European Pilot Selection & Training, Compass


Computerized Pilot Aptitude Screening System


COMPASS consists of six tests which have been developed to test some of the key aptitude areas for the pilot profession. Flying experience is not required to perform well in the tests.
The tests include:
Control	A compensation task looking at basic hand / foot / eye co-ordination.
Slalom	A tracking task looking at hand / eye co-ordination.
Mathematics	A test of basic applied mathematical understanding and speed.
Memory	Accuracy of short-term memory recall and ability to 'chunk’ information.
Task Manager	A test of the candidate’s ability to scan the screen and manage two concurrent tasks accurately and quickly.
Orientation	Instrument interpretation, comprehension and spatial orientation.
Tech-Test	Technical comprehension test (physics test)
Aviation-English	Test English language abiity, including recognizing ATC sound messages
Verbal Reasoning	The ability of the candidate to understand, analyze and logically interpret written information
Design: COMPASS is a product of European Pilot Selection & Training (EPST), which is part of the APST Holding Group. The test battery was designed and developed by Captain Robin Acton BA (design and testing), Dr John Acton PhD (data processing) and Mr Martijn Niekerk BSc (IT specialist). Robin Acton has been involved in basic pilot training since 1968 and was British Airway’s manager responsible for pilot recruitment and selection in the late 1980s.
Validation: An independent validation of the COMPASS product has been carried out by Drs. Lilian Biber-Klever of the Aviation Human Factor Center. Drs. Lillian Biber is a specialist Aviation Psychologist. The results is summarised below. “ The total validity of the COMPASS testing battery is .79. The lowest level is .6 and so .79 is not bad. The confidence level is also .79. This means that if someone takes the tests twice, the odds are .79 that the result will be the same. Also here the lowest level is .6. A lot of tests give a confidence level that can be calculated in many ways. Often tests are divided in two parts and one half linked to the other half. The EPST method (analysing results of candidates doing the test with 3 months in between) is more realistic but often gives a lower result. So .79 is not bad.” It is EPST's experience (together with its world-wide clients with over 5000 tests performed with this product) that a combination of COMPASS and a simulator assessment prior to training virtually reduces flying training failures to near zero. We at EPST had no flying training failure since the introduction of these elements in our selection.
COMPASS is available in the following languages (instruction text): British and American English, Chinese (Hong Kong), Chinese (Mainland) and Russian. COMPASS - demonstration of some COMPASS screens
COMPASS Copyright is owned by European Pilot Selection & Training (EPST)