AFOQT Instrument Comprehension practice and strategy

Instrument Comprehension format and timing

Source: AFOQT Information Pamphlet (Form T, updated 1 Aug 2015), Tables 1–2. Instrument Comprehension is subtest 10 of 12, between Table Reading and Block Counting in Part B. The test has been computer-only (the E-AFOQT) since 2023; whether that changed any timing isn't published, so these are the Form T figures our timed sets use.

The reading rules

The pamphlet's rules, in our words:

• Viewpoint. You are always looking north, at the same altitude as the airplanes. East is always to your right.
• Artificial horizon (left dial). The little airplane in the center is fixed. The heavy black horizon line tilts with bank; the black pointer and the markings around the edge move with the airplane's attitude; the white pointer shows the degree of bank.
• Pitch. Horizon line on the little airplane: level. Little airplane between the horizon line and the black pointer (horizon below it): climbing. Horizon line between the little airplane and the black pointer (horizon above it): diving.
• Bank. White pointer pointing at the black pointer: no bank. White pointer to the right of the black pointer: banked to the pilot's right. To the left: banked to the pilot's left.
• Compass (right dial). The arrow shows the heading.
• Pictures. Four airplanes, including rear and front views. Pick the one that matches both dials.

Turning a heading into a picture:

In-between headings combine two rows: northeast is away from you and to the right.

The technique: three readings, then eliminate

1. Pitch. Compare the horizon line with the little airplane: on it means level, below it climbing, above it diving.
2. Bank. Compare the white pointer with the black pointer: on it means wings level, to the right a right bank, to the left a left bank.
3. Heading. Read the compass arrow, then turn it into a view: away, toward, left or right.
4. Say the pose to yourself in three words, such as “climb, right, northeast.”
5. Eliminate pictures with the wrong view first, then the wrong nose angle, then the wrong low wing.
6. In a front view the pilot's right wing is on your left, so check the bank last, and carefully.

Three examples, worked in words

The set above shows real dials; here the reasoning is spelled out.

Example 1. The horizon line sits below the little airplane, the white pointer is to the right of the black pointer, and the compass arrow points north.

Reading: climbing, banked right, heading north, so the airplane is flying away from you and you see its tail. Pick the rear view with the nose pointing above the horizon and the right wing, which is on your right, low. A rear view with the left wing low has the bank reversed; a nose-down one has the pitch reversed.

Example 2. The horizon line runs straight through the little airplane, the white pointer is to the left of the black pointer, and the compass arrow points south.

Reading: level, banked left, heading south, so the airplane is flying toward you and you see its nose. The trap is the bank. The pilot faces you, so the pilot's left wing is on your right. Pick the front view, level, with the wing on your right side low. The front view with the wing on your left low shows a right bank, the classic front-view mistake.

Example 3. The horizon line sits above the little airplane, between it and the black pointer. The white pointer points straight at the black pointer, and the compass arrow points west.

Reading: diving, wings level, heading west, so the airplane is flying to your left and you see its side. Pick the side view with the nose pointing left and down and the wings level. A nose-right picture has the wrong heading (east); a nose-level one has the wrong pitch.

Common traps

• The front-view mirror. Head-on, the pilot's right wing is on your left, so a right bank shows the low wing on your left.
• Flipped pitch. Horizon below the little airplane means climbing: the airplane is above the horizon.
• Guessing bank from the tilt. Use the white-pointer rule; it gives the direction directly.
• Ignoring the compass. Two pictures can match the horizon perfectly and differ only in heading.
• Stalling on one item. At 12 seconds each, a 30-second question costs you two others.

Pacing plan: 25 in 5 minutes

Five questions a minute, 12 seconds each. Checkpoints: 10 answered at 2:00, 20 at 4:00. With practice the three readings take a few seconds; the rest is elimination. If two pictures survive and you can't separate them quickly, pick one and go. There's no penalty for a wrong answer.

Which composites it feeds

Instrument Comprehension counts toward Pilot and Air Battle Manager. Pilot (including RPA pilot) training needs a Pilot composite of at least 25, and ABM training an ABM composite of at least 25 (DAFMAN 36-2664, Table A2.1). For pilot candidates, the Pilot composite also goes into PCSM together with TBAS results and flying hours; the PCSM estimator shows how they interact. The subtest is short, so every question is 4% of it.

Composites are percentiles from 1 to 99 against a reference group. The norms aren't published, so any composite we show is an estimate. More in AFOQT scores explained.

Practice it here

Start with the five questions above. Then run timed Instrument Comprehension sets: 25 questions at 12 seconds each. Every item is generated from a pose (heading, pitch and bank), and each wrong airplane differs from it in exactly one reading, so the explanation tells you which reading you missed. Sets never run out. Add Table Reading and a full mock once the rules feel automatic.

How to read the AFOQT instrument dials

1. Read pitch: horizon line below the little airplane means climbing, above it diving.
2. Read bank: white pointer right of the black pointer means a right bank.
3. Read the heading from the compass arrow.
4. Turn the heading into a view: north shows the tail, south shows the nose.
5. Eliminate pictures by view, then pitch, then bank.
6. In front views, remember the pilot's right wing is on your left.

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