Pilot Aptitude Test: Systems, Prices and Prep

SHORT ANSWER

A pilot aptitude test is the computer-based screening that comes before most airline and academy interviews. You will most likely meet one of six systems: COMPASS, Aon Pilot Assessments (formerly cut-e), ADAPT, DLR, TestAir360 or Mollymawk. Your programme decides which one. This page compares them side by side and shows which programmes use which, with prices and validity. Checked 25 October 2026.5 10

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Key facts

The main facts, each with its source.

Checked 25 October 2026
Fact	Detail
Regulation	EASA.CAT.GEN.MPA.175 has been in effect since 14 February 2021 and requires airlines to ensure pilots receive a psychological evaluation before line flying2
COMPASS session	The test takes about 90 minutes, maximum two hours, after about 30 minutes of instruction; run on a computer equipped with a joystick and rudder pedals6
Aon modules	Most under 15 minutes each, usually no more than five tests, several days to finish10
ADAPT results	ADAPT does not pass or fail candidates; it gives the organisation a breakdown of performance and a recommendation, and the organisation decides30
ADAPT joystick	The Co-ordination (Ball Game) practice test is a joystick only version, and FAST and Co-ordination cannot be taken on a tablet; Symbiotics recommends the Thrustmaster T16000M or equivalent17
DLR price	EUR 427 via the European Flight Academy webshop; EUR 327 with the autumn code for appointments to 31 December 202619
DLR certificate validity	Two years21
TestAir360 fee at Wizz Air Pilot Academy	EUR 130 recruitment fee; 4 home practice sessions of 60 minutes; remotely supervised test about 3 to 4 hours; 2 months from the date of the invitation to pay for and complete the exam23
Airline Flight Academy B737 cadet programme for Ryanair: Aon pre-assessment	EUR 60 paid to Aon14
AFTA ASL Airlines Ireland mentored programme: cut-e assessment	EUR 79 online plus EUR 300 AFTA assessment fee13
COMPASS at Skywings	EUR 245 including tax, about 2.5 hours7
Mollymawk	About 3 hours, six tests and one questionnaire; the certificate is valid for 24 months with at most two exams in any 24-month period; a test package can be used over 12 months26
ADAPT practice bundles	Cadet bundles from GBP 47 (Dexterity) and GBP 48 (Knowledge) to GBP 68 (Essentials) and GBP 245 (Insight, with the personality questionnaire); 3 months of access; the Pilot Readiness Indicator is free17

Pilot aptitude test systems compared

Compared on issuer, typical duration, joystick, public price, validity.

System	Issuer	Typical duration	Joystick	Public price	Validity
COMPASS and Advanced COMPASS	EPST	About 90 minutes, maximum 2 hours	Usually: joystick and rudder pedals	EUR 245 at Skywings; AED 500 for Emirates assessment day 1 (with maths and physics)	-
Aon Pilot Assessments, formerly cut-e	Aon	Aptitude and logic modules 2 to 20 minutes each, workstyle questionnaire about 30 minutes; Jet2 modules 5 to 10 minutes each; BAA Training 3.5 hours	No: runs in a browser	EUR 60 (Airline Flight Academy, B737 cadets for Ryanair); EUR 79 (AFTA, ASL Airlines Ireland mentored programme)	-
ADAPT	Symbiotics	Varies by battery	Yes for Co-ordination (Thrustmaster T16000M recommended); FAST and Co-ordination not on tablets	Practice bundles from GBP 47 to GBP 245; free Pilot Readiness Indicator	1 year for Generation easyJet (CAE)
DLR Pilot Certificate	DLR, for the European Flight Academy	Full day, 08:00 to about 17:00 in Hamburg	Psychomotor tests on site	EUR 427; EUR 327 with code to 31 Dec 2026	2 years
TestAir360	TestAir360 (used by Wizz Air Pilot Academy)	4 home practice sessions of 60 minutes, then a 3 to 4 hour supervised test	-	EUR 130 recruitment fee	2 months from the invitation to pay and complete
Mollymawk	MOLLYMAWK psychometrics	About 3 hours	No: a mouse and speakers or a headset; a keyboard with a numeric keypad is strongly recommended	Test package and exam slot sold separately	Certificate valid 24 months; at most two exams in 24 months

Which test will I get? Programme by test system

Only combinations confirmed by the airline, academy or its training partner are listed.

Programme	Test system
Wizz Air Pilot Academy	TestAir360 pilot aptitude test (EUR 130 fee)
Generation easyJet (CAE)	ADAPT, virtual or at a CAE location
Jet2FlightPath	Arctic Shores task-based assessment, then Aon pilot modules
Airline Flight Academy B737 cadet programme for Ryanair	Aon online pre-assessment (EUR 60)
Delta Air Lines direct entry	Aon online assessment
BAA Training Cadet Program	Aon Assessment Solutions, 3.5 hours online or at Vilnius
ASL Airlines Ireland mentored programme (AFTA)	Online cut-e assessment (EUR 79)
Emirates Flight Training Academy	COMPASS on assessment day 1
Emirates direct entry pilots	Advanced COMPASS in Dubai
European Flight Academy (Lufthansa Group)	DLR Pilot Certificate before applying

Scoring and retakes

Each system scores differently, and the selecting organisation sets the pass line. COMPASS grades each test from 1 to 7, and EPST's 2013 manual recommends a total of 24 across six tests when a simulator session follows. Aon usually adds points for correct answers and deducts for incorrect ones. ADAPT gives the organisation a breakdown and a recommendation, and does not pass or fail. DLR issues ratings A to D and the European Flight Academy requires A or B in two sections. Retake rules are the employer's: DLR recommends 6 months, EPST recommends at least 3 months with one retake, and Mollymawk needs a fresh test package for every exam, with at most two exams in 24 months. The system pages give the detail and the date of the source.4 5 21 22 30

What a pilot aptitude test measures

Pilot aptitude tests combine two families of tasks. Cognitive tasks measure how quickly and accurately you reason with numbers, language and patterns, hold information in working memory and stay concentrated. Psychomotor tasks measure coordination and multitasking: keeping a control on target with a joystick, monitoring several displays and switching attention without dropping a task. Most batteries add a personality questionnaire, and many add maths, physics or English knowledge. You do not need flying experience for ab initio versions, because the tests look at aptitude and not at what you have already learned.

Why airlines use them

EASA.CAT.GEN.MPA.175 has been in effect since 14 February 2021 and requires airlines to make sure flight crew have had a psychological assessment before line flying. EASA says it should cover cognitive abilities, personality traits, operational and professional competencies and social competences, and be performed or overseen by a psychologist. Airlines and academies also use the same tests as a first filter before the expensive parts of selection, such as simulator sessions and assessment days. That is why the test often comes first, sometimes even before the application, as at the European Flight Academy.2 22

Joystick or browser: the practical difference

The biggest practical split is hardware. COMPASS is usually run with a joystick and rudder pedals, and the ADAPT Co-ordination (Ball Game) test is joystick only. FAST and Co-ordination in ADAPT cannot be taken on a tablet. Aon tests run in a browser, and Mollymawk needs a mouse and speakers or a headset, recommends a keyboard with a numeric keypad and advises against tablets and phones. TestAir360 is taken online from home with automated proctoring. DLR is only offered in person. If your test uses a joystick, a few weeks of practice with a basic USB stick helps you feel at home on the day.6 17

Prices you can see before you pay

Many selections charge for the test, and the amounts differ widely. Airline Flight Academy's B737 cadet programme for Ryanair charges EUR 60 for its pre-assessment, AFTA's ASL Airlines Ireland mentored programme EUR 79 for the online cut-e assessment and the Wizz Air TestAir360 recruitment fee EUR 130. DLR costs EUR 427 or EUR 327 with the autumn code, COMPASS at Skywings EUR 245 and Emirates assessment day 1 AED 500. Generation easyJet assessment is free of charge, and Jet2FlightPath is designed to remove financial barriers, with Jet2 funding the initial Class 1. If a provider quotes a price you cannot trace to the airline, academy or test publisher, ask your programme directly.5 7 13

How long results stay valid

Validity depends on the system and the employer. A DLR certificate is valid for two years, and you must hold a valid one on the day of your Lufthansa Group assessment. CAE says Generation easyJet assessment results are valid for one year. A Mollymawk certificate is valid for 24 months, with at most two exams in any 24-month period. Always read your invitation and plan your date so that a result does not lapse before your next stage.26

A simple preparation plan

Start by finding out which system your programme uses, using the table above. Then spend the first week on the formats: read the publisher's own guidance and try its practice tasks, such as Aon's PDFs or the Symbiotics Pilot Readiness Indicator. In the second and third weeks drill the building blocks: mental arithmetic, number series, spatial rotation, memory and, if a joystick is involved, 15 to 20 minutes a day of coordination practice. In the last week simulate the day with timers, a quiet room and no breaks beyond those allowed. Sleep matters: EPST's manual notes that illness and lack of sleep lower results. Answer personality questionnaires openly and honestly, since there are no right answers.4 5 16 17

Other tests you may see

The RAF's Computer Based Aptitude Tests cover deductive and spatial reasoning, work rate and concentration for its pilot role. Arctic Shores task-based assessments appear in the Jet2FlightPath process, and HireVue appears for video interviews. KLM Flight Academy runs its own basic capacities and sensorimotor tests through its Aviation Medical Center.28

Regulatory background

The relevant rule is CAT.GEN.MPA.175(b), with EASA's AMC and GM describing the four areas to cover. An assessment should be validated, normally undertaken within the 24 months before line flying, and it may be accepted by another operator, provided that operator is satisfied the assessment followed the AMC. It is not a clinical psychological evaluation.2

What you get with the Pilot Pass

The practice hub has selection plans for airlines and academies, test-system pages with practice in the style of COMPASS and cut-e (Aon), and aptitude practice with exam-style questions and explanations. Pilot Pass: all questions in study, test and exam mode, as often as you like for the length of your Pass; the interactive aptitude tests are part of the Pass. A free account gets up to 8 free 10-question sets a week.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pilot aptitude test?

A computer-based screening that measures abilities such as reasoning, memory, coordination, multitasking and personality, used by airlines and academies before interviews and simulator assessments.10 12

Which pilot aptitude tests are there?

The main systems are COMPASS (EPST), Aon Pilot Assessments formerly cut-e, ADAPT (Symbiotics), the DLR Pilot Certificate, TestAir360 and Mollymawk. Programmes choose which one to use.5 10 16 20 23 25

How do I know which test I will get?

The programme's invitation names it. Use the Which test will I get table above for confirmed programme-to-system links.8 11 18 23

How much does a pilot aptitude test cost?

It ranges from free to EUR 427 depending on the programme: for example EUR 60 for Airline Flight Academy's B737 cadet programme for Ryanair, EUR 130 for Wizz Air Pilot Academy and EUR 427 for DLR.14 18 19 20 23

Do I need a joystick for the pilot aptitude test?

COMPASS is usually run with a joystick and rudder pedals, and the ADAPT Co-ordination (Ball Game) test needs one. Aon runs in a browser, and Mollymawk uses a mouse with speakers or a headset.10 16 17 26 29

Can I retake a pilot aptitude test?

The selecting organisation decides. DLR recommends waiting 6 months and EPST recommends at least 3 months with one retake.4 20

How long is a pilot aptitude test?

From about 90 minutes for COMPASS to a full day for DLR; Mollymawk takes about 3 hours and the TestAir360 supervised test 3 to 4 hours.6 20 23 25

Can you prepare for a pilot aptitude test?

Yes. Practise the formats, mental arithmetic and, where relevant, joystick coordination. Skywings says you can't really prepare for COMPASS, but training memory and mental calculation might help.7

Is a pilot aptitude test the same as a pilot assessment?

No. The aptitude test is one stage of the wider pilot assessment, which can also include group exercises, interviews and a Class 1 medical.3 22