Those of you who have retaken the TBAS: how much did it affect your PCSM?

[JustHangingOut]

15 minutes ago, UPTapplicant2017 said:

Just got my scores back today!! Went from a 59 pilot to a 95 pilot! So pumped. Now waiting for my PCSM to update. Anyone know how long it takes?  There is a board waiting on my updated scores.

Congrats!

By your previous posts it looks like you spent a lot more time studying.  Looks like it paid off!

 

[yeahboiiiiiii]

92 AFOQT Pilot and 69 PCSM with 3 hours- I'm assuming this means I bombed the TBAS? I feel like I definitely blew a portion or two. Can I get significant gains in PCSM from TBAS and AFOQT improvements or are flight hours necessary to get into the really high PCSMs? I'd rather not spend the thousands of dollars on rentals and instruction if I could study and practice for a couple hours or days to get the same increase. Or I could withdraw every penny and buy a 96 PCSM...

[Hopeful_guy]

92 AFOQT Pilot and 69 PCSM with 3 hours- I'm assuming this means I bombed the TBAS? I feel like I definitely blew a portion or two. Can I get significant gains in PCSM from TBAS and AFOQT improvements or are flight hours necessary to get into the really high PCSMs? I'd rather not spend the thousands of dollars on rentals and instruction if I could study and practice for a couple hours or days to get the same increase. Or I could withdraw every penny and buy a 96 PCSM...

Not necessarily. Cheaper option (if you’re sure you don’t want your PPL) would be buying the rudder and joystick (you can buy the exact ones on the test) and work the piss out of them. You’re only looking for a 20 point swing so that’s not bad, crushing the TBAS will only help. Just make sure you study.

[goddard15]

On 2/22/2018 at 6:43 AM, UPTapplicant2017 said:

UPDATE* Just got my scores back today. Went from a 59 Pilot/67 PCSM with 100 flight hours to a 95 Pilot/91 PCSM with 100 flight hours. 

 

 

congrats!

[Prayforwaves321]

11 hours ago, Hopeful_guy said:

 

Not necessarily. Cheaper option (if you’re sure you don’t want your PPL) would be buying the rudder and joystick (you can buy the exact ones on the test) and work the piss out of them. You’re only looking for a 20 point swing so that’s not bad, crushing the TBAS will only help. Just make sure you study.

 

Is the tbas testing program available? I heard we aren't even supposed to have the flash cards?

[Hopeful_guy]

Is the tbas testing program available? I heard we aren't even supposed to have the flash cards?

Yeah you aren’t supposed to have the flashcards, don’t really know how they got out there. But nothing says you can’t use a joystick and rudder to acclimate yourself to the scenarios.

[Smaggy]

Man,

Reading all the stories on here sure brings a damper on my scores. I originally took the AFOQT in 2014 and got a 65 (pilot), years later I decided to take it again and just recently got a 67 (this was after a bit of studying , about a month or so). Currently I sit around a 53 with my flight hours (30hrs). I have yet to retake the TBAS (which I think i would do better alot better than my first attempt on). And I wanted to apply for the 2019 UFT board. 

I have 2 options that I see... 

1) Pass on this board and try for the next board after I retake the AFOQT. That being said I will PCS during that time and have to spend at least 1 year TOS before I am eligible to reapply. So im looking at the 2021 board.

2) Just kill the TBAS and get my PPL and increase my flight hours (realistically 61-80hrs range) and hope for the best. This would probably bring me around the mid 60ish range.

2b) If I do get a rated position other than pilot accept it and in 2.5 years retrain to the pilot career field.

Thoughts?

 

[HiAlph12]

Looking for some advice on whether to re-take the AFOQT or not. I just got my PCSM, here are my numbers:

PCSM: 83 (41 hours)

AFOQT: P85/N86/AA85/Q83/V79

I am an ROTC cadet and will be applying to the rated boards in Jan. When I first took the AFOQT I honestly just winged it and did very little preparation. By the time I apply to the rated boards my PCSM should be 91 (81-100 hour bracket). If I re-take the AFOQT and seriously prepare for the exam,  I feel like I could boost my PCSM up into the 96-99 Range at 81 hours with an updated Pilot Section score. My goal/dream is to get into ENJJPT, so a 96-99 PCSM seems like it should be what I am looking for. So, is re-taking the AFOQT worth the gamble for a high PCSM? Or, should I feel comfortable with my 91 PCSM? I have been told to both re-take it and to not, and am searching for some advice from the experts, you guys! Thanks!

[GDAL]

5 minutes ago, HiAlph12 said:

Looking for some advice on whether to re-take the AFOQT or not. I just got my PCSM, here are my numbers:

PCSM: 83 (41 hours)

AFOQT: P85/N86/AA85/Q83/V79

I am an ROTC cadet and will be applying to the rated boards in Jan. When I first took the AFOQT I honestly just winged it and did very little preparation. By the time I apply to the rated boards my PCSM should be 91 (81-100 hour bracket). If I re-take the AFOQT and seriously prepare for the exam,  I feel like I could boost my PCSM up into the 96-99 Range at 81 hours with an updated Pilot Section score. My goal/dream is to get into ENJJPT, so a 96-99 PCSM seems like it should be what I am looking for. So, is re-taking the AFOQT worth the gamble for a high PCSM? Or, should I feel comfortable with my 91 PCSM? I have been told to both re-take it and to not, and am searching for some advice from the experts, you guys! Thanks!

I'd say retake if your goal is ENJJPT and you are confident you can do better. If you do decide to retake, double down on your timed studying.

[mtys999]

Hi all,

I have a 96 AFOQT pilot score and a 44 PCSM with 5 flight hours. 6 months has passed and I am considering retaking the TBAS. The first time I took it I did poorly on the directional orientation part, but I have since studied the flashcards and played around on a simulator and I am confident that I can do a lot better. I know a PCSM calculator doesn't exist, but does anyone have a general idea of how many points my PCSM can go up if I do really well on the TBAS my second time (with the 96 pilot AFOQT)? Looking around at some other people's scores on the forum I am thinking it may be in the 60s-70s but I was wondering if anyone could weigh in? I understand that flight hours have a lot of weight as well, but I think my PCSM is pretty bad for a 96 on the AFOQT. Thanks for the help, this forum has been awesome!

[Mighty Mighty]

@mtys999 What does your hypothetical score max out at with 201+ flight hours?  It should list a column of hypothetical scores below on your PCSM score sheet. 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2019 by UPTapplicant2017

[mtys999]

@UPTapplicant2017 my hypothetical score with 201+ hours is a 76. 

[donkey]

@mtys999 Hey, I have a similar Pilot score to you (98) but more hours. Backing my score off the typical 4 point jump to get to your bracket would give me an 82. So assuming you did similar to me on the TBAS, I'd say maybe somewhere around there.

Good luck!

[Mighty Mighty]

 @mtys999 in my humble opinion that's a good indicator you might want to try the TBAS again.  If you can afford more flying lessons and get your PPL that will help you 2X.

[Flyingsolo]

Hey, 

 

Can anyone help me decide on what to study for the TBAS. I will continue to study the flash cards, but is there anything else that will help?

[Johntsunami]

On 8/2/2019 at 7:56 AM, Flyingsolo said:

Hey, 

 

Can anyone help me decide on what to study for the TBAS. I will continue to study the flash cards, but is there anything else that will help?

There isn't really anything else to study other than the flashcards.

[LNGH]

You can't "study" but you can practice. Look at the TBAS information website and it should be pretty easy to find ways to prepare. A lot of them are posted on these forums.

[Bob Uecker]

I found that flying helped me with the TBAS, especially on the multi-tasking. I retook the test after a summer of flying and my score went up ~10 points.

[LNGH]

16 minutes ago, Bob Uecker said:

I found that flying helped me with the TBAS, especially on the multi-tasking. I retook the test after a summer of flying and my score went up ~10 points.

Keep in mind your PCSM is function of flight hours too. Not saying it doesn't help, I'm sure it does, just a note

Edited August 16, 2019 by LNGH

[Bob Uecker]

3 hours ago, LNGH said:

Keep in mind your PCSM is function of flight hours too. Not saying it doesn't help, I'm sure it does, just a note

Yea I know, my 0-flight hour score is what increased by that amount.

[oldfuck]

Well, here we are two years later and I've finally retaken the TBAS.

PCSM went from 71 to 93, same flight hours bracket (~50).

[tarheelaviator]

On 10/10/2019 at 12:20 PM, vipermaverickk said:

Well, here we are two years later and I've finally retaken the TBAS.

PCSM went from 71 to 93, same flight hours bracket (~50).

Beside the flash cards what did you do to prepare?  My reserve recruiter is encouraging me NOT to retake the TBAS because he is concerned I'll do worse.  Current scores for the audience:

AFOQT Pilot: 98

Hours: 103

PCSM: 88 (hypothetical 91 with hours maxed out)

I've just seen people with much higher PCSM scores while having lower hours and similar AFOQTs.  Makes me think I bombed it when I took it 3 years ago.

Edited January 9, 2020 by tarheelaviator

[John3806]

On 1/9/2020 at 10:00 AM, tarheelaviator said:

Beside the flash cards what did you do to prepare?  My reserve recruiter is encouraging me NOT to retake the TBAS because he is concerned I'll do worse.  Current scores for the audience:

AFOQT Pilot: 98

Hours: 103

PCSM: 88 (hypothetical 91 with hours maxed out)

I've just seen people with much higher PCSM scores while having lower hours and similar AFOQTs.  Makes me think I bombed it when I took it 3 years ago.

If I were in your shoes, I'd retake the TBAS. I can't speak for everyone, but I did much better on it my second time since I knew what to expect. Good luck! 

[Bob Uecker]

Gonna throw in a data point for TBAS retakes, I took my base 0 flight hour pcsm up 8 points by retaking. Not sure what the original max score was.

 

Always a possibility it could get worse though. I did it the second time at a different ROTC det, and felt like the controls were much better for the test on the second machine 🤷🏼‍♂️

[tarheelaviator]

1 hour ago, John3806 said:

If I were in your shoes, I'd retake the TBAS. I can't speak for everyone, but I did much better on it my second time since I knew what to expect. Good luck! 

Yeah think it'll be worth the risk to take the TBAS again I'll get it arranged.  Last time I took it it was after a friend's wedding weekend in NOLA.  Needless to say having almost zero sleep and imbibing too much right before taking the TBAS the next morning was not the smartest move (protip:  don't do that).