Not Everyone Can Become an Airline Pilot

Aptitude and cognitive skills testing are being viewed as more important than ever before.

Les Abend

Friday, June 06, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Paying for flight training is not a cheap investment. If a student just doesn’t have the aptitude, money is being wasted. [Image: David Weaver/Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Airline pilot aptitude testing has evolved from the author's challenging 1980s interview, which involved multitasking and recall of ATC communications, to today's more data-driven methods.
There is a growing emphasis on conducting comprehensive psychometric aptitude and cognitive testing at independent flight schools, rather than solely at the airline hiring level, to identify suitable candidates early.
Modern assessment companies, such as Symbiotics, use online platforms to evaluate a wide range of skills, including personality traits, cognitive reasoning, math, physics, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination.
The ultimate goal of these evolving and rigorous screening processes is to ensure high levels of competence and safety in airline cockpits, recognizing that not everyone possesses the necessary aptitudes for the profession.

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Being picked and probed during the medical phase of the airline pilot interview process was an anticipated expectation. My understanding was that the airline was not only testing for current health issues but also the possibility that family history might forecast problems that could manifest themselves later.

One of the more challenging portions of the undertaking involved an aptitude test that not only included solving equations but also capacity for retaining and comprehending other information simultaneously. In other words, being tested on multitasking skills.