PILAPT stands for PILot APTitude tests. According to the publisher's 2023 site, each test assessed a specific aptitude shown to predict performance in flying training. In 2023 the publisher's site named People Technologies, a research based consultancy. That site named its founder Eugene Burke as the author of the tests. In 2023 the publisher's site said PILAPT had been used by military and commercial clients since 1997. Psytech Ltd says it is sole licence provider for Pilapt Test Batteries.12456

In 2023 the publisher listed commercial pilot trainers in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Middle East and USA. For military pilot selection, the 2023 site listed 6 NATO Air Forces, Asia and South America. The 2023 site also listed airlines in Europe, Asia, Hong Kong, Africa and the Middle East. In 2023 the publisher's site said over 70,000 candidates had been assessed in 11 languages, in twenty countries. In 2023 the publisher stated the tests were used for military cadets, ab initio applicants and qualified pilots applying to airlines. The publisher did not name its airline clients on these pages.13

According to the 2010 fact sheet, the assessment had two parts, PILAPT Base and Capacity. In 2010 PILAPT Base included the tests Deviation Indicator, Concentration, Hands, Patterns and Trax, and took about 50 minutes. Deviation Indicator measures hand-eye coordination in a 2 dimensional environment using a compensatory tracking task with a joystick. Concentration combines time sharing and selective attention, requiring you to monitor multiple signals while discarding incorrect or distracting information. Hands taps spatial reasoning with an auditory rule followed by a visual task. Patterns asks you to identify a known pattern hidden in other material under time pressure. Trax measures pursuit tracking of a moving object in a simulation of a three-dimensional environment. The 2010 fact sheet also lists two newer tests, Sequences and Views. In 2010 Capacity took about 15 minutes and combined a psychomotor primary task with a visual recognition task and a sequential auditory task. Capacity presents results across single, dual and triple task conditions. According to the 2010 fact sheet, it was designed for military fast jet roles and was widely used in civilian selection for direct entry candidates. An organisation may use Capacity in conjunction with PILAPT Base.4

According to the 2023 candidates page, all scores are compared to a comparison group, such as all applicants to an airline or training school. The 2023 site said there was no set pass mark, as this varied depending on the organisation. PILAPT is often part of a wider series of assessments, used in conjunction with interviews, other tests and simulator exercises. Your scores will be reported through a detailed summary of your performance. You should ask if feedback will be provided. The publisher advised clients to use the overall score, which is the sum of standardised scores, and to use individual scores to guide interpretations.24

In 2023 the publisher's site stated that the tests already had practice included in them to ensure that everybody has an equal and fair chance. The same page said the assessment is also for your benefit to help identify your likelihood of success in pilot training. According to the 2010 fact sheet, Patterns was designed to increase the cognitive load under time constraint, and Capacity assessed performance under increasing workload. Practise with our free practice set. The Pilot Pass gives unlimited practice.24

The archived 2023 pages do not list which airlines use PILAPT, and the 2023 site said there was no set pass mark. The figures on this page come from the publisher's website as archived in 2023 and from its 2010 fact sheet. When checked for this page, www.pilapt.com showed only a login page with no information about the tests. According to the 2010 fact sheet, more detailed information on the tests was available to PILAPT clients.1247