SIFT Practice Test: All 7 Subtests and a Full Mock Exam
Practice every part of the Army’s Selection Instrument for Flight Training, timed and scored the way the Army’s SIFT FAQ describes.
For a rotor blade, what is the pitch angle?
7 free subtest drills · 132-minute mock exam with up to 285 questions · 105 original aviation questions, 473 written questions in all, and new drawings, figures and cockpit views every sitting
The seven SIFT subtests, and a free drill for each
The Army’s SIFT FAQ gives each subtest’s time limit, question count and scoring rule. Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures drills are the full timed subtest; the others are ten questions with an explanation after each answer.
| Subtest | Time | Questions | Scoring | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Drawings (SD)How quickly you recognize patterns within groups of images. | 2 min | 100 | Right minus part of a point per wrong answer | 2-minute subtest |
| Hidden Figures (HF)How quickly you find a simple shape inside a more complex drawing. | 5 min | 50 | Right minus part of a point per wrong answer | 5-minute subtest |
| Army Aviation Information Test (AAIT)Knowledge of aviation terminology, aircraft components and their function, basic aerodynamic principles and basic flight rules and regulations. | 30 min | 40 | Right answers; blanks count as wrong | 10-question drill |
| Spatial Apperception Test (SAT)The ability to perform mental rotations to determine the orientation of an aircraft in three-dimensional space. | 10 min | 25 | Right answers; blanks count as wrong | 10-question drill |
| Reading Comprehension Test (RCT)The ability to extract meaning from written passages. | 30 min | 20 | Right answers; blanks count as wrong | 10-question drill |
| Math Skills Test (MST)Mathematical skills and aptitude: arithmetic, algebra, geometry and word problems, without a calculator. | 40 min | Varies | Adaptive; finishing too few items may be penalized | 10-question drill |
| Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT)Familiarity with mechanical concepts and simple machines. | 15 min | Varies | Adaptive; finishing too few items may be penalized | 10-question drill |
Ready for the whole test?
All seven subtests in order, each on its own clock: 132 minutes and up to 285 questions, with your standing on every subtest.
Or start with a free subtest drillSIFT practice test: the full mock exam
The mock runs all seven subtests in the FAQ’s order and timing, each on its own clock with an untimed instructions screen before it. Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures deduct a quarter point for each wrong answer. Math Skills (30 questions here) and Mechanical Comprehension (20 here) adapt their difficulty to your answers and do not let you go back; the Army does not publish how many items its adaptive subtests give, so those lengths are ours.
The SIFT at a glance
The SIFT is the Army’s aviation aptitude test for warrant officer flight training and other Army aviation applicants. It measures math, reading, mechanical comprehension, spatial orientation and quick pattern recognition, plus aviation knowledge you can study for.
- Who takes it
- Applicants to Army aviation: warrant officer flight training (WOFT) candidates, and officers and cadets seeking an aviation branch.
- Format
- Seven subtests, web-based only, taken at an education center, a MEPS or an academy or ROTC program with a test control officer.
- Time
- 132 minutes of subtest time. With check-in, setup and an optional break, the FAQ says it can take up to 3 hours; many finish in about 2.
- Score
- A single SIFT score from 20 to 80 (mean 50, standard deviation 10). The formula is proprietary and compensatory: a strong subtest can offset a weak one.
- Minimum
- 40 to apply to the Army aviation program. Pass or fail shows on screen as soon as you finish; the score letter comes from the test control officer.
- Retakes
- Pass and you may not retake it. Fail and you may retest no earlier than the 181st day after the previous attempt. A second fail ends eligibility.
- Cost
- Free. English only. No calculator; scrap paper and pencils are provided.
- Bring
- Photo ID and verification of your Social Security number. No phones or other electronic devices in the testing room.
How your practice is scored
The Army turns the seven subtests into one score from 20 to 80 with a proprietary, compensatory formula, so no practice site can give you a real SIFT score. We score each subtest by the rule the FAQ describes and show your standing on our scale of 0 to 100:
- Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures: right answers minus a quarter point per wrong answer, out of all the questions. Strong at 55 or more.
- Aviation Information, Spatial Apperception and Reading: right answers out of all the questions, blanks counting as wrong. Strong at 80 or more.
- Math Skills and Mechanical Comprehension: credit weighted by the difficulty each right answer reached, out of the full section, so unfinished questions count against you. Strong at 65 or more.
The bands are our practice targets. The Army does not publish subtest norms or cut scores.
How to prepare for the SIFT
- Take one free drill of each subtest to find your weakest areas.
- Study aviation information directly: helicopter controls, rotor aerodynamics, instruments, weather and flight rules. It is the subtest that study moves most.
- Practice math by hand. The SIFT allows no calculator.
- Repeat full timed runs of Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures until you can keep a fast pace without wrong guesses.
- Take the full mock exam to practice the pacing of all seven subtests, then drill your two lowest. You can take the SIFT at most twice, so go in prepared.
Other military pilot aptitude tests
Common questions
What is the SIFT test?
The Selection Instrument for Flight Training is the US Army’s aptitude test for aviation applicants, including warrant officer flight training candidates. It has seven subtests: Simple Drawings, Hidden Figures, the Army Aviation Information Test, Spatial Apperception, Reading Comprehension, Math Skills and Mechanical Comprehension.
What score do I need on the SIFT?
The minimum qualifying score to apply to the Army aviation program is 40 on a 20 to 80 scale with a mean of 50. The FAQ notes the minimum can change as the test is validated, so confirm the current figure with your recruiter or education center. Higher scores make an application more competitive.
How is the SIFT scored?
Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures count correct answers and deduct a portion of a point for each wrong one, so you should not guess blindly on them. On the Aviation Information, Spatial Apperception and Reading Comprehension subtests a blank counts as wrong, so guess before time runs out. Math Skills and Mechanical Comprehension are adaptive and may penalize you for finishing too few items. The overall formula is proprietary.
How many times can you take the SIFT?
Twice at most. If you pass, you may not retake it to raise your score. If you fail, you may retest no earlier than the 181st day after your previous attempt, and a second fail ends your eligibility for the Army aviation program. That is why a realistic practice run before your first attempt matters.
How long is the SIFT?
The seven subtests add up to 132 minutes. The FAQ says check-in, setup, an optional break and the test together can take up to 3 hours, and many people finish in about 2.
Can I use a calculator on the SIFT?
No. The math questions are designed to be done without a calculator, and a few formulas are provided. You get scrap paper and pencils at the testing site. Our Math Skills practice is written to be solved the same way.
Is this the official SIFT practice test?
No. The Army does not publish an official practice test. This is independent practice: every question is original, the subtest names, timing and question counts follow the Army’s SIFT FAQ, and the scoring rules follow the FAQ’s description. Our results show your standing on each subtest in our practice, not a SIFT score, because the Army’s formula is not published.
Which SIFT subtest is the hardest?
Candidates most often name Hidden Figures, because 50 questions in 5 minutes leaves six seconds each. Simple Drawings is just as fast at 100 questions in 2 minutes. Both reward practice with the format, and both deduct points for wrong answers, so speed with accuracy matters more than reaching the end.
How should I study for the SIFT?
Start with a free drill of each subtest to find your weakest. Study aviation information directly, since it is knowledge you can learn, and practice math without a calculator. Then train the speed subtests, Simple Drawings and Hidden Figures, with full timed runs, and take a full-length mock to practice the pacing of the whole test.
Ready for test day?
All seven subtests in order, each on its own clock: 132 minutes and up to 285 questions, with your standing on every subtest.
Or start with a free subtest drillSources
- Army Personnel Testing: Frequently Asked Questions about the SIFT (Texas Military Department copy)
- Army Personnel Testing: Frequently Asked Questions about the SIFT, V2.0 (Minnesota National Guard copy)
- Washington National Guard: aviator application checklist (SIFT minimum score of 40)
- FAA: Helicopter Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21B)
- FAA: Aeronautical Information Manual
Independent practice with original questions. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the U.S. Army, Army Personnel Testing or the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. These are not actual SIFT questions, and our results are not SIFT scores.