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SIFT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield SIFT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here ā€” free, no sign-up.

180 questions
90 min time limit
40% to pass
  1. What is the function of the Army's flight surgeon in aviation unit readiness? ā†’ To assess and maintain the medical fitness of aviators for flight duty
  2. The vertical speed indicator (VSI) shows a pilot: ā†’ Rate of climb or descent in feet per minute
  3. What is the purpose of the collective control in a helicopter? ā†’ Controls the overall pitch of all main rotor blades simultaneously to change altitude
  4. A thrust is produced by ā†’ The engine(s) of a helicopter
  5. What is a 'NOTAM' in aviation? ā†’ Notice to Airmen ā€” temporary notices about flight hazards, restrictions, or changes
  6. In a standard cockpit, the throttle (or collective in helicopters) primarily controls: ā†’ Engine power and thrust (or lift in helicopters)
  7. A pilot observes the cockpit view and determines the aircraft is in a climbing right turn. How would the horizon appear from their perspective? ā†’ Low in the viewing area and tilted down to the left.
  8. A 60 W light bulb runs for 5 hours. How much electrical energy does it consume in kilowatt-hours? ā†’ 0.3 kWh
  9. What does a 'circuit breaker' do in an electrical system? ā†’ Automatically interrupts current flow when it exceeds a safe limit
  10. What is the primary mission of the AH-64 Apache helicopter? ā†’ Armed reconnaissance and anti-armor attack
  11. What is the function of the anti-torque pedals in a helicopter? ā†’ Control the pitch of the tail rotor blades to counteract torque
  12. What does a red radial line on an airspeed indicator represent? ā†’ Never-exceed speed (Vne)
  13. An object at the top of a 50-meter cliff has potential energy of 4,900 J. What is its mass? (g = 9.8 m/sĀ²) ā†’ 10 kg
  14. An object is accelerating at 3 m/sĀ². If the net force on it is 15 N, what is its mass? ā†’ 5 kg
  15. Water is flowing through a pipe. If the pipe splits into two equal branches, what happens to the flow speed in each branch (assuming incompressible flow)? ā†’ Flow speed halves in each branch
  16. An electric motor draws 5 A at 120 V. What is its power consumption? ā†’ 600 W
  17. If fuel costs $4.50 per gallon and a helicopter uses 35 gallons per hour, how much does a 3-hour flight cost in fuel? ā†’ $472.50
  18. During an engine failure, a pilot initiates an autorotation. What is the primary purpose of lowering the collective lever immediately? ā†’ To maintain rotor RPM by using the upward flow of air.
  19. In the pulley system shown, a 100 lb weight is being lifted. Assuming the system is frictionless, what is the minimum force (F) required to lift the weight? ā†’ 25 lbs
  20. What is the purpose of the horizontal stabilizer on a helicopter? ā†’ To provide aerodynamic stability and reduce pitch oscillations
  21. If a helicopter must climb 4,500 feet over a horizontal distance of 9 miles, what is the climb gradient in feet per mile? ā†’ 500 feet/mile
  22. Which practice strategy best prepares a candidate for the SIFT Hidden Figures subtest? ā†’ Practicing with embedded figures worksheets and overlapping polygon puzzles
  23. A helicopter pilot needs to fly forward from a stable hover. Which primary flight control will be the main input to achieve this movement? ā†’ Cyclic stick
  24. What is the US Army's primary multi-mission helicopter, used for utility transport and assault operations? ā†’ UH-60 Black Hawk
  25. What Army publication governs aviation accident prevention and risk management for Army helicopter operations? ā†’ AR 95-1 ā€” Flight Regulations
  26. If a lever has a 4-foot effort arm and a 1-foot resistance arm, what is the mechanical advantage? ā†’ 4
  27. In instrument flying, which three instruments form the 'primary' group in the 'six-pack' arrangement? ā†’ Airspeed, attitude indicator, altimeter
  28. Which material has the highest thermal conductivity (transmits heat best)? ā†’ Copper
  29. In a series electrical circuit with two resistors of 4Ī© and 6Ī© connected to a 20V battery, what is the total current? ā†’ 2 A
  30. A candidate who scores very high on Hidden Figures but average on Spatial Apperception likely has stronger skills in: ā†’ Isolating a specific visual element from a flat, two-dimensional background
Turn these facts into recall:
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