Page 31 - SSB Interview: The Complete Guide, Second Edition

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Introduction

Pilot Aptitude Battery Test (PABT)

All candidates aspiring to become pilots are put through a battery of tests to
check if they have the aptitude to be a pilot. This is a mandatory test for all

candidates wanting to be a pilot irrespective of their choice of service. PABT
is conducted only at Air Force Selection Boards (AFSB), and even if the
candidate wants to join the Army/Navy, he will be sent to one of the AFSBs

for PABT as only the Air Force has this facility.

Earlier, candidates were not put through any such tests. However, during
World War II, the NATO forces realised that not all pilots were successful on

the job and that there were many accidents and crashes. Resultant research
suggested that to be a successful military pilot the person should have certain
innate attributes like agility, good reflexes, judgement, presence of mind and

nerve to withstand severe mental and physical strains. This resulted in the
development of PABT. It is believed that if a candidate does not have the
aptitude naturally, he cannot be trained on these and hence, a candidate who

fails in these tests once is permanently rejected to be a pilot and no second
chance is given to him/her. It is in the interest of both the candidate and the

service not to take chances with such a high-risk profession. Hence, across
the country, no coaching is available for this test.

Even though one cannot be trained for PABT, it could be of some use to
know the procedure and the various tests that are done so that the candidate is

prepared mentally to approach the test. PABT includes the following: