The RNZAF CBAT (NZ CBAT): a complete guide
Applying to fly with the Royal New Zealand Air Force means sitting the NZ CBAT: computer-based aptitude testing of the same family as the RAF's CBAT and the RAAF's MACST/ASP. This guide explains what that testing measures, how it relates to those tests, how it's scored, and how to prepare — so you arrive knowing exactly what's in front of you.
CBAT Ready is an independent study aid, not an official NZDF resource. Always confirm the current process and requirements at the official NZ Defence Careers site.
Practising for the NZ CBAT?
CBAT Ready runs in NZ CBAT mode for RNZAF candidates: NZ CBAT mode uses the CLAN multitasking test and leaves out Dynamic Projection, which has been removed from the NZ CBAT.
What the RNZAF CBAT covers
RNZAF aptitude testing doesn't test what you know — it measures the underlying abilities flying demands. Expect timed, computer-based tests of mental arithmetic (including speed, distance and time), spatial and navigational reasoning, instrument interpretation, memory and sustained attention, hand-eye tracking and multitasking. The tests run under strict timing, so sustained, accurate performance across the session matters as much as any single result.
How the NZ CBAT relates to the RAF CBAT
The RNZAF's aircrew testing sits in the same family as the RAF's CBAT and the RAAF battery. All three assess the same core flying aptitudes with computer-based, timed tests, so practising CBAT-style tests builds the right skills for RNZAF selection. Precise test lists and standards are set by the NZDF and can differ — treat any specific figure as a guide and confirm officially.
Two differences to know. The NZ CBAT uses the CLAN multitasking test rather than the RAF's FLAG, and recent RNZAF candidates confirm Dynamic Projection has been removed. Pick RNZAF as your service in the Simulator and it does both for you.
Who sits it
In the RNZAF, pilot and other aircrew roles are assessed on flying aptitude, each weighted towards the abilities the job uses most. Ground and technical trades have their own selection, so check the requirements for your specific role.
The tests to practise
These CBAT Ready tests map onto the aptitudes RNZAF aircrew selection measures. Airborne Numerical is free to try without an account.
Speed, distance and time in your head — core pilot mental-maths.
Read cockpit instruments to work out attitude and heading.
Judge angles and read compass bearings by eye.
Continuous joystick tracking — the psychomotor core.
Keep several changing values current at once — real multitasking.
Build and hold a tactical picture, then answer on what was where.
The NZ CBAT's multitasking test for pilots: colour bands, logistics and numeracy at once.
The full test list covers every aptitude, and the Simulator runs a role-weighted battery back to back — pick RNZAF as your service and it runs as an NZ CBAT mock, with CLAN and without Dynamic Projection.
How it's scored
Aptitude tests of this type are converted into standardised scores, then weighted and combined for the role you're applying for, usually with minimum scores required in key areas. There's no single universal pass mark: what matters is how your profile matches the role. Prepare around your target role rather than trying to max out everything equally.
How to prepare
- Learn the formats first. Sit each test once, unpressured, to understand what it asks.
- Build accuracy before speed. Get the method reliably right, then push the pace.
- Drill your weak tests. Your worst required area drags your score down most.
- Rehearse tracking and multitasking. The psychomotor and multitasking tests improve most with practice and hurt most cold.
- Practise under real timing, back to back. Run the Simulator so pressure and fatigue stop being a surprise.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NZ CBAT?
The NZ CBAT is the computer-based aptitude test RNZAF pilot and aircrew candidates sit. It's closely related to the RAF CBAT: timed tests of mental arithmetic, spatial reasoning, instrument reading, memory, attention, hand-eye tracking and multitasking. It uses the CLAN multitasking test in place of FLAG, and recent candidates confirm Dynamic Projection has been removed.
Is there a free RNZAF CBAT practice test?
Yes. Airborne Numerical is free to practise with no account, and the free CBAT practice tests page lists everything else you can use for free. The full set of tests and the timed Simulator, set up for the NZ CBAT when you pick RNZAF, come with Pro.
What aptitude test does the RNZAF use for pilots?
Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot and aircrew candidates sit computer-based aptitude testing of the same family as the RAF's CBAT and the RAAF's battery — mental arithmetic, spatial and navigational reasoning, memory, sustained attention, hand-eye tracking and multitasking. The exact battery is set by the New Zealand Defence Force and can change, so confirm the current process on the official Defence Careers site.
Is the RNZAF test the same as the RAF CBAT?
They are closely related. Both measure the same core flying aptitudes with timed, computer-based tests, so practising CBAT-style tests builds the right skills for RNZAF selection. The precise test list, timings and standards are set by the NZDF and may differ from the RAF's — always verify officially.
Is the RNZAF test the same as the RAAF one?
New Zealand and Australia use closely related aircrew aptitude testing, so the same skills and practice transfer between them. Like the RAAF's, the NZ CBAT includes the CLAN multitasking test (Colours, Letters and Numbers), which candidates report is required for pilots, rather than the RAF's FLAG test. Our RAAF guide covers CLAN in more detail. As always, confirm the exact process for your service officially.
Can I prepare for RNZAF aptitude testing?
Yes. You can't learn the answers, but you can remove the surprise — get familiar with each format, build accuracy before speed, and rehearse the tracking and multitasking tests that are impossible to improve on cold. Practising the exact question styles means you waste far less of your attempt working out what each test wants.
Disclaimer. CBAT Ready is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing the New Zealand Defence Force or the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Practice material builds the underlying skills based on publicly available information about CBAT-style testing. The exact tests, weightings and standards are set by the NZDF and can change — always confirm the current process at the official NZ Defence Careers site.