TBAS Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the TBAS exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 TBAS Exam Format at a Glance
📚 TBAS Topics to Study (15)
✍️ Sample TBAS Questions & Answers
1. If the target moves to the right of center on the display, what corrective action should the pilot take?
If the target moves to the right of the center, the pilot needs to move the aircraft to the right to re-center it. To move an aircraft to the right, the pilot applies left aileron. This causes the aircraft to roll right, which then translates into a horizontal movement to the right, bringing the target back to the center.
2. If the target moves up and to the left on the display, what should the pilot do?
If the target moves up and to the left, the pilot needs to move the aircraft symbol up and to the left to re-center it. To move up, the pilot pulls the stick back (elevator input). To move left, the pilot applies left aileron (roll input). Therefore, applying left aileron and pulling the stick back is the correct combined action.
3. Without a visible natural horizon (at night or in clouds), why can a pilot not reliably sense aircraft attitude without instruments?
The vestibular system is easily deceived by sustained turns and accelerations, producing false sensations of level flight, which is why instrument reliance is critical in IMC.
4. Setting an altimeter to 29.92 inHg causes it to read which type of altitude?
Setting the altimeter to 29.92 inHg (the standard sea-level pressure) causes it to indicate pressure altitude, which is height above the standard pressure datum.
5. What is the primary control input used to manipulate the tracking box in the Horizontal Tracking Control subtest of the TBAS?
The Horizontal Tracking Control subtest specifically requires the use of rudder pedals to move the tracking box left and right, assessing the candidate's foot-eye coordination.
6. Which of the following represents the most significant cognitive leap required when a candidate transitions from performing the individual tracking tasks to the combined multitasking subtest?
The fundamental challenge of integration is processing parallel streams of information. The candidate must simultaneously watch the 2D target and control the joystick (one visuomotor loop), watch the horizontal bar and control the pedals (a second, independent visuomotor loop), and process the auditory information (a third sensory channel). Managing these parallel processes is the key difficulty.