Took my AFAST...

[Coota0]

Took my AFAST and now I have a question; I finsihed the test and no one knew what a qualifying score was or even out of how many points, so they said let's call and ask your recruiter, who is usual was no where to be found, so I don't know what a qulifying score is or out how many points, if someone could help me I'd appreciate it.

[Brad]

You have to score a 90 or higher on the AFAST to qualify. That said, you should be well into the 100's to really be competitive. I got 120 or so and was not really satisfied with my score. The confusion comes when you ask, "90 out of how many?" As near as I could tell, there were about 200 questions on the test, so a 90 seems ridiculously low to qualify. The explanation they gave is that the questions at the end - "where there's no right or wrong answer" (Yeah, right) - don't figure into the test score.

Hopefully AV8tor or someone else who's rated can shed a little more light...

[Coota0]

Thanks, Brad.
I found the 90 requirement right as I was reading your post.

[Av8tor152d]

Heres the deal with the AFAST all that matter is that you get above a 90 cuz when the board looks at your packet they do not look at a score they just look to see if you passed it(sounds silly I know but its true) You have just as much a chance as someone who got a 176 (which is the max score) of getting picked up if you only got a 90. As for the max score I have no idea how it works the test is as old as dirt and all it checks is to see if you fit the personality of what the ARMY deems to be an aviator. Theres my two cents and AIR CAV

[Scary]

As it was explained to me (since I didn't take it)...

The questions that count the most are those "there is no wrong answer" question about your personality. So as long as you said you like working on your truck more than planting flowers or talking about your feelings, I think you'll be OK.


E.S.

[DakotaAv8r]

Disclaimer

I'm not a rated rotary wing pilot for the military (yet).
I hold a FAA PPL and am nearly done with my INST rating and I've got a couple hundred hours.
I've been in both Active, National Guard and Reserve Components.

Oh yea, and sorry for the book, if this post helps anyone out I'd like to know. It took forever and a day to write.

Below is all just my experience/opinion and YMMV.
End Disclaimer

Originally Posted by Av8tor152d

Heres the deal with the AFAST all that matter is that you get above a 90 cuz when the board looks at your packet they do not look at a score they just look to see if you passed it(sounds silly I know but its true)

I suppose it might depend on if your going WOC or Direct Commission, and if its Active or Reserves but I highly doubt it.
On the Reserve side, I've asked officers who've sat on the boards and they mentioned that a high score gets their attention. Why would they Army (or these officers, for that matter) waste time and $$ on someone with no aptitude for flight?

Also if you Dir. Comm. having a high score helps because its one more selling point to the people you need to get recommendation letters from as well as an additional selling point to the unit when you are trying to convince their CO to give you a paragraph/line number (position).

I called a unit to inquire about para/line numbers and vacancies in the unit and kinda got the run around. I drove down there (4 1/2 hour drive one way) and showed up in person.
Same thing... pretty much got either blown off or the run-around by the S1, retention and a few other NCO's.



At lunch I was talking with a group of pilots and crew chiefs and I mentioned that I'm really interested in the unit, I drove over 4 hours one way to come here and check it out and that I've already done the Flight Physical (passed) as well as taken my AFAST.

One officer look up from chow and asks, "What'd ya score?"
"148" I reply.
"Ohhhh reeaalllly?" he says as a couple of other smirk, "Can you prove it?"
"Yep, here you go." and I hand him a copy of my offical test scores from my binder.
His reply? "Come with me after lunch, we're going to see the XO."

You can draw your own conclusions from that.

You have just as much a chance as someone who got a 176 (which is the max score) of getting picked up if you only got a 90.

Same chance? Depends. Unless you've sat on a board I wouldn't go so far as to tell troops that it doesnt matter.
If the score really didn't matter, your grade would simply be PASS or FAIL, think about it.

I really doubt you'd ever see a 176 on the AFAST. (At least not the version that I took.)
The total points is 150, therefore that is the max score. We took the test in the AM and this was explained after our tests were graded and our scores were handed back to us the in the afternoon.

I only found this out because I was pissed at having a 148 because I had also thought it was a 200 point test.

I raised my hand and said, "I'm concerned about my score. How soon can I retest?" (This was before I had learned that you can only retest if you get below a 90.)

The testers (two old assed civilian education contractors, and one a former pilot) started laughing at me, then told me to quit bitching because I only missed two questions out of 150 total.

As for the max score I have no idea how it works the test is as old as dirt and all it checks is to see if you fit the personality of what the ARMY deems to be an aviator.

Yes, I agree that test is as old as dirt.

However I do not think that they are focused on seeing if you fit the personality of what the ARMY deems to be an aviator.
The actual questions on the test (all but the very last section) are designed to test you on your ability for "spatial" thinking (three dimentional stuff", basic ability to understand mechanical devices, basic areodynamics and basic functions of helicopter controls and how those controls effect it in flight and stuff like that.

The questions that count the most are those "there is no wrong answer" question about your personality. So as long as you said you like working on your truck more than planting flowers or talking about your feelings, I think you'll be OK.

The questions that count the most are the ones that you ANSWER CORRECTLY.
From what I was told, the "touchy-feely/personality" part is not graded and does not count toward getting your minimum 90 points.

My understanding is that the "touchy-feely/personality" questions are on top of the 150 questions that count for score. This is why it seemed like it was nearly 200 total questions -- because it probably was when you add the "touchy-feely/personality" questions on top of the 150 that were graded for score.

Should you mark down that you like mechanical shit over painting and ballet? No doubt, but FWIW I do not think that my offical copy of the AFAST score sheet that went into my 201 file has any of the "touchy-feely/personality" results on it. Just the 148 and such.

Some advice on how to get a high score?

• Get a decent book on basic helicopter flight and STUDY it cover to cover, have friends quiz you on stuff from it.
• Get a copy of the practice AFAST, make more copies and practice, practice, practice.
• If money is not an issue, try to take a helicopter ground school in person or using a CD based training system and the FAA test. Its good practice and if you have absolutely zero knowledge about flight and aircraft its not a bad idea. Personally I wouldn't really advise someone to do this unless they already took the AFAST once and really BOMBED it.

A measly 13 bucks gets you FAA handbook FAA-H-8083-21, "Rotorcraft Flying Handbook" if you search the internet enough. Also try here http://www.avshop.com/products.asp?dept=193

I've had a couple of decent PC based helo games that had semi-realistic options for flight models/controls. (That at least teaches you about the reactions of the helicopter when you make a control change to one control input and everything else changes as well.) Does this automatically make me a good helo pilot? No. Does it help me get a high score? Sure did.

Right before the test try these strategies:

• Get a REALLY good nights sleep before hand.
• Eat a decent (not huge) breakfast.
• Bring some snacks (quiet ones) in your pocket.
• HYDRATE!

I actually took the test while deployed to Afghanistan after working till 8pm the night before.
Personally I think my high score is because:

• I've already gotten my PPL and most of the way thru my instrument rating as well as taken the Commercial written.
• I've logged a couple hundred hours of flight time.
• I've spent quite a bit of time talking with older, experienced pilots - fixed and rotary wing. (Hanger flying.)
• I understand the areodynamics for both fixed wing and helos.
• I've studied and understand general helicopter mechanics and systems.
• I know at least the basics of what happens when you make certain control inputs during hover and flight.
• I took numerous practice AFAST tests in the week prior.
• I followed most of the test taking strategies outlined in the bullet points above.

FWIW, a buddy of mine (now a WOC) who also holds his civilian PPL and Inst ratings took the AFAST last year and only got a 91.

Why?

Too cocky.

He knew that I scored high and that we both have similar aviation ratings and time and figured it was cake. He didnt study and then the night before drank a few beers and stayed out late. Wrong answer.

Don't freak out if you get less than 90 the first time. Consider it a practice run. When you get your scores back, talk to the graders about the test and ask questions. Try to find out what areas you were sucking ass in and then work harder on those areas for your retest.

Remember you get only TWO tries!

About the two questions I missed...

One I was near the beginning of a section and I had some doubts so I skipped it and then never went back to finish it.
Second was one that I had the right answer the first time then changed it for some reason right before time was up.

Both were dumbass mistakes.

Oh well.

[Brad]

Good post - have you been picked up yet?

[DakotaAv8r]

Originally Posted by Brad

Good post - have you been picked up yet?

I hit the local board next month and my packet should hit the DA/USARC level in 2-3 months.

Check this out. RED TEXT is my doing. Ignore the misspellings.

The "rumor" thing at the bottom refers to the fact that currently you do NOT need a college diploma/degree to become Direct Commissioned.
We are being told that after 1 Oct 2006 (next FY) that a degree/diploma will become a REQUIREMENT.
Just what I've heard (from Retention NCO.)

(WOC fields are pretty much wide open now also.)

Obviously YMMY.