The Test of Basic Aviation Skills (TBAS) is a computer-based aptitude battery used by the US Army to evaluate candidates for flight school selection. It forms a core component of your SIFT (Selection Instrument for Flight Training) score, which determines eligibility for Army aviation programs at Fort Novosel. This free TBAS practice test PDF gives you a printable study resource you can use anywhere — review question formats, study key concepts, and walk into your exam prepared.
Unlike traditional knowledge-based tests, the TBAS measures underlying psychomotor aptitude, dual-task performance, and situational awareness under time pressure. You can't memorize your way through it, but you can absolutely prepare by understanding what each subtest demands and sharpening the cognitive skills it targets.
The TBAS evaluates cognitive and psychomotor skills that predict success in flight training. Each subtest targets a distinct aptitude area pilots rely on in the cockpit.
Simultaneous audio inputs are delivered to your left and right ears independently. You must divide attention between both channels and respond accurately — a direct measure of your capacity to manage competing information streams, a core demand in real flight operations.
Using a joystick, you track a moving target displayed horizontally on screen. This subtest measures fine motor precision and your ability to anticipate target movement — the foundation of aircraft control inputs.
Similar to horizontal tracking but with an airplane icon on a full-movement display, this subtest tests psychomotor coordination more directly. Smooth, anticipatory joystick inputs produce better scores than reactive corrections.
Simulated in-flight emergency situations are presented and you must make rapid decisions under pressure. This measures situational awareness, prioritization, and coolness under stress — not memorized emergency checklists.
The most demanding subtest: you simultaneously perform a tracking task while responding to secondary tasks. This directly tests your workload capacity — how well you can split cognitive resources without degrading either task.
PDFs are great for offline study, but online practice gives you timed, interactive question sets that more closely simulate the pressure of the real exam. Our TBAS practice test covers Army Aviation Information, spatial apperception, reading comprehension, and math skills — all scored components of the full SIFT. Practice online, identify your weak areas, and use this PDF to review the concepts you need to reinforce before test day.