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The best first step is the assessment information supplied by your employer or test publisher - not a paid platform. If your invitation names Aon, begin with Aon’s free examples. If it names COMPASS, check EPST’s published test structure. Only then compare independent practice and paid tools against the modules you will actually take.
Short answer: Pilotest offers independent free training; PASS sells broad online pilot preparation and employer-named packages; SkyTest sells named software editions for several screening pathways. Coaching is a separate option for feedback. There is no defensible universal winner without a defined employer, test system and budget.
How we compare preparation platforms
A “best” label is misleading when one candidate has a cadet Aon battery and another needs a licensed-pilot DLR assessment. We therefore use seven documented criteria, in this order:
- Assessment match: is the named exam in the current invitation clearly covered?
- Authority: is the information from the employer or actual test developer, or from a third-party seller?
- Published task coverage: which modules are explicitly described, rather than inferred from a marketing category?
- Delivery and devices: browser, installed software, input hardware and supported operating system.
- Access and total expense: free versus fixed-term versus one-time purchase; currency, tax and any optional hardware.
- Restrictions: expiry, pausing, switches, cancellations and refund terms.
- Evidence limits: do we have actual independent tests or only public vendor statements?
This is a qualitative comparison, not an effectiveness study. We did not buy the products, compare protected official items, test their scoring or measure hiring outcomes. We do not award stars, percentages or weighted product scores, and commercial arrangements do not override official sources.
Compare five preparation routes
| Preparation route | Useful when | Delivery or cost | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official candidate practice | Your test owner or employer publishes authorised examples | Often free, but availability varies by employer and provider | Examples may be for familiarisation only |
| Pilotest (independent) | You want extra practice for a named skill family | Free online training according to its published terms | Not an official COMPASS, PILAPT, Aon or airline battery |
| Pilot Assessments PASS | You need a broader pilot study environment or targeted course | Browser-based, fixed paid access periods | Exact modules and employer fit require checking |
| SkyTest | A specific software edition matches your screening route | Downloaded software; named editions may be one-time purchases | Device compatibility and coverage vary by edition |
| Specialist coaching | You need interview, simulator or supervised feedback | Provider-specific sessions and prices | Coach quality and current employer fit are unverified |
The table is not ranked from best to worst. The first two routes cost nothing for the examples described; the paid options make sense only for a specific remaining gap. On narrow screens the table scrolls horizontally without hiding its row and column headings.
Option 1 - official and employer-provided practice
Use this first whenever it exists. Official invitations establish the correct assessment route, deadlines, permitted aids, retake rules, equipment and assistance contacts. A course sold by a third party cannot replace those instructions.
Aon publishes free candidate videos and practice tasks, including worked examples for several ability-test formats. These explain how an Aon test begins and provide familiarisation, but the employer chooses the actual modules.
EPST documents six core cadet COMPASS tests: Control, Slalom, Task Manager, Memory, Mathematics and Orientation. Advanced COMPASS and any personality profile are distinct components, not universally assigned to every applicant. See our COMPASS and PILAPT comparison.
Main limitation: not every publisher offers a public simulator or sufficient practice for the specific psychomotor tasks in a recruitment campaign. A publicly available task does not prove that a particular airline will administer it.
Option 2 - Pilotest, free independent practice
Pilotest’s terms state that its aptitude exercises are free to access, without payment or subscription. Its public FAQ lists practice for several systems, including COMPASS, PILAPT, cut-e and DLR, with additional families being developed. Some activities use WebGL and require a suitable browser.
Why it is worth checking: candidates can assess their tolerance for spatial, numerical, attention or coordination practice before paying for a commercial course.
Why it is not official: Pilotest does not administer the licensed employer test batteries, and its terms warn that actual assessments may differ. Its user-calibrated scores are not employer pass marks. Free practice may cover only a part of what your invitation names.
Option 3 - Pilot Assessments PASS, broad online preparation
PASS describes an online pilot practice platform spanning psychometric skill families, maths, physics, aviation English, ATPL theory and interview preparation. Its features page advertises progress tracking and a personal dashboard.
Potential fit: a pilot applicant needing several kinds of practice in one browser environment, or someone who has confirmed that a targeted airline or school package contains the required tests.
Check the commercial terms carefully. The current PASS FAQ states that there is no full free trial, although a free account provides limited content. The minimum advertised targeted course access is 14 days, and the shortest generic Basic course is 30 days. Activated packages cannot be paused. Professional Plus permits one transfer to a targeted airline or school for the remaining paid days; it is not unlimited switching.
PASS also describes restrictive refund eligibility for verified faults preventing use, with a 10% administration charge on approved refunds. This is a summary of the vendor’s policy, not a determination of statutory rights.
Evidence limitation: a vendor label such as “COMPASS”, “Aon” or an airline name does not prove that every licensed module is reproduced, that a company is currently hiring, or that the employer endorses PASS. We have not inspected a paid account, product inventory or commission-tracking checkout. Do not use an old catalogue count such as “187 courses” as a permanent product specification.
Read the independent PASS review, Professional versus Professional Plus and historical airline/school course directory before deciding.
Option 4 - SkyTest, a named software edition
SkyTest’s product catalogue includes distinct editions for DLR screening, UK pilot aptitude, Swiss, Middle East, Pan-Asian and other pilot assessment routes. SkyTest’s about page describes a Training Assistant, performance tracking and cloud synchronisation on supported editions.
For a concrete example, the DLR 1 BU/GU edition publicly describes Windows and Mac versions and a one-time purchase without expiry. This applies to that named product, not automatically to every SkyTest course, app or service. Other editions may have different device support, required accessories and prices.
SkyTest itself says that its DLR training modules are similar skill preparation and not reproductions of protected screening items. Its marketing pages also retain older airline examples. Verify current recruiter requirements rather than treating a product’s company list as an active hiring register.
Potential fit: candidates with a clearly named DLR or other route where a particular SkyTest edition has documented, relevant modules and supports their hardware.
Main limitation: selecting the wrong edition, platform or optional controller can waste money. Check the actual edition’s licence, download method, hardware, VAT, delivery and refund conditions before purchase. See our SkyTest review and PASS versus SkyTest comparison.
Option 5 - coaching for feedback, not a mystery exam
A coach can be useful for a structured interview, competency examples, communication, simulator familiarisation or supervised feedback. This is different from buying a large online question bank.
We have not assessed individual coaching businesses or their outcome claims on this page. Before paying, ask for relevant qualifications, a written session outline, total fees and a cancellation policy. Avoid offers promising leaked test items, guaranteed recruitment or knowledge of a confidential employer pass mark.
Which route fits your situation?
| Your situation | Sensible next step |
|---|---|
| Aon/cut-e appears in the invitation | Use Aon’s free examples and our Aon guide before comparing any PASS course |
| COMPASS or PILAPT is named | Identify the correct licensed system; consider independent free practice before a targeted package |
| DLR screening is specifically named | Compare the required stage with a specific SkyTest edition, not the brand in general |
| You have a pilot interview or supervised simulator stage | Check official assessment expectations and consider human feedback only for a known gap |
| No employer or test name is confirmed | Practise general mathematics or reasoning without buying a narrow airline-branded package yet |
These are starting points, not claims about the current test methods or vacancies at a particular airline. A third-party course can remain listed long after the selection process changes.
Decide whether to buy: a five-question checklist
Before clicking a paid offer, write down these answers:
- Who invited me, and what selection pathway am I actually on?
- What provider and modules are stated in my current instructions?
- What have I already tried from official or independent free resources?
- Will this exact purchased edition work on my computer and input devices throughout the access period?
- What will I really pay, and what happens if I need to postpone or cancel?
If you cannot answer the second or fourth question, investigate before purchasing. A large feature list is not a substitute for the correct assessment format.
Airline-specific guides: find the relevant pathway
Our other articles are contextual guides, not evidence that an airline is recruiting now. Use the reviews hub to browse and the PASS airline/academy directory to locate dated historical product names.
For more focused reading, we maintain guides for British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air India, IndiGo and Iberia. Check every employer’s current careers site and invitation rather than transferring an old pilot course description into a new campaign.
Other historical pathway guides remain linked to avoid disconnecting useful context from this site. They are not announcements of vacancies or guarantees of current assessment formats:
- European and regional programmes: AEGEAN, Aer Lingus, airBaltic, Avion Express, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, KLM, Norwegian Air Shuttle, SAS, SunExpress, SWISS and Edelweiss, TUI, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling.
- Other operators and training pathways: AIS Flight Academy, Air New Zealand, flydubai and Frontier Airlines.
The former page contained repeated chronological wave sections and changing PASS catalogue totals. Those maintenance notes were consolidated: they were not meaningful rankings or proof of vendor course availability.
Important distinction for ATC applicants
Some underlying skills overlap, but airline pilot selection systems are not equivalent to FAA ATSA, EUROCONTROL FEAST, NATS or NAV CANADA air traffic controller selection. Do not buy a pilot package assuming it reproduces official controller tasks. Start with pilot versus ATC aptitude tests and the official instructions for your specific route.
Editorial conclusion and affiliate disclosure
Our conclusion is conditional: official materials are the correct first source; Pilotest can offer free independent practice; PASS may suit broad browser-based pilot preparation; SkyTest may suit a named installable edition; coaching may provide human feedback. None is a justified universal winner.
Affiliate disclosure: ATCPracticeTest.com may earn a commission if you purchase through the PASS link below, at no additional cost to you. This does not influence the criteria above, imply employer approval or turn vendor statements into independently tested facts.
Inspect current PASS package options and terms
The commercial destination was retained from the earlier article. Its checkout, cookie attribution and commissions have not been independently tested. Compare the live offer with the vendor’s FAQ before paying.
Primary sources and scope of review
- Aon - official free candidate preparation.
- EPST - official COMPASS cadet aptitude tests.
- Pilotest - terms of free access and assessment coverage FAQ.
- PASS - about, features, course selection and purchase FAQ.
- SkyTest - product catalogue, about and DLR 1 named edition.
Reviewed 5 November 2026. This is an independent documentary comparison. Prices, tax, availability, employer practice and product details can change. No controlled validation of course effectiveness, paid-account audit, live recruitment battery, actual employer score data or affiliate payout was performed.