Free COMPASS pilot aptitude test practice app (2026)
Free COMPASS pilot aptitude test practice app for 2026: Brain Preflight gives you 5 free practice sessions every day for the COMPASS skills. Brain Preflight is an iPhone app for practising skills used in COMPASS pilot aptitude tests: mental maths, memory, spatial reasoning and divided attention. Choose any exercise for 5 free sessions every day. Installed exercises work offline; this guide adds worked examples and a 14-day practice plan.
Choose the guide for your route: RSAF COMPASS pilot selection.
Independent guide by the Brain Preflight app developer.
What is the COMPASS pilot aptitude test?
COMPASS stands for Computerized Pilot Aptitude Screening System and is an EPST product. EPST describes six core tests and says prior flying experience is not required. Its page also lists technical comprehension, aviation English and verbal reasoning. Confirm the battery, equipment and duration in your own invitation.
| Test | Skill assessed |
|---|---|
| Control | Hand, foot and eye coordination. |
| Slalom | Hand–eye tracking. |
| Task manager | Screen scanning and concurrent task management. |
| Memory | Short-term recall. |
| Mathematics | Applied mathematical reasoning and speed. |
| Orientation | Instrument interpretation and spatial understanding. |
A useful first step is to make a checklist from your invitation: which tasks, which controls, which language, and what familiarisation is provided. A mobile drill can support a practice habit, but it cannot reproduce the feel of the assessment’s physical controls.
How should you interpret COMPASS results?
Ask the assessing organisation how it reports results and what its selection requirements are. Do not convert a practice-app level or an internet percentage into an official pass mark. Keep your practice results as a record of your own accuracy, pace and recurring mistakes.
Original practice examples with worked answers
Try these original practice examples before opening each explanation. Review the method, then try a fresh example using the same approach.
1. Speed, distance and time
An aircraft covers 150 nautical miles in 50 minutes at a constant groundspeed. What is its groundspeed in knots?
Show answer and method
180 knots. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. Convert the time: 50 minutes = 5/6 hour. Then 150 ÷ (5/6) = 180. Alternatively, 150 ÷ 50 = 3 nautical miles per minute; multiply by 60. Check that a journey taking less than an hour gives a speed greater than 150 knots.
2. A heading change across north
Starting on a heading of 350°, turn right by 40°. What is the new heading?
Show answer and method
030°. A right turn increases the heading: 350 + 40 = 390. Subtract 360 to wrap around north: 30°. Write headings with three digits. A sketch of north, east, south and west can expose a left/right error before you practise mentally.
3. Recall after a distraction
Read the sequence 7 – 2 – 9 – 4 – 1 once. Cover it, calculate 18 + 27, then write the sequence in its original order.
Show answer and method
The calculation is 45; the sequence is 7 – 2 – 9 – 4 – 1. Record whether you lost an item or swapped its position. For the next attempt use a new sequence. Repeating a memorised answer would measure familiarity with that example rather than recall of new information.
A suggested 14-day COMPASS preparation plan
This is our practice schedule, not an EPST prescription. Adjust it to your invitation and available time. A 20–25 minute session can include two short drills and an error review; stop when fatigue makes the review unproductive.
| When | What to do | What to review |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | Read the provider instructions. Try each available familiarisation exercise. | Write down the rules and identify two weak areas. |
| Days 3–5 | Practise arithmetic and heading changes, initially without a timer. | Explain every wrong answer; distinguish a method error from a rushed response. |
| Days 6–8 | Alternate fresh memory items, spatial exercises and coordination practice. | Keep difficulty and controls consistent when comparing sessions. |
| Days 9–11 | Add short timed rounds and a combined-attention drill. | Record both missed signals and incorrect reactions. |
| Days 12–13 | Return to the official familiarisation and review your error log. | Check that you can follow instructions without relying on memorised examples. |
| Day 14 | Use light review and check travel, documents and the test time. | Arrive rested; avoid a last-minute score chase. |
Keep a simple practice log: date, exercise, difficulty, correct answers, time and one mistake to fix. Compare sessions with the same settings. Use the log to choose what to practise next.
Where Brain Preflight fits in COMPASS preparation
Practise arithmetic, memory, spatial reasoning and attention with Brain Preflight on iPhone. Pick an exercise, work through a short session and review your progress. Here is what you can practise in the app.
| Practice area | In Brain Preflight |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | Calculation grid: compare expressions and apply operations. |
| Memory and spatial reasoning | 2-back memory, Cube nets and 3D objects. |
| Coordination and divided attention | Psychomotor combines tracking, shape matching and arithmetic checks. |
A COMPASS practice routine
Open these exercises from the catalogue: Calculation grid for Maths, 2-back memory for Memory, Cube nets and 3D objects for spatial work related to Orientation, and Psychomotor plus Airways for concurrent tasks related to Taskmanager. Control and Slalom are coordination tasks; touchscreen tracking only gives related practice. Your school’s invitation decides which modules you actually take.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force also uses a test called COMPASS. A shared name does not mean the same tasks, provider or scoring: see the RSAF COMPASS guide.
Brain Preflight at a glance
- Platform: iPhone.
- Languages: Available in 5 languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Dutch.
- Free access: five practice sessions per day, with an optional paid Premium tier.
- Offline practice: exercises run offline; online services and purchases require a connection.
- Scores: 1–9 practice levels to follow your progress across sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start preparing for COMPASS?
Start with the flight school’s invitation and any familiarisation it provides. Use EPST’s overview to understand the test families, then practise the skills you find difficult with new examples.
Can I practise for COMPASS on an iPhone?
Yes. Brain Preflight offers arithmetic, memory, spatial and divided-attention exercises on iPhone, with five free practice sessions per day and optional paid Premium.
What is the COMPASS pass mark or retake waiting period?
Confirm both with the organisation assessing you. This guide does not give a universal cut-off or waiting period, because those details need to match your specific selection.
How does Brain Preflight track progress?
The app uses its own 1–9 practice levels, session history and progress views. Compare sessions on the same exercise and settings to decide what to practise next.
Official sources and editorial notes
- EPST: Cadet Selection – COMPASS — Official overview and core test areas.
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The examples, suggested schedules and app comparisons are our own. Your invitation and the provider’s current instructions take precedence if a format or policy changes.
Comparing assessment routes? Read cut-e / Aon preparation · DLR preparation.