The SIFT Test - Part 1 

Welcome back to Helicopter Lessons in 10 Minutes or Less! I'm Jacob and this is Part 1 of 3 video series covering the SIFT Test Prep!
SIFT Study Material:
SIFT Study Guide (used in video): amzn.to/34twOcx
Aegis Complete SIFT Study Guide: amzn.to/3uJyNnP
Momentrix SIFT Study Guide: amzn.to/2RQiUyu
Rotorcraft Flying Handbook: amzn.to/3c4WQqq
Also check out my Helicopter Fundamentals eBook:
iBooks: itunes.apple.com/us/book/id144...
Kobo: www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/heli...
The SIFT Test is the Selection Instrument for Flight Training Test that ultimately has to be passed in order for your flight school packet to be selected by a board. To preface, the test updates periodically so be sure to always look for the most recent study manuals (Check the links above for the ones I recommend). The test is a computer-based test broken down into 7 Modules. It takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to complete.
Module 1 covers Simple Drawings. You'll have 2 minutes to complete 100 questions. The section is meant to test reaction time and accurate observation while under pressure. Don't be discouraged if you don't finish all the questions of this section. You have 1.2 seconds per question allotted. In this section you'll see 5 pictures in a row with 1 mismatched. The goal is to quickly and accurately identify the mismatch. To ace this section I recommend practicing with a 2 minute timer. The more you do it, the faster you get. The focus of this section is Speed and Accuracy. Anxious testers just remember that not too many people frequently finish this section and that's ok. Complete as much as possible and don't let the stress overwhelm you.
Module 2 covers Hidden Figures. You'll have 5 minutes to complete 50 questions. This section also gauges your ability to quickly and accurately access visual information but this section requires more concentration due to increased difficulty. Unlike the last section, here you have to quickly scan a scene to determine what is important and what can be ignored, a skill military aviators must to be able to perform their jobs. The section displayed 10 sets of 5 pictures and you have to find what shape is in each question. Question 1 has shape A, 2 has C, 3 has E, and 4 has D in this example. Some images could be hidden in multiple questions. Letter A is found in both example questions 11 and 14. There are 2 techniques to complete this Module. Technique 1 is to examine the figures and compare them to each of the 5 questions to find a match, moving letter by letter. Technique 2 is to examine each question to see which shape can be found before moving on. Practice both and see what works best for you. This section may or may not be able to be finished like the first. It's ok though. Focus on accuracy and keep moving forward.
Module 3 covers Army Aviation Information. This is like a general knowledge test with multiple choice answers. You'll have 30 minutes to complete 40 questions. The first 2 modules required practice, this is the first section that requires you to study. It covers helicopter flight concepts, flight controls, drag, weight & balance, basic maneuvers, takeoffs, landings, and more. Each test is slightly different so don't assume you can memorize a practice test bank of questions. The manual I recommend has study section to help learn these concepts. Also, many of my videos on the channel help break down these subjects as well. Ultimately, study to have an understanding of how helicopters and flight works
Module 4 measures Spatial Apperception. It's meant to test how well you can judge a visual scene based on seeing a pilot's visual perspective and comparing it to an outside perspective. You'll have 10 minutes to complete 25 questions. To quickly get these questions you'll need to understand 3 things. 1st: What is the vertical orientation? If there is equal ground to sky, it's level. More sky, it's climbing. More ground, descending. 2nd: Is the aircraft level or turning? If the horizon is higher on the left, the aircraft is turning left. Higher on the right, it's turning right. Level is level. 3rd: Where is the plane heading? Look at the terrain. Is the terrain feature (lake, mountain, etc.) on the left side, right side, getting closer, or getting further away from the plane? Use these 3 tips to quickly narrow down the answer.
That's all the time I have for this episode. Click the link to continue to part 2 of the SIFT Prep video that covers Modules 5-7 and the scoring. Be sure to hit like, subscribe, and leave a comment. It helps my RU-vid ratings to ultimately get this video ranked higher to be seen by more people. As always, I'm Jacob. Safe flying.