How this review was prepared

The ATC Practice Test Editorial Team reviewed Pilot Assessments’ public COMPASS and PILAPT pages, broader PASS package descriptions, and platform information on August 1, 2026. We focus on candidate fit and the risk of treating different pilot test systems as interchangeable.

Quick verdict

PASS provides dedicated public preparation pages for both COMPASS and PILAPT inside a broader pilot-assessment platform.

The service is most useful when your airline, flight school, or cadet invitation identifies one of these systems and you want related aptitude practice plus reasoning, mathematics, physics, aviation English, interview, personality, or ATPL support.

Do not buy both solely because they are pilot aptitude tests. Confirm the exact system and organization first.

Affiliate disclosure

This page contains an affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you purchase through it, at no additional cost to you. Our conclusions are based on public scope and pathway fit.

Comparison table

High-level preparation comparison. The employer or flight school determines the actual test battery and official instructions.
Question COMPASS pathway PILAPT pathway
Use Pilot aptitude and competency testing used in selected aviation recruitment or training contexts Pilot aptitude testing associated with selected flight schools, cadet routes, and airline pathways
PASS availability Dedicated public preparation page Dedicated public preparation page
Likely preparation areas Attention, coordination, multitasking, spatial, memory, reasoning, math, and related pilot competencies Attention, information processing, tracking, multitasking, spatial, reasoning, and related pilot competencies
Best package decision Use a targeted airline or school course when available; otherwise compare broad PASS packages Use a targeted airline or school course when available; otherwise compare broad PASS packages
Main risk Assuming every COMPASS implementation uses the same modules Assuming PILAPT preparation is identical across every organization

Why COMPASS and PILAPT deserve a focused page

The two names appear frequently in pilot-selection preparation, but a candidate can easily overgeneralize from shared skill labels.

Both can involve cognitive and operational abilities relevant to pilot training. That does not make their interfaces, modules, timings, scoring, or employer implementations identical.

A useful preparation decision therefore begins with the invitation, not with the broad term “pilot aptitude test.”

PASS COMPASS preparation

Pilot Assessments publicly lists COMPASS among its main psychometric systems and maintains a dedicated COMPASS preparation page.

The provider’s broader competency descriptions include areas such as:

  • logical and critical thinking;
  • decision-making;
  • perceptual capacity;
  • spatial orientation;
  • memory;
  • eye-hand coordination;
  • multitasking;
  • mental arithmetic;
  • workload management;
  • situational awareness.

These are preparation categories, not a definitive official COMPASS module list. The organization administering the test controls the actual battery.

When it may fit

  • an airline or school invitation explicitly names COMPASS;
  • a targeted PASS package lists COMPASS as a stage;
  • the candidate wants related knowledge and interview preparation in the same platform;
  • the candidate can train online throughout the access period.

Main limitation

The label COMPASS can be used in different recruitment contexts. A generic course cannot guarantee that every exercise or interface will match the employer’s implementation.

PASS PILAPT preparation

Pilot Assessments also maintains a dedicated PILAPT preparation page. Its public Professional package description combines aptitude tests with reasoning, ATPL revision, mathematics, physics, aviation English, interviews, type-rating tests, and personality preparation.

PILAPT-related preparation may focus on abilities such as:

  • divided attention;
  • information processing;
  • tracking or coordination;
  • memory;
  • spatial awareness;
  • multitasking;
  • numerical and logical reasoning;
  • maintaining accuracy under time pressure.

Again, these are broad preparation areas. The invitation and official candidate instructions remain authoritative.

When it may fit

  • the invitation explicitly identifies PILAPT or a route known to use it;
  • a flight school or airline has a targeted PASS page;
  • the candidate needs both aptitude and broader selection preparation;
  • the candidate wants dashboard-based repeated practice.

Main limitation

PILAPT preparation can be confused with generic UK pilot aptitude preparation. Check the provider, route, and actual assessment stages rather than relying on the name of a previous campaign.

Targeted course versus broad package

Pilot Assessments advises candidates to select a targeted airline or flight-school package when one exists for their assessment. That package may combine the relevant aptitude system with interviews, technical tests, English, simulator preparation, or forum access.

Use a broad Professional package when:

  • the target is not listed;
  • the invitation is still generic;
  • you need general skill development before a specific campaign.

Consider Professional Plus when the target may become known later and the public one-time conversion rule has practical value.

Read PASS Professional vs Professional Plus before deciding.

Should you buy separate COMPASS and PILAPT courses?

Usually not unless the application process genuinely includes both.

PASS states that multiple packages can be active at the same time and run in parallel. This makes unnecessary duplication expensive in both money and access time.

A better sequence is:

  1. identify the actual assessment system;
  2. check for a targeted organization course;
  3. compare its contents with broad packages;
  4. verify duration and device requirements;
  5. buy the narrowest package that covers the confirmed pathway.

Relationship to SkyTest

SkyTest also markets multiple pilot-screening software products, including UK-oriented products associated with PILAPT-style routes and regional packages covering different pilot-selection systems.

PASS is browser-based and combines aptitude, theory, interview, personality, and targeted organization content. SkyTest uses separate downloadable or platform-specific products with training modules and performance tools.

The best choice depends on the confirmed route, desired delivery model, and exact module coverage. Read Pilot Assessments vs SkyTest for the broader comparison.

Not a controller-assessment shortcut

COMPASS and PILAPT are pilot-assessment contexts. Some skills overlap with controller selection, but this does not convert the courses into ATSA, FEAST, NATS, or NAV CANADA preparation.

Controller candidates should start with Pilot vs ATC Aptitude Tests.

Final recommendation

PASS offers meaningful coverage for candidates with a confirmed COMPASS or PILAPT pathway, especially when a targeted airline or school course combines the aptitude system with other recruitment stages.

Choose the system named in the invitation, avoid buying overlapping courses without evidence, and verify all package details immediately before purchase.

Sources