Clearing for Takeoff: A Comparative Analysis of the Latest Aviation Service Test Battery

Abstract

Training Naval and Marine Corp Aviators is an expensive, time-consuming process, and both branches use the Aviation Service Test Battery (ASTB) to screen applicants before flight training. The ASTB helps ensure aviation applicants are prepared and capable of completing the rigorous aviation training pipeline to ensure resources are well spent. This test has undergone several revisions since its introduction in World War II and most recently in 2012 by substituting and revising portions of the test. Among the updates is a complex testing section using a joystick, throttle, and headphones meant to resemble actual flying in the Primary Flight Training closely. This study examines how effectively the ASTB-E reduces attrition within the aviation community and how each of the new sections contributes to assessing applicants.