TBAS Information

[Guest r6pilot]

I took my TBAS at one of the local ROTC dets and it took the guy a couple days to send in my stuff. Once it got there, it was quick to get the results.

[dontshavemyhead]

I took mine at 9AM and had my results by 3PM.

[Guest amlamarra]

They don't give you a TBAS score, do they? I just took it yesterday and got my PCSM score of 97 with a pilot AFOQT score of 82 and 9 flying hours.

[gohornsgo]

They don't give you a TBAS score, do they? I just took it yesterday and got my PCSM score of 97 with a pilot AFOQT score of 82 and 9 flying hours.

No, they don't from what I hear. And frankly, I don't think you need one judging by your numbers there. Sounds like you kilt it. Congrats.

[Duck]

No, they don't from what I hear. And frankly, I don't think you need one judging by your numbers there. Sounds like you kilt it. Congrats.

No TBAS score. The TBAS, Pilot AFOQT and Flight hours are thrown into a super-secret formula to come up with your PCSM. They have been known to mess up on occassion...

[Guest CAVEMAN]

No TBAS score. The TBAS, Pilot AFOQT and Flight hours are thrown into a super-secret formula to come up with your PCSM. They have been known to mess up on occassion...

I met a kid at the FBO last year who had about 50 hours when he took the TBAS. He got a PCSM of "1". Now I thought it was funny but wondered if there was an error?

Now that you say it, I want to believe that was the case with this fellow. I am sure he has gone back to re-take it and is probably lurking around on the site.

Edited January 15, 2009 by CAVEMAN

[Guest Pavelow16478]

any way to find out what your PCSM score would be without flight hours? dont really need to know, just courious what it would have been without my hours

[Odium]

I was picked up for a CSO slot out of ROTC with a PCSM of 77 after taking the TBAS in Sept 08 with 0 flight hours.

I've read that a PCSM >90 is desirable for being competitive on the AD selection board so that's my goal but it's going to be quite expensive since I'll need over 200 flight hours to make it there going strictly by flight hours. Retaking the test seems like the better option. Would it make more sense to take the TBAS again while the test is still fresh in my mind or wait until after IFS and whatever skills I'll gain as a CSO?

[FlyingWolf]

Honestly they give you a LOT of info on the TBAS site about what to expect. Read through it, see what all the sections are and just come into it with plenty of sleep and stay relaxed. You'll do fine.

https://pcsm.aetc.af.mil/BatInfoPage/BatInfo.htm

Its been a few years since I took the TBAS but my best advice:

Take your time and carefully read and reread all instructions before beginning a section. There is no time limit here and, if I remember correctly, you get a little sample before you take the actual test. Study this, imagine what you are going to do, imagine possible variations (particularly for the Directional Orientation Test) and what your response will be, and mock test yourself (touch but don't push buttons... particularly for the Emergency Scenario Test)....

and for the Airplane Tracking Test... imagine some damn commie bastard flying around in American airspace.... shoot that mother effer.

[HiFlyer]

any way to find out what your PCSM score would be without flight hours? dont really need to know, just courious what it would have been without my hours

As I recall, the one example I saw (for one individual with a PCSM of 70, what his PCSM would be with flying hours added) was 1-5hrs, 1 pt; 6-10 hrs, 3 pts; 11-20 hrs, 5 pts; 21-40 hrs, 10 pts; 41-60 hrs, 13 pts, 61-80 (or maybe 61-100...I'm not sure), 15 pts. In his case, considering the cost of flying, 21 hours seemed to be the break point. I don't know if the points are the same for everyone, or somehow pro-rated by where your PCSM starts. I suspect you could work backwards with these numbers and be in the ballpark.

Edited March 5, 2009 by HiFlyer

[XL0901]

As I recall, the one example I saw (for one individual with a PCSM of 70, what his PCSM would be with flying hours added) was 1-5hrs, 1 pt; 6-10 hrs, 3 pts; 11-20 hrs, 5 pts; 21-40 hrs, 10 pts; 41-60 hrs, 13 pts, 61-80 (or maybe 61-100...I'm not sure), 15 pts. In his case, considering the cost of flying, 21 hours seemed to be the break point. I don't know if the points are the same for everyone, or somehow pro-rated by where your PCSM starts. I suspect you could work backwards with these numbers and be in the ballpark.

I want to say my PCSM score before adding my flight hours was 95. Then I went back and added my hours (168) and it only raised it 3 points. There must be more to it than just a linear scale for flight hours. I remember hearing your example too but didn't add up in my case. Best to ask the recruiter/rotc staff you are dealing with for specifics. Either way its a strange program and I would get 1 on 1 answers before you retake tests or throw down the dough on hours.

Edit: not directed toward anyone...just info

Edited March 5, 2009 by XL0901

[Jenkspaz]

There must be more to it than just a linear scale for flight hours. I remember hearing your example too but didn't add up in my case.

I'm pretty sure you're right about this. I had 11 flight hours, and my score only went up one point. Had another buddy, though, that had a lower score than I did, but when he added his flight hours (which were about the same as mine), his score jumped up a few points. I think the flight hours get calculated in differently depending on how well you did on the AFOQT/TBAS.

Of course, the formula is secret, so who the hell knows. But it does seem that this might be the case.

[Duck]

any way to find out what your PCSM score would be without flight hours? dont really need to know, just courious what it would have been without my hours

No when you log onto the PCSM site it blocks out the other catagories of hours that you have already achieved. (i.e. if you have 6 hours you won't be able to see the 1-5 hour catagory)

[Guest Pavelow16478]

As I recall, the one example I saw (for one individual with a PCSM of 70, what his PCSM would be with flying hours added) was 1-5hrs, 1 pt; 6-10 hrs, 3 pts; 11-20 hrs, 5 pts; 21-40 hrs, 10 pts; 41-60 hrs, 13 pts, 61-80 (or maybe 61-100...I'm not sure), 15 pts. In his case, considering the cost of flying, 21 hours seemed to be the break point. I don't know if the points are the same for everyone, or somehow pro-rated by where your PCSM starts. I suspect you could work backwards with these numbers and be in the ballpark.

After talking to a lot of folks about their scores it seems that the better you do before hours the less they help you, ex. a friend went from a 96 to a 98 with the hours maxed out. I was just curious because I got a 99 and would like to know if I would have still had a 99 without my whopping 73 hours. Have a little rivarly going with the other guy at the det that got a 99 with 0 hours. Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things.

[Guest boredwith9to5]

My recruiter isn't calling me back and I don't think she'd know the answer anyways... I'm trying to schedule my TBAS ans was wondering what they typical testing time was so I can know if I need to take a full day off work or not. Also is there a particular time of day that they test you, or could it be any time of day?

After reading all of this information about just getting good sleep and show up, I still have to ask whether or not it's worth it to try and practice. Like having my wife pick 3 and 5 letters/numbers and shout them out at me randomly while I play Quake 3 on Hardcore and simultaneously playing "Operation" with my feet?

[Bronco130]

1) Hour and a half max probably

2) Interesting, I mean it couldn't hurt right? It wouldn't help on the first portion of the test, but might as well practice what you can. I wouldn't dwell on it too much though.

[Jenkspaz]

Video games the night before aren't a bad idea, just don't stay up all night playing them. I rocked some Gears of War the night before I took my test and seemed to do pretty well on it. Not saying that there's a direct correlation, but head shots are great for hand-eye coordination.

[Guest boredwith9to5]

I just found my old Quake 3 and started playing it with the mouse inverted. Going to pick up a Joystick soon and play it with that. I'm sure that will help me get used to the inverted joystick used in the airplane tracking portion. It certainly can't hurt, right?

[joshrk22]

I've read the plethora of information on this board about the TBAS but I have not come across this yet. I am entering my sophomore year, and I'm wondering if this is too early to take the TBAS. I'm doing the Guard/Reserve route and want to get a jump on this as early as possible. I've started calling units and most of them have told me to take the TBAS to get my PCSM and then we'll talk. I took the AFOQT already and scored a 99 on the pilot portion. I don't want to get screwed over if they phase out the TBAS in the next few years and lose my PCSM just like the guys that took the BAT did. I feel if I get it done now it's something I won't have to worry about. Some units will accept packages if you have 90 credit hours and I should hit that mid way through junior year I think.

[gohornsgo]

Go for it. So what if something magical happens and you lose it? You can just take it again and, if you did well the first time, you'll probably do well the second too. Plus, if you don't do as well as anticipated, it gives you plenty of times to wait that 180 days for a retake without being in any sort of a time crunch.

[joshrk22]

All I suggest is get a joystick and play some first person shooters with controls inverted so you can get a feel for how to do the tracking stuff. It took a little practice to get used to it.

What about flight sims? And when you say controls inverted do you mean push stick down, scope/cursor goes up, and vice-versa?

[Prefontaine]

All I suggest is get a joystick and play some first person shooters with controls inverted so you can get a feel for how to do the tracking stuff. It took a little practice to get used to it.

Definitely a good idea, but try to find one with a lot of resistance. I played flight sims for years but when I went to go take the TBAS the stick was incredibly stiff (sts). Still did well though, so I'm sure anything is better than nothing.

[rugger7]

is TBAS really required? i'm in phase III and never took it even though it was "required"

[Bronco130]

From what I've gathered, zoo candidates don't take the TBAS but OTS/ROTC do. So if you're from the zoo then that makes sense, and if not did you take the BAT? The TBAS replaced the BAT.

[rugger7]

Yep went to the zoo. I remember being told we had to take it before we graduated otherwise we'd have to take it at our UPT base before our start date. That was the last I ever heard about TBAS