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Situational Awareness Test
CBAT Situational Awareness Test (SAT): What to Expect & How to Prepare
The CBAT Situational Awareness Test assesses how well you can build, maintain, and update a mental picture of a changing situation using multiple information sources. You’ll need to take in verbal and on-screen information, track what changes over time, and then answer questions that test what you noticed and what you think is the most appropriate action.
This page explains the test format and conditions in more detail — how information is presented (audio via headphones and visuals on screen), what you’ll be expected to monitor as the situation evolves, and the types of queries you’ll answer once the scenario changes. It also covers common mistakes candidates make and includes a short walkthrough so you can recognise the layout and question style before test day.
Situational Awareness Test Format & Conditions
The test runs for around 27 minutes (including instructions) and is made up of a series of short, repeatable questions.
Each question uses the same basic layout: a grid on screen with multiple vehicles/objects shown at the same time. Some will be repeats of the same type, others will be different types, and you’ll often be tracking several things at oncerather than focusing on a single target.
Across the test, information can be presented visually on the screen and/or aurally through headphones. That means you may need to combine verbal, numerical, pictorial and coded details to understand what’s happening. The scenario then changes over time, so the task is not just noticing what’s on the grid now, but staying aware of what has happened, what is currently happening, and what is likely to happen next based on movement and updates.
After monitoring the situation, you’ll be asked multiple-choice queries about the scenario — for example, what changed, where something was moving, what the current picture looks like, or what action is most appropriate to resolve a problem based on the information you’ve been given.
Use the screenshot example below to familiarise yourself with the layout, because the challenge is less about “hard knowledge” and more about processing and retaining multiple streams of information under time pressure.
(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 challenge in SAT came from:
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Processing all of the information provided within the test. As this test is designed to overload the brain, staying composed is essential. Unfortunately there are no common tips to alleviate any pressures within the test.
Situational Awareness Test FAQ
How do I prepare for SAT? The situational awareness test truly is one of the tests that you'll struggle to prepare for. There are however similar CBAT tests which push you to overload in the same manner, such as the CUT. If you're wanting to become accustomed to the same high pressure conditions then I'd simply practice the Multitasking section within CBAT Ready.