How To Pass the Raf Aptitude Test (AST) With Flying Colours

✻ For other military exams, check out our pages on AOSB Preparation and ACT preparation.

The RAF Aptitude Test, also known as the Airmen Selection Test (AST) or more recently as the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA), consists of seven separate sections, each focusing on a different set of cognitive skills. It is a challenging exam that demands full concentration and high accuracy.

Your performance on this exam will set you on the course you will be following during your entire career with the RAF, so it is a good idea not to take it lightly. 

The RAF uses this exam not only to determine whether you are qualified to join the force in the first place, but also to assess your strengths and weaknesses. If you do join, your results will likely influence the specific position you will hold with the RAF.

There are seven different sections on the DAA, each is timed separately. The sections are listed and explained below.

The RAF Aptitude Test will take place at your nearest Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) and requires you to clear your day. Overall, the test takes about 90 minutes to complete, with 148 questions across the 7 categories. Before and after the test, you will talk to a recruiter from the AFCO. 

You’re not allowed to use a calculator or a dictionary during the tests. For the Numerical Reasoning test, you’ll be provided with a rough paper for working out your answers.

Looking for some example questions to help understand what you will be facing? 

Here are a number of RAF ADD samples to get you in the right mindset, one for each section:

The purpose of this section is to evaluate your ability to work quickly and efficiently under a large workload and a time crunch. You will be presented with a table containing three rows of cells. The cells are populated with letters, numbers and shapes. Each column represents a set of one letter, one number, and one shape that are interchangeable.

Next, you will be given 20 sequences of code. Using the key described, you will need to select an alternative sequence that carries the same meaning as the original. This part has a 4-minute duration.

This part contains two sub-sections. The first is made of 10 questions that measure your 2D orientation skills – your will be given 4 minutes to reconstruct shapes which are broken into pieces.

The second sub-section assesses your 3D orientation skills. Each question will present you with a 3D structure. Only one of the answers is the same structure viewed from a different angle, and the rest are different shapes altogether. You need to find the one identical structure. You will have 10 questions, and 3 minutes to answer them.

In this part, there are 20 questions which test your reading comprehension. Each item consists of a short passage you must read, followed by questions related to it. Most questions are not too difficult. However, they require the ability to pay attention to detail and filter relevant data. You will have 15 minutes to complete this section.

This part includes two sub-sections: basic arithmetic and data interpretation. The first sub-section, containing 12 questions, concerns the use of the four basic operations, decimals and fractions. You have 4 minutes to complete it. The second sub-section has 15 questions involving tables and graphs to be completed in 11 minutes.

If you have been invited to take the DAA, you will be taking the AST- the AST has been renamed to the DAA but otherwise remains the same.

This part of the exam is based on elementary electrical concepts that are part of GCSE-level physics. There are 21 questions and 11 minutes to answer them.

While this section, too, is based on GCSE-level physics, it focuses on mechanical principles, such as energy, forces and motion, levers, screws, pulleys and so on. You will be given 10 minutes to complete 20 questions.

This test consists of two parts, each containing 10 questions. In the first part, you will be shown a sequence of letters, one at a time. Afterwards, you will be shown two of those letters and required to indicate how many letters were shown between them originally. The second part examines your ability to remember patterns. You will be presented with a sequence of blue grids (2 or 3), each with several yellow squares in it, one at a time. Subsequently, you will be shown several other, more complex grids, and asked to indicate which one represents the combination of the original grids displayed in the sequence.

Your RAF Aptitude test scores will be divided into two sections:

1. Six group scores named A to E, each consisting of a raw score up to 100.
2. Specific Skills scores for each of the seven test sections, with a score of 1 – 9.

The RAF AST pass marks will vary depending on the trade you’ve applied for. And usually, the pass marks would be higher for trades with higher competition, such as WSOp.

Unfortunately, the RAF doesn’t reveal the exact AST scores and pass marks needed for each trade. So, the best advice would be to prepare well for all AST sections in order to score high and unlock the finest roles in each trade.

After you finish taking the DAA, a recruiter will talk to you on the same day and inform you of your options in the RAF.

It's a good idea to listen attentively and come open-minded: many applicants find out about career options they did not even consider at this stage.

The rest of the process features an interview, a medical examination, a fitness exam, and sometimes pre-recruitment training.

Once you successfully pass the RAF Aptitude Test, you’ll get an invitation for the RAF Selection Interview. Depending on the trade and position you’ve applied for, the interview will take place either at your nearby AFCO or at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OACS).

The RAF interview will last about 30-45 minutes and will cover the same areas you were asked about in your application form: Family details, education, work, hobbies and pastimes, and why you want to join the RAF.

Additionally, the interviewer might ask you questions like:

• Why have you chosen the RAF specifically and not the Army or Navy?
• Why do you think you'll be suited to the RAF?
• What are the positives and negatives about joining the forces?
• What do you think you'll struggle with most during basic training?

If you’d like to practise mock interviews and get more professional tips and advice on how to win your RAF interview, visit our Interview preparation page.

Recruits will need to take a fitness exam at two stages of the RAF selection process.

The first is called the Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFT), and it's actually quite straighforward: You'll first need to run 1.5 miles on a treadmill, under a certain amount of time which will be determined by your age and gender. Then, you'll need to complete a certain minimum number of push-ups and situps. You will have exactly one minute for both. 

It should be noted that while doing this, there will be a trainer supervising you, so you will want to learn how to do proper push-ups and situps before taking the exam. If you are not in the proper shape to do these things, it is best to start preparing several weeks before your actual fitness test. Don't worry, these skills can be acquired.

Visit the RAF official site to see a complete breakdown of the RAF fitness test standards for 2023.