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CFAST practice module

Trace Test 1 Test Guide

It looks like a reaction-time drill. It's actually a perspective problem.

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Independent exercise Reviewed 11 September 2026
Module briefing // SPATIAL
Training focusSpatial Reasoning — translating what you see into the pilot's point of view, not yours
CategorySPATIALStart withAccuracyThen buildPace
Primary focusSpatial Reasoning — translating what you see into the pilot's point of view, not yours
Best starting pointBuild an accurate, repeatable method
Training formatInteractive browser exercise

Module overview

What the test trains

This module focuses on Spatial Reasoning — translating what you see into the pilot's point of view, not yours. It is designed to make the underlying process easier to recognise, repeat and review before you add more speed or workload.

How this trainer relates to CFAST

In this trainer's Pilot (PLT) domain breakdown, Trace Test 1 is grouped under Spatial Reasoning (SpaR). The Academy tracks this domain separately rather than combining it with an overall weighted index. This is the Academy’s training model, not an official CAF scoring calculation.

Task profile

What the task looks like

What it involves

  • Decide first whether the aircraft is facing toward you or away.
  • Convert what you observe into the pilot's control input — left, right, up, down.
  • On harder rounds, pick out the correct aircraft among distractors before responding.
  • Mirror the response when the aircraft faces you: apparent-right becomes pilot-left.

Practice screen example

These screenshots show CBAT Academy’s independent practice version of the task.

Trace Test 1 practice screen showing a red aircraft among other aircraft
Follow the currently highlighted aircraft as positions change. Anchor attention to its movement path rather than relying on colour alone.Screenshot from the Trace Test 1 practice module.

Interface briefing

Controls and difficulty

Controls

Follow the path shown and answer using the keyboard.

Training plan

Build a method that holds up under pressure

Why this becomes difficult

  • Every response has to come from the pilot's perspective, not the screen's.
  • A toward-facing aircraft mirrors both the left/right axis and the up/down axis.
  • Harder rounds add a second problem — finding the right aircraft — on top of the perspective flip.
  • A technically correct response on the wrong aircraft still counts as wrong.

Preparation tips

  • Make orientation the very first decision, before anything else.
  • Drill the mirrored cases until they're automatic, not calculated each time.
  • When several aircraft are shown, find the target one first and deliberately ignore the rest.
  • Practise left/right and up/down mirroring separately before combining them.

Common mistakes

  • Responding to how the aircraft appears to move on your screen.
  • Skipping the toward/away check and guessing from habit.
  • Tracking the wrong aircraft when several are on screen.
  • Mirroring left/right correctly but forgetting climb and dive mirror too.

Useful practice drills

  • Mirror a partner's left/right hand movements while facing them.
  • Use toward/away cards and call out the pilot-relative response for each.
  • Work through all eight orientation-response combinations before adding distractors.

Transparency

Sources and information status

Task guidance on this page describes CBAT Academy’s own software. Broad aptitude context is checked against the public references in the source register.

The official CFASC candidate-guide PDF (22 January 2015) describes named test examples. Use it for historical familiarisation and follow your current joining instructions. The exercise mechanics and practice advice here describe the Academy version; domain mappings and scores are independent.

This guide describes CBAT Academy’s independently developed practice modules. It is not an exact specification of any current RAF, Canadian Forces or Ministry of Defence assessment. Official content, timings, scoring and administration may differ.

Continue the briefing

Turn the method into repeatable performance.

Launch the interactive trainer, begin with accuracy and review the pattern behind each mistake before increasing pace.

Try free practice View all CFAST practice modulesRead the CFAST Guide

Prepared by CBAT Academy · Last reviewed 11 September 2026 · Editorial process