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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 1297.PDF
AUGUST 7TH, IQ47 FLIGHT 135 Aircrew Selection Sorting Wheat from Chaff in Candidate Aptitude Tests k AT R.A.F. Station North Weald, which during the Battle l\ of Britain was one of the front-line fighter bases, hasJ_ JL now been established the Combined Selection Board whereby candidates for aircrew are assessed as to theiraptitude. Everything is done to put the entrants at their ease and to ensure that they enter the undertaking with aclear picture in their minds as to exactly what is entailed. The R.A.F. itself is only too keen that each candidate shouldbe given every opportunity to make the best of himself; it is ,tently in the interests of the Service that this should be so.There is no question of submitting the entrants to an ixamination and trying to catch them out. The whole svstemis designed to assess—on as scientific a basis as possible—the natural aptitude of the individual for the type of work hewishes to do. The aim of preliminary aptitude testing is to do the selection in a way that is far more accurate than ispossible by interview. In this connection it is officially stated that, during 1940-41, of those selected by interview for pilotduty, fully a quarter failed in training through lack of flying ability alone. The tests are divided basically into two kinds, written andapparatus, but the "score" for all is assessed and used as the final index of the candidate's aptitude. Individual scoresdo, however, indicate a particular bent in one direction or another. In the light of this we were interested to hear that if,for example, a candidate wishes to become a pilot and his test results show he is very likely to become a good pilot but,«n the other hand, is also likely to become a first-rate •engineer, there is no persuasion put upon the entrant to makehim choose an engineer's job instead. On the contrary, if his main interest and desire is to become a pilot he is given everyencouragement. Personal interest in the job plays as important a part (so far as the Service is concerned) as doesexecution of the job—given conformity with a basic standard. There are three pencil-and-paper tests (which originated withthe U.S.A.A.F.), all of which are objectively arranged with several alternative answers shown for each question. Thecandidate must select the answer which he thinks is correct or most nearly correct. Each test aims at assessing the candidatefor a different interest or knowledge: one covers familiarity •with elementary aviation activities; another measures speedand accuracy in interpreting instruments; and a third assesses general mechanical bent and practical interests. There arefurther papers, for navigators and engineer candidates, which aim at assessing respectively mathe-matical ability and mechanical compre- hension. V Sensori-motor Tests All of these tests have in common an eminently clear introductory explana- tion—which is amplified by the tester in charge—with sample problems, and each paper gets progressively stiffer as one goes through it. The times allowed for answering naturally differ a great deal according to the papers but, on the whole, we felt, were amply generous. Whilst the candidate is coping with his paper, invigilators who are trained to move silently pass among the tables to flffer any help required without actually solving the candidate's test problem. They also prevent any skulduggery should such a beast rear its ugly head They do walk very quietly. Complementing the paper tests an- apparatus tests for assessing (a) hand eye/foot co-ordination and (b) hand eye/velocity co-ordination. The first n! these takes the form of a " cockpit " complete with atick, rudder pedals and torottle, and with a large glass screen i renting the " pilot " candidate. On this screen appears a dot of light whichls controlled in its vertical movement l>v " elevator " movement of the control column, and in its horizontal motion by movement of the rudder pedals. Tne Co-ordination of handjeyelfoot control is measured by a sensori- motor apparatus which automatically counts the candidates machine is set running, and the dot of light starts shiftingabout all over the screen. It is the " pilot's " job so to manipulate his controls thatthe light is kept within a square of about 2-inch sides, engraved in the centre of, the screen. Below the screen is a white anda red light. One or other of these flash on at irregular inter- vals—not necessarily in sequence—and appropriate movemeatof the throttle switches them out. The score is counted as the number of seconds the candidate allows the dot of light Pitouduty candidates receive three %-hour test periods on the Visuo/ Link in a cychroma chamber.
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