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Angles, Bearings and Degrees
CBAT Angles, Bearings and Degrees: What to Expect & How to Prepare
The CBAT Angles, Bearings and Degrees test assesses your ability to judge angles and bearings accurately using visual information. It is a spatial awareness test that focuses on interpreting the relative position and direction of objects from a reference point under time pressure.
This page explains how the test works, the types of angle and bearing judgements you’ll be required to make, common mistakes candidates make, and includes a question walkthrough to help you become familiar with the format before test day.
Angles, Bearings and Degrees Format & Conditions
You have a 9 minute time limit to answer as many of the provided questions as possible.
The questions will initially target angles (left hand example), whereby you will be asked to identify the correct angle from the multiple choice options. You will then be asked to do the same for bearings (right hand example)
(Image taken from RAF "Flying Aptitude Test - Notes for Guidance")
Angles, Bearings and Degrees Practice Question Walkthrough
A) 30º B) 45º C) 60º D) 10º E) 80º
For the angles portion of the test you will be shown an image of an angle, alongside 5 multiple choice answers, as seen above.
Some of the multiple choice answers are clear distractors and can be ruled out to narrow down the selection.
In the example above, options A, D, and E can be eliminated immediately, leaving B and C. By visualising what a 90° angle would look like, it becomes clear that B (45°) is too small. This leaves C as the correct answer.
(Image taken from RAF "Flying Aptitude Test - Notes for Guidance")
For the bearings portion of the test you will be shown an image which contains various points (A, B & C in this example), as well as 5 multiple choice answers.
You will then be asked to calculate the bearing for the point in question.
For example: What is the bearing of A?
Firstly, we need to determine how much 1 notch represents by starting at 360 (North) and counting clockwise to 90. Since there are a total of 9 notches (inclusive of 360 and 90) we can determine that 1 notch = 10º
Next, we need to count the number of notches from away A is from 360 (AKA North). A turns out to be 5 notches away from North.
Since A = 5 notches and 1 notch = 10º
A = 50º
What Candidates Highlight After Taking CBAT
Based on feedback from candidates who passed CBAT, the most common challenge in ABD came from:
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Not familiarising themselves with angles questions beforehand so angles could be estimated with ease
Angles, Bearings and Degrees FAQs
How do I prepare for ABD? Angles, Bearings and Degrees is straightforward to practice for. The Angles/Degrees portion can be practiced for free in "CBAT Ready" which assists in the acclimatisation of estimating angles. Bearings themselves are more difficult to study for and little online resources exist.
Will the questions in the real CBAT differ from the difficulty found within CBAT Ready? The angles within CBAT Ready are slightly more difficult to work out than the real CBAT test, as the distractors in the multiple choice are slightly less obvious.
Does ABD require as many questions to be answered as possible within the overall time limit? No, you'll be given a set amount of questions within the ABD.
Practising ABD Effectively
The Angles, Bearings and Degrees (ABD) test is not a calculation-heavy task. Performance is driven by visual judgement, spatial awareness, and speed of interpretation under time pressure.
Success comes from recognising angles and bearings quickly, not from measuring or calculating them precisely.
Why timed exposure matters
In the ABD test, candidates must visually assess angles or bearings and select the closest answer within a short time window. Even candidates who understand angles well can struggle if they are not used to making fast visual decisions.
Practising under timed conditions trains you to:
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Judge angles more quickly and confidently
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Avoid second-guessing obvious answers
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Commit to the best option without hesitation
Candidates who underperform often report that they could “see” the angle, but spent too long doubting themselves or comparing options.
Why visual judgement improves with repetition
ABD rewards consistent visual accuracy, not perfection. This skill improves rapidly with repetition.
By repeatedly practising angle and bearing questions, candidates begin to:
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Develop an internal reference for common angles (e.g. 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°)
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Instinctively rule out extreme distractors
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Make faster, more reliable comparisons between similar options
Over time, angle recognition becomes automatic, reducing mental effort and improving speed.
Why familiarity with the test format reduces stress
Many ABD mistakes happen before an answer is chosen — during initial interpretation of the image.
Repeated exposure to ABD-style visuals helps candidates:
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Immediately identify the reference line or bearing origin
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Recognise whether they are judging an angle or a bearing
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Ignore irrelevant visual detail
This familiarity removes hesitation, reduces stress, and leads to more consistent performance across questions.
Practising with CBAT Ready
CBAT Ready includes timed ABD-style practice with realistic angle and visuals (it's free), designed to reflect the pacing and structure of the real test.
This allows candidates to:
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Practise rapid visual judgement under pressure
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Improve speed without sacrificing accuracy
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Track performance and consistency over time
For most candidates, structured practice is the difference between understanding angles and reliably recognising them under test conditions.
