control and weapon systems candidates additionally attend OASC for the Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT), a suite of sub-tests covering instrument comprehension, sensory-motor tracking, multi-tasking and speed-distance-time mental arithmetic. Scores from these tests are combined with role-specific weightings to produce an aptitude score, and each role has its own threshold to pass.
Questions
98 scored questions
Time Limit
DAA approximately 1 hour; full aircrew CBAT attendance can run up to a day
Passing Score
Role-specific aptitude thresholds (not publicly published)
Exam Fee
No fee (Royal Air Force — aptitude tests delivered through RAF recruitment and the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC) at RAF College Cranwell, Lincolnshire)
RAF Officer Aptitude Exam Content Outline
Numerical Reasoning
Basic operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, rates and simple formulae under tight time limits
Verbal Reasoning
Interpreting written information, valid deduction, true/false/cannot-say judgements, vocabulary and analogies
Mechanical Comprehension
GCSE-physics mechanics: levers and moments, gears, pulleys, forces, motion, energy and pressure
Electrical Comprehension
GCSE-physics electricity: Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, switches, fuses and components
Work Rate
Rapid cross-referencing of code tables of numbers, letters and shapes for speed and accuracy
Spatial Reasoning
2D shape manipulation, rotations, reflections, and 3D orientation and nets
Aircrew CBAT Aptitude
Speed-distance-time mental maths, instrument comprehension, headings/bearings and multi-tasking workload tolerance
Memory
Short-term recall of alphanumeric strings, sequences and positions (legacy AST section retained in preparation)
How to Pass the RAF Officer Aptitude Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Role-specific aptitude thresholds (not publicly published)
- Exam length: 98 questions
- Time limit: DAA approximately 1 hour; full aircrew CBAT attendance can run up to a day
- Exam fee: No fee
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
RAF Officer Aptitude Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the RAF OASC aptitude tests?
They are the cognitive and psychomotor assessments used to select RAF officers and aircrew. The core test is the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA), a timed multiple-choice battery, and aircrew candidates also sit the Computer Based Aptitude Test (CBAT) at RAF College Cranwell.
What sections are in the Defence Aptitude Assessment?
The DAA has six timed sections: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, spatial reasoning, work rate, mechanical comprehension and electrical comprehension. It contains roughly 98 multiple-choice questions and is usually completed in about an hour.
Is the DAA the same as the old AST?
The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA) replaced the older Airman Selection Test (AST). The structure is similar, but the DAA is delivered under updated procedures and no longer includes the standalone memory test that featured in the AST.
What extra tests do pilots and aircrew take?
Pilot, RPAS, air traffic control and weapon systems candidates attend OASC for the CBAT, which adds sub-tests such as instrument comprehension, sensory-motor tracking, situational awareness, multi-tasking and speed-distance-time mental arithmetic.
How much do the RAF aptitude tests cost?
There is no fee. RAF recruitment, the DAA and OASC selection are free to applicants, who are only responsible for their own travel to the careers office and to RAF College Cranwell.
What score do I need to pass?
The RAF does not publish a single pass mark. Test scores are combined with role-specific weightings to form an aptitude score, and each role has its own threshold, so the standard required differs between branches such as pilot, ATC and engineering.
Can I retake the aptitude tests?
Retake rules depend on the test. The DAA may be retaken after an RAF-set waiting period, but the pilot and certain aircrew aptitude batteries at CBAT are normally a single lifetime attempt, making first-time preparation essential.
Where are the OASC aptitude tests held?
The Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre is located at RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire. The DAA is typically taken earlier in the process, while aircrew CBAT and officer selection take place at OASC.