AFAST Scores

[tparrotte]

I've been reading this section of this site since I started my packet 2 months ago and its been a help. I am curious if anyone knows what the average afast score is. It's been hard to find information on how well a particular score is. I am assuming since a 90 is the lowest you would want to get as far away from that as you can, but I have never seen anyone get anything over a 150, and I know you can get up to 174.

 

I just got a 131 on my AFAST, so im curious how that stacks up to other people, since there is no percentile based score for it.

 

I am only missing one part of my packet and that is the last section of my flight physical. Eyes, ears, and dental are done and fine. So after that is done I will be finished on my way to getting a bored meeting.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Tyler Parrotte

Edited August 23, 2008 by tparrotte

[FLHooker]

I have heard a large range of scores... Highest I have heard is 154. I also don't recall anyone less than 100 either... There is a minimum for a reason...

 

 

 

CHAD

[tparrotte]

Alright thanks. Seems the score results are a little ambiguous, its hard to tell what a a score actually represents and how well the numbers stack up. O well I suppose I will know how it stacks up when I am either declined or accepted.

[FLHooker]

the AFAST is only 1 portion of your packet.

[tparrotte]

I would imagine its a significant part since its supposed to measure your chances of success in flight school.

[FormerCoachTurned1LT]

I would imagine its a significant part since its supposed to measure your chances of success in flight school.

 

I have a master's degree and when I was enlisted I had a 131 GT score. I took the AFAST and got a 113. Take that for what it's worth which probably isn't much, but FYI.

[e145]

The AFAST is just one indication of how you'll do in flight school. When you think about is it's difficult to use a purely written test to determine how some one will do in a physical environment.

 

There are a number of factors that come into play. Im sure there are people who haven't smoked the AFAST who did very well in flight school and others who had high AFAST scores who didn't.

[ATTACK!!]

hey tparrotte,

did you submit for the november board?

[Linc]

The AFAST is what it says, the same as the ASVAB; a test to determine an individual's aptitude for a certain subject. Testing someone's aptitude is an attempt to quantify how well they know or can learn something. In the case of the AFAST, the Army wants to know what is your likely success of grasping the theoretical and practical knowledge required for flight, by testing your ability to answer questions on concepts and knowledge that relate to flying helicopters.

 

The Army has determined that a score of 90 or above on the test indicates that the individual is likely to succeed in the training. I've seen high scores pass flight school, and I've seen low scores succeed in flight school. More factors than just the AFAST will be used to determine selection for the program, and after selection, the AFAST doesn't figure at all in how the individual proceeds in the program or the career. The AFAST score isn't tattooed on the arm or worn underneath the collar, and there isn't a secret handshake for higher AFAST scores (at least that's what those guys tell me).

 

Once you get to flight school, the only thing that matters is performance in the cockpit and the classroom.

[tparrotte]

I did not submit my application in November. I STILL do not know whether or not my flight physical was approved by Fort Rucker because my recruiter is a jerk off most of the time. Civ to pilot recruits don't get high priority here because its such a slim chance at it, annoying. I'm hoping to get my packet in for the March Board because that is the next one i will be able to get in.

 

I have another question though if anyone has an answer, long shot though. Since this process is taking so long I signed back up for college to get some more done while I'm waiting for this. Now that I think about it I have two questions.

 

First, lets say my physical is approved right now, how long will it take to get a board meeting? The reason I ask is because I am leaving for Guam January 15th. If at all possible I want to get my board meeting done before that so I can have my packet submitted while I am at school in Guam, and if I get accepted then ill just spring the cash to come back.

 

Next question is since I am going back to school in Guam, if I cannot get a board meeting before January 15th is it possible to get a board meeting in Guam? There is an Army ROTC at the college and also a Guam Army Nation Guard. Anyone happen to know if its possible to get a board meeting there?

 

Thanks.

[tparrotte]

Just to add this extra for anyone that is curious about the AFAST. Not to be self righteous but I'm not a dumb guy and the actual AFAST test compared to what is in all the books I read about it are significantly different, and it is much harder than the books suggest. A Civilian pilot I took the test with got a 110 to my 131. Also my own personal advice is to read everything about helicopters. I start with Principles of Helicopter Flight, and also a learning to fly helicopters book. After that I took a while studying the ARCO and Barons books. I cannot tell you how many issues I had with those books being wrong is so many places, I literally cut pages and made my own book from the pieces of information I knew was right. There are so many mistakes its unbelievable, but on a lighter side if you study enough you can find the mistakes and it helps to remember things. Anyway that's just my experience, I am sure its different for everyone.

Edited December 6, 2008 by tparrotte

[Linc]

The value of the return on the amount or level of intensity of studying is hard to establish. I would say that a good, basic manual that adequately covers aerodynamics, helicopter systems, and pilot controls and techniques, is probably going to be adequate to help you get a good score on the AFAST. Advanced texts, such as books by Prouty and others, are not necessarily going to give an advantage in taking the test.

 

The level of study required is based on the individual. Some people will require more studying for the AFAST than others. The same will be true for flight school in general. Any studying is probably better than no studying. I, for one, browsed the late 80's version of the old AC 61-13 Basic Helicopter Handbook, and took the sample test in the ARCO study guide that was current at the time (checked out from a local military library). Another applicant who tested at the same time as I did, had studied helicopter aerodynamic manuals (possibly Prouty?) and only scored 15 points more than I did. That may seem like a large margin, but not in the range we both scored in. I admit I wasn't happy with my score compared to his, but here I am flying helicopters for the Army. I have no idea where he is.

[IWannaFly]

I was really nervous/disappointed with my score. I didn't feel like I did nearly as well as I should have and was really nervous about the effect it would have on my acceptance. My score was a 113 and the end result is that I'm sitting at Ft Rucker waiting to start. I'm not sure, but I think the resume is probably the most important part of the packet. Make sure you have someone who knows what needs to be in there look over yours and help you out. I was really fortunate to have a lot of help on mine. Good luck.

 

Blake

[dnall]

I got a 132 GT, 121 AFAST, and I know worksheet for waivers recommends over 120 AFAST. Other then that, it's not important. 90 means you're go, less means you're not. I've seen no indication anyone cares what your score is other then that.

[xmuggsyx]

What is the highest score that was achieved on the AFAST?

[samuraiguytn]

I took my AFAST a few weeks ago and made a 148. I was told it was the highest the KNoxville MEPS has ever seen. I know its not the highest grade, but Im pretty excited I had gotten that.

[Lindsey]

I took my AFAST a few weeks ago and made a 148. I was told it was the highest the KNoxville MEPS has ever seen. I know its not the highest grade, but Im pretty excited I had gotten that.

 

Wow, very nice!

 

What is your background? As in, did you study a lot for it? What sections did you focus on? Do you have experience flying helicopters or fixed wing? I am looking to take the AFAST in a few months, so any tips you have would be fantastic.

 

Thanks!

[samuraiguytn]

My back ground helped out alot, on the ground side, I have worked at TAC AIR chattanooga as a ramp agent, Interned in airport operations in chattanooga, Worked the ramp for Atlantic Southeast Airlines and worked as a flight coordinator for a flight school. My flight experience currently is Fixed wing, commercial single and multi engine and IFR certified. I'm currently a furloughed airline pilot for ASA with around 6-700 hours in the CRJ 200 and 1050 ish Total time.

 

 

But you can get that score without all that experience. Practice practice practice. What I did was look around for practice exams, I never found any on line, unlike the AVSAB. But what I did find was more important, go through This -> http://www.geocities.com/flyingmouse1/Table_of_contents.html

And book mark it so you can return to it. Study the fundamentals of flight, ie the four forces acting on an aircraft, they are the same for both fix and rotor wing. Also study some of the principals as they can differ from fixed wing. like stalling characteristics. read up on the functions of the controls, while your doing that, kinda imagine if your hand on the controls, and how the movements of the blades are taking place. study the basic helicopter components and why they are important.

 

May seem like alot but its important. Also go and get your self the petersons AFAST book from books a million. The book doesn't have much on the AFAST except for a practice exam, I would just copy the test and answer sheets and take the book back. Go over the test really well, each question you come across thats over your head, refer back to either Google or that flying handbook. Take a week or two to study up on the test.

 

Now the good news, some parts of the test are setup that if you don't know the answer, ie moving the dot, don't answer, a wrong answer counts against you, an un marked answer doesn't. several parts of the test are like that, other parts of the test such as the picture portion require all the answers to be marked.

 

 

I hope this helps and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to help out.

[Lucky64driver]

I've got a Field Artillery background, which means I'm pretty much dumb as a rock. Saw some Apache's in the air first time I went to Iraq....but that's pretty much the extent of aviation background. I got a 148, too. So don't worry about getting a good grade. I'm just good at multipule guess.

Edited October 30, 2009 by Lucky64driver

[dondlhmn]

I just looked at some old paperwork that has some of my scores from when I was trying to get into Army flight school in early 1975. I do believe that the score range or scoring system and probably the names have changed since then, but back then I scored 403 on the FAST test. I did pretty easily get into flight school and graduated #1 in my class in 1976 (WORWAC class 76-13). I can't find out nowdays what the other test scores meant...can't find anything that relates them to now days scores....maybe you can, but FWIW they were CO134, FA142,EL148, OF145, GM148 MM151, CL125, ST128, GT146 and SC145....maybe you can translate those into what they might mean nowdays, but I DID GET SUCCESSFULLY through Flight school with those in my history.

 

I hope that helps give some relative idea as to what works (at least back then!!)

[Eric Bray]

Back in "ancient" times of 1968 (Vietnam Era) everything was listed on your DA Form 20 under item #24 &  item #25! The AFAST (Army Flight Aptitude Selection Test) was listed under item #25 in three (3) parts 1.) The Composite Score which could top off at 352, 2.) The Fixed Wing Component which could top off at 176, and 3.) The Rotary Wing Component which could top off at 176.

The rumor was that the tested candidate needed a score of "90" or better on one of the two components of the AFAST to qualify to flight training as well as a SCORE of 110 or better on the GT (General Technical = VE [summary of word knowledge and paragraph comprehension] + AR [arithmetic reasoning]/2) of the ASVAB.

If the candidate had those qualifications then it was thought that that candidate had the "potential" to complete all of the necessary training to become an U. S. Army aviator, but there were not any guarantees. The highest score I ever saw on the Rotary Wing portion of the AFAST was 173 or 98% of the questions answered correctly.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vy1l6svvtaymv0u/item 25.JPG?dl=0 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Eric Bray
Correct grammar

[RedRobin]

As an old fart I took the AFAST back in 1989.   I may be wrong but if memory serves me correctly, at THAT time a 90 was passing and 128 was the highest possible score.  I scored 108.   I never got to join because I was trying to downplay a chronic auto-immune disease and there was already too much documentation of it in my medical history.

My fantasy was to pilot the Blackhawk.  Being an instrument rated, mid-lift personnel/cargo cargo transport craft I was hoping it would be a good resume builder for later civilian employment.