Reasoning tests are the least “aviation-looking” part of pilot selection — and one of the easiest places to lose points. You read a passage or a data sheet and decide, fast, whether a statement is true, false or impossible to tell from the information given. The CadetPrep Reasoning Hub trains exactly that format, with airline-themed passages, data sheets and technical diagrams, and a worked explanation for every question.
Online pilot aptitude batteries mix several reasoning formats. Here is what each one asks of you, and where you can practise it in CadetPrep.
A short passage, then statements to judge as True, False or Cannot Say. It measures careful reading under time pressure — and the discipline not to bring in outside knowledge.
In CadetPrep: 25 questions across 5 airline-themed passages.
A data sheet of tables and charts, then statements to verify. Percentage change, ratios, unit conversions — and finding the right row before you calculate.
In CadetPrep: 80 questions across airline data sheets.
Technical diagrams with three options. Tests intuitive physics: which way a gear turns, where a lever balances, how a circuit behaves.
In CadetPrep: 40 questions in 4 families: gears & pulleys, levers & moments, simple circuits, stability & friction.
Find the rule behind a sequence or grid of shapes and apply it to the next item. No language, no numbers — pure pattern detection under time pressure.
In CadetPrep: Trained in the AON inductive reasoning simulations.
Apply the rules you are given exactly and reach the only valid conclusion — without filling gaps with assumptions.
In CadetPrep: Trained in the AON deductive reasoning simulations.
Original examples in the same format as the Reasoning Hub. Decide on each statement before you open the answer.
Northwind Regional operates a mixed fleet of turboprops and small jets. Since introducing single-engine taxi on all jet departures last year, the airline has reduced ground fuel burn on those flights by around 9%. Turboprop departures were not included in the change, because the procedure requires engine start timing that the turboprop fleet’s current checklists do not support. The airline plans to review the turboprop checklists next year.False. The passage says turboprop departures were not included — it directly contradicts the statement.
True. Stated directly: around 9% less ground fuel burn on those flights.
Cannot say. Only a review of the checklists is planned. The passage does not say what the review will decide — this is the classic trap.
| Month | Flights | On time |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,200 | 84% |
| February | 1,050 | 78% |
| March | 1,300 | 88% |
False. January: 84% × 1,200 = 1,008. February: 78% × 1,050 = 819.
True. March: 88% (highest) and 88% × 1,300 = 1,144 flights — more than January’s 1,008.
If it is not stated or directly implied, the answer is Cannot Say — even when you know it is true in real life.
A missing fact makes a statement Cannot Say, not False. False means the text says the opposite.
All, some, only, most, usually, never — a single word decides the answer more often than the topic does.
In numerical tests, locate the right table and row first, check the units (thousands, %, per month), then calculate.
A rough estimate eliminates most statements; do exact arithmetic only when the estimate is close.
Twenty focused minutes a day beats a weekend cram. Build accuracy first, then speed.
Reasoning sections are common in online pilot aptitude batteries. AON (cut-e) batteries used by several airlines include verbal and numerical reasoning in this True / False / Cannot Say style, alongside inductive and deductive tasks. Which tests you get depends on the airline and the provider, so check your target airline first.
Pick a subject, answer, then read the explanation for every question you missed. Ten minutes is enough to find out where you stand.