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PILOT APTITUDE BATTERY TEST ( PABT ) If you are an aspirant to join the Indian Air Force under the flying branch as a pilot, then you have to face PABT . PABT stands for Pilot Aptitude Battery Test. Its just a simple test to check whether the candidates have the aptitude and reflexes to fly the million dollar air-crafts. For the Indian Air Force to trust you with those inexpensive air crafts, you need to clear this test. If you are applying for the Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, Naval Air Force then PABT is meant for you.
PABT is ONCE IN A LIFETIME TEST, you fail once. Then You can never be a pilot in the Indian Air Force because PABT is designed by various scientists from all over the country such that it measures your natural aptitude and reactions that you are born with, not artificial or trained intelligence that is built upon you with practice. They want to see whether you can be a pilot with your natural instincts, intelligence and reflexes. As simple as that, and so you are allowed to take the test only once. So be wary, and also don’t worry, even a first grade kid can clear this if he’s smart. It’s not that hard. The PABT consists of 3 tests :- 1) The Instrumentation Battery Test (INSB) a) Apparatus Reading Test b) Aircraft heading and position identification test. 2) Sensory Motor Apparatus Test (SMA) 3) Control Velocity Test (CVT) The given above tests are all part of the PABT test, you need to score good enough in all the three to make it. INSTRUMENTATION BATTERY TEST :- In INSB, the 6 basic instruments that you need to know and understand will be explained by the instructor. Make sure you pay close attention to what he’s saying. Don’t ever think of anything else, you might be missing a lot of clues and indirect solutions he’s offering. Listen carefully and process whatever he’s explained to you and implement those in the test. As simple as that. And don’t ask silly questions and make a fool of yourself, listening is the mother of all languages. Though they will be glad to help you if your doubt is valid and logical. The first test consists of 15 questions which you are required to complete in 12 minutes of time. The questions will be objective type and you will have to select the option which you believe is right among the 5 different options. a) Apparatus Reading Test In this test, the 6 instruments(Six Pack/Holy Six) that you need to know will be explained to you and your questions will be asked based on the same. 1) Airspeed Indicator :- This instrument measures the speed of the aircraft in knots or miles per hour or anything. Some of these speeds are also color-coded on the face of the airspeed indicator for better classification of readings for the pilot to understand. The green arc on the airspeed indicator reflects the normal operating range of speeds with the flaps fully retracted. The white arc signifies the flap operating range of air speeds The yellow arc reflects the speeds at which the airplane should only be operated in smooth air. Finally, the red radial reflects the never exceed speed, the speed that the aircraft would never exceed or the speed that the aircraft will never fly through. 2) Artificial Horizon and Altitude Indicator :- This instrument indicates whether the direction of the nose is pointing up or down.You can determine if the aircraft is climbing or descending. Also if the aircraft is rolling or banking (tilt of wings). The blue color in the instrument indicates the sky and the brown indicates the ground, when the artificial horizon is parallel to these, the aircraft is said to be flying parallel to the ground. 3) Altimeter :- As the name suggests, this instrument measures the altitude of the aircraft. Also note that, the altimeter measures the distance of the aircraft in the air above the sea level and not above the ground which the aircraft is passing through. If you are flying the aircraft in a highland and the altimeter indicates 1000 feet above the ground and you fly blindfolded and you assume to be safe, you’re in trouble. Wikipedia defines it as “the above the sea level means the reference the Ordnance Survey uses a height datum based on the measurements of mean sea level at a particular gauge at Newlyn, Cornwall from 1915 to 1921″ . So the actual reference is at that particular feet above the ground from Newlyn, or that you are flying at a particular height with reference to the Ordnance datum. The instrument has basically 2 dials, one measuring in 100 feet and the other in 1000 feet, so the total height is equal to the total combined value of the reading s shown on both the hands of the altimeter. 4) Turn Coordinator :- This instrument indicates whether we are applying right amount of rudder in a turn. The turn coordinator is actually two instruments in one. The airplane replica in the middle of the instrument rolls proportionally to the roll rate of the airplane. # When the bank angle is maintained, the replica indicates the rate of turn. If bank angle is maintained, when the right or left wing of the replica is aligned with the lower mark, the airplane is turning at a rate of 3° per second (a full 360° turn in two minutes). This rate of turn is known as standard rate. The bank angle necessary to fly a standard rate turn varies with airspeed. Note the difference in bank angle required to maintain standard rate at the different speeds. Time a 360° turn to confirm that it takes two minutes at standard rate. The second instrument in the turn coordinator is called an inclinometer. The inclinometer shows whether use of rudder and aileron is coordinated. If the ball in the liquid-filled glass tube moves outside of the center of the tube, the rudder and ailerons are not coordinated. If the ball moves to the outside of the turn, the airplane is skidding(under turning). If the ball moves to the inside of the turn, the airplane is slipping (over turning). Uncoordinated flight can be corrected by applying more rudder pressure on the side that the ball is on. Student pilots are instructed to step on the ball, because the rudder is controlled by pedals, and pressure on the left pedal coordinates the turn if the ball is to the left of center. 5) Heading indicator/ Compass :- This instrument gives the heading of aircraft in magnetic degrees. f) Climb and descend indicator: This instrument gives the rate at which aircraft gains or loose altitude. Unit will be in feet per minute. The region where arrow is shown is normal rate of climb and descend, and range above and below it is fast rate of climb and descend. [ The content inside # symbol is just information only and not important. ] After this instructor will give you a test booklet in which six instruments are shown with readings on it and you need to choose right answer from 5 option |