# Pilot vs ATC Aptitude Tests: Key Differences > Compare airline pilot psychometrics with FAA ATSA, EUROCONTROL FEAST, NATS and NAV CANADA using official sources, free examples and test-specific advice. Canonical: https://www.atcpracticetest.com/career/pilot-vs-atc-aptitude-tests/ Site guide: https://www.atcpracticetest.com/llms.txt **Pilot aptitude tests and air traffic controller aptitude tests are not interchangeable**, even when the task names sound familiar. Both may assess memory, attention, spatial reasoning and decision-making. Their **job demands, employers, testing providers and recruitment stages** differ. This article helps you decide which pathway you actually face. It is not a directory of confidential questions or a claim that a generic pilot course reproduces FAA ATSA or EUROCONTROL FEAST. Begin with the **assessment named in your official invitation**. For career context, compare [how to become an ATC](/career/how-to-become-an-air-traffic-controller/) with [pilot preparation platforms](/reviews/best-pilot-aptitude-test-preparation-platforms/). ## Pilot versus controller aptitude: a direct comparison _On mobile, swipe the table horizontally. Keyboard users can focus it and scroll sideways._ Question Pilot selection Air traffic controller selection Career goal Airline, cadet, academy or flight-deck role Trainee/ab-initio or experienced controller route Assessment examples Employer-specific psychometrics, coordination, interviews or simulator tasks FAA ATSA, EUROCONTROL FEAST, NATS or NAV CANADA selection Possible skill overlap Memory, attention, mental arithmetic, spatial orientation, time pressure Memory, attention, numerical/spatial reasoning, prioritisation, multitasking Role-specific content May include pilot knowledge or psychomotor/control tasks depending on route May include radar-style work samples or employer-specific aptitude tasks Best source Specific airline/academy vacancy and candidate briefing Specific ANSP/FAA vacancy, official provider and appointment instructions This is a comparison of **candidate pathways**, not evidence that these assessments share a pass mark, duration, difficulty level or scoring formula. ## How pilot selection varies between airlines There is **no worldwide pilot aptitude test**. An airline, flight academy or cadet programme chooses a screening sequence for its particular route. Public programmes can include combinations of reasoning, psychomotor coordination, simulator work, language, interviews and behavioural evaluation. For example, the official [easyJet pilot careers guide](https://careers.easyjet.com/en/career-areas/pilots/become-a-pilot), [British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy guidance](https://careers.ba.com/en/Speedbird-Pilot-Academy-Preparation) and [Emirates pilots careers portal](https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/pilots/) describe different employers and applicant pathways. Their current notices, **not** old product catalogues, determine which assessments apply. A named commercial **Aon/cut-e**, **COMPASS** or **PILAPT** preparation module may be relevant to some pilot-screening environments. None of these names establishes that _every_ airline uses it or that it is equivalent to controller testing. A cadet with no previous flying experience and a qualified airline pilot may face very different selection stages. For comparing independent software product families, see the [pilot preparation comparison](/reviews/best-pilot-aptitude-test-preparation-platforms/) or [Pilot Assessments review](/reviews/pilotassessments-review/). Those are **commercial review pages**, not official selection instructions. ## ATC selection: four distinct examples _On mobile, swipe the table horizontally. Keyboard users can focus it and scroll sideways._ Pathway Official assessment scope Preparation priority FAA ATSA - United States FAA controller-hiring cognitive aptitude assessment Pearson VUE/FAA instructions; no official study requirement or endorsed private practice test EUROCONTROL FEAST FEAST I cognitive and English; FEAST II RADAR/possibly MULTI-PASS; optional FEAST III FPQ Employer invitation, plus free EUROCONTROL FEAST I familiarisation NATS - United Kingdom NATS' own multistage trainee screening and later training Current NATS applicant information and official stage instructions NAV CANADA Canadian online, in-person and assessment-centre stages Official NAV CANADA candidate instructions and invited preparation access ### FAA ATSA: an aptitude test, not a pilot course The [FAA hiring guide](https://www.faa.gov/atc-hiring) describes ATSA within controller recruitment. [Pearson VUE’s FAA testing FAQ](https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/faa.html) says **no studying or preparation is necessary** and the FAA **does not endorse ATSA practice tests**. A private pilot psychometrics course cannot change FAA eligibility or guarantee a better ATSA outcome. Start with [What Is the ATSA?](/atsa/what-is-the-atsa/) and the [FAA hiring process](/faa/hiring-process/). ### EUROCONTROL FEAST: a specialised controller selection battery [EUROCONTROL’s official FEAST candidate page](https://feast-info.eurocontrol.int/) explains the battery: FEAST I assesses cognitive and English areas, FEAST II can use **RADAR** and possibly **MULTI-PASS** multitasking work samples, and FEAST III offers a personality questionnaire. Participating organisations decide which stages to use. EUROCONTROL offers its [free official FEAST training platform](https://feast-training.eurocontrol.int/) for almost all FEAST I tests; it does **not** offer FEAST II practice there. Its [training FAQ](https://feast-training.eurocontrol.int/en/faq/) says the platform is the **only FEAST preparation software it authorises**. Read [FEAST guide](/feast/what-is-feast/) and [FEAST versus ATSA versus NAV CANADA](/feast/feast-vs-atsa-vs-nav-canada/) for more detail. ### NATS and NAV CANADA: employer-specific selection [NATS’ trainee controller information](https://www.nats.aero/careers/operations/trainee-air-traffic-controllers/) and [NAV CANADA’s selection/training page](https://www.navcanada.ca/en/air-traffic-control-selection-and-training.aspx) describe their own assessment processes. **Neither** should be treated as a guaranteed reproduction of a pilot test package or every FEAST work sample. Use [NATS assessment](/nats/) or [NAV CANADA hiring](/nav-canada/hiring-process/) according to the employer. ## Two original examples: recognising the relevant assessment These are **original reading and reasoning exercises**, not official pilot or controller psychometric items. ### Exercise 1: match the candidate to the official route Three applicants receive different invitations: - **A:** a cadet pilot applicant receives an invitation from an airline academy for its **pilot screening**. - **B:** a prospective FAA controller receives an **ATSA** appointment. - **C:** an applicant to a FEAST-user ANSP receives a **FEAST I** invitation. Who should consult their airline’s pilot briefing, who should follow Pearson/FAA instructions, and who can start with EUROCONTROL’s free FEAST I platform? Reveal which instruction belongs to each candidate **Answer: A follows the airline academy's pilot briefing, B follows Pearson VUE and FAA ATSA instructions, and C may use EUROCONTROL's free FEAST I platform.** The shared words “aptitude”, “memory” and “spatial” do not make the three appointments equivalent. ### Exercise 2: shared arithmetic does not mean shared examination A fictional planning drill asks a candidate to work out **15% of 240**. Another independent drill asks exactly the same calculation inside a different task story. What is the numerical answer, and does the matching number prove the two official assessments use the same item bank? Reveal the arithmetic and test-equivalence answer **Answer: 36, and no.** Fifteen per cent of 240 is **0.15 × 240 = 36**. Sharing a basic arithmetic operation says nothing about each assessment's protected question bank, delivery or scoring. The key skill is to **read the employer’s instruction**, not to memorise the exercises above. ## Can a broad pilot practice product help an ATC candidate? Independent general cognitive exercises can help someone understand rule-following, arithmetic, working memory or visual scanning. But a **pilot product must not be sold as a dedicated ATC simulator** merely because both professions need those abilities. **Pilot Assessments PASS** focuses on airline pilot and cadet screening; **SkyTest** sells distinct pilot and ATCO product families. For a purchase comparison, use our [Pilot Assessments review](/reviews/pilotassessments-review/), [SkyTest pilot guide](/skytest-pilot-preparation/) or [Pilot Assessments versus SkyTest](/reviews/pilot-assessments-vs-skytest/), and confirm product scope, access and vendor policies directly. **No pilot software is an FAA-endorsed ATSA course or a EUROCONTROL-authorised FEAST replica.** Read the official test-provider guidance before spending money. ## Before choosing preparation, check these five facts 1. **Which organisation** is recruiting you? 2. **Which test or stages** are actually named in your invitation? 3. **Which official preparation**, if any, is offered or recommended? 4. **What requirements and deadlines** apply to your application? 5. **Which independent resources**, if any, match that exact test and are honestly described? A generic “aviation aptitude” bundle should come **after** those checks, not before them. Avoid purported leaked questions, guaranteed pass percentages, and recycled test screenshots presented as official interfaces. For an ATC career route, see [How to become a controller](/career/how-to-become-an-air-traffic-controller/) and [FEAST vs ATSA vs NAV CANADA](/feast/feast-vs-atsa-vs-nav-canada/). ## Official sources and editorial limits - [FAA - Air Traffic Controller Hiring](https://www.faa.gov/atc-hiring) and [Pearson VUE FAA testing FAQ](https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/faa.html) - ATSA selection and preparation policy. - [EUROCONTROL - FEAST candidate information](https://feast-info.eurocontrol.int/), [FEAST service](https://www.eurocontrol.int/service/first-european-air-traffic-controller-selection-test), [free training](https://feast-training.eurocontrol.int/) and [official training FAQ](https://feast-training.eurocontrol.int/en/faq/) - FEAST scope and limits. - [NATS - trainee controller route](https://www.nats.aero/careers/operations/trainee-air-traffic-controllers/) and [NAV CANADA - selection/training](https://www.navcanada.ca/en/air-traffic-control-selection-and-training.aspx) - distinct employer pathways. - [easyJet pilot careers](https://careers.easyjet.com/en/career-areas/pilots/become-a-pilot), [British Airways Speedbird guidance](https://careers.ba.com/en/Speedbird-Pilot-Academy-Preparation) and [Emirates pilot careers](https://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/pilots/) - examples of airline-specific official guidance, not universal test modules. **Editorial review: 8 November 2026.** The comparison does not reproduce official exam items, certify test equivalence, validate current product rights or demonstrate Google/Bing indexation.