Wui-Ping Blog

How to be selected for Pilot training in RSAF

I am surprise that because of me writing my memory of flying training that I placed in my homepage, I received a few email regarding how to become a pilot in the RSAF.
Most likely not much people write stuff like this on the internet, so mine can be easily searched.

So let me attempt to write them down, so whoever is interested can just read from here.

Let me put it clear, I was going through the training during 1996-1997, so many years have pass and things might had changed. Nevertheless I believed the basic/fundamental is still around the same.

There will be a few things to go through before you are selected and could start training:-

1) Aptitude Test
This is a sit down test, more of a IQ test. It will be like answering 40 multiple choice questions in 20min, then another 30 question in 10min and so on. I remember during my time, it was 4-5 different set, one of the set was on some mechanical stuff, the rest mostly IQ and math.

To pass this test, you can try more IQ test(however not those stupid kind), practice math and learn a bit of engineering stuff.

2) Physcomotor Test
It is a hand, eyes, feet coordination test using computer.
They will give you instruction to do things, and it add on.
For eg.
Press "B" when see aircraft flying from left to right, press "N" when see aircraft flying from right to left. Press and hold "R" when see a balloon etc...

Then it is the moving dot, a dot will be moving and you are suppose to keep it in the middle of the screen by using the control stick to move up and down, and using the foot pedal to move left and right.
A few test like above.

3) Personality Test
To see what kind of personality you are, not really a test. Just answer truthfully. No need to cheat, it will be seen as soon as you enter; and will serve you no advantage by cheating.
I did this personality test during the same time I went for the physcomotor test.

4) Medical test
Eyes test, hearing test(in sound room), ECG
Measurement of different part of the body.

Nothing you can prepare here.

5) Selection board
Basically a interview session with around 7-8 interviewer.
There will be 2-3 RSAF pilot, (one of them could be the OC for the singapore FTS ground school/aviation flight, or DYCO of FTS). 1-2 SIA pilot in plan clothes, 1 physcologist, 2-3 unknown.
This is most properly the thing you can prepared the most.

Expect questions such as:-

-Why you want to sign on as a pilot?
If answer it is a childhood dream, then will ask what have you done to pursue that dream? Why didn't you join the Youth flying club?

- Any not so good official report will be questioned.
For eg.
In my case, I retained 1 year in Poly. So the interviewer asked me, since my academic studies was not so good, how do I think I can do well in pilot training since there are many many things to study too.

- They want to know how much passion you have in flying/RSAF.
So question such as what type of aircraft does RSAF currently have might be asked.

Basically they want to see that you are confident (so answer all questions with confident answers), have passion in flying (learn and study more about flying and planes) and have leadership ability (all pilot are officer, need to lead).

Note: As soon as you fail any one of the selection test, they will not ask you for the next test.

posted by Wui-Ping @ 2:19 PM Comments: 7