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Dynamic Projection Test
CBAT Dynamic Projection Test: What to Expect & How to Prepare
The CBAT Directions and Distances (DAD) test measures how accurately you can interpret direction and distance from visual information. It assesses spatial awareness by requiring you to judge how far an object has moved and the direction of that movement relative to a reference point, typically under tight time pressure.
This page breaks down how the test is structured, the kinds of direction and distance judgements you’ll be expected to make, the most common errors candidates fall into, and a walkthrough example so you can recognise the format and respond faster on test day.
Dynamic Projection Test Format & Conditions
You have around 36 minutes on the Dynamic Projection Test (DPT), and it’s closer to a live control task than a set of static questions.
You’ll typically be managing multiple aircraft at the same time, each with a different objective. For example, one aircraft may need to be guided through a sequence of gates in a set order, while another must be routed through a different gate sequence, and a third may require you to intercept a moving target. All of this is done by issuing bearing-based directions to steer the aircraft.
As the task progresses, the difficulty comes from the layers of constraints you must manage simultaneously — not from doing maths. You’re expected to:
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Keep aircraft clear of restricted/danger areas
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Maintain safe separation between aircraft
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Adjust altitude when needed (because the display is 2D, altitude is shown numerically rather than visually)
In practice, the test is assessing whether you can interpret the display quickly, apply bearings confidently, and keep control when the workload increases (multiple aircraft, moving targets, and conflicts happening at once).
(Image taken from RAF "Flying Aptitude Test - Notes for Guidance")
What Candidates Highlight After Taking CBAT
Based on feedback from candidates who passed CBAT, the most common challenges in DPT came from:
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Not understanding how to change the aircrafts correctly. For clarity, If your aircraft is directed towards 90º degrees and you want to change it to direct towards 100º, you should specify a 10º right turn. Myself and many others have made the mistake of inputting the angle that the aircraft should be travelling towards, instead of inputting the degree to which the aircraft should turn based on it's current direction of travel.
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Forgetting about the heights and distancing of the aircrafts whilst they try and work out how to change direction of the aircrafts
Dynamic Projection Test FAQs
How do I prepare for DPT? DPT can be partially prepared for by practicing and understanding angles and bearings. This can be practiced on the CBAT Ready app (for free). Unfortunately as DPT is a specialised test, there are limited resources and as such nothing is available which is dedicated to DPT prep.