Not for General Distribution

Candidate Handbook
ADAPT Online

Issue: 5.2

Reference: 20120926SYMCandidate Handbook

Date: 25 February 2016

Prepared By: Alice Brixey

Symbiotics Ltd, subject to any existing rights of other parties, has prepared this
document. Symbiotics Ltd is the owner of the copyright of this document. The
contents may not be copied, distributed or disclosed to a third party without
permission in writing from the Company, nor may it be used for any purpose other
than that for which it has been supplied.

Resource Group  Symbiotics Performance Solutions  Teme House  Whittington Road  Worcester  WR5 2RY
t. +44 (0) 1905 368175  f. +44(0) 1905 368176
e. [email protected]  w. www.resourcegroup.co.uk/sps

Company No: 3242262  VAT No: 927546105

Registered in England
 Not for General Distribution

Document Classification
Document Title Classification Issue Date
Candidate Handbook Not for General Distribution 5.2 25/02/16

Copyright
The copyright in this work is vested in Symbiotics Limited (“Symbiotics”) and this document
(the “Document”) is issued in confidence for the purpose only for which it is supplied.

In accepting the document, the recipient agrees and undertakes to keep strictly confidential
and not disclose to any other person the transaction contemplated herein and all information
contained in the Document or otherwise provided to the recipient. The recipient also agrees
and undertakes, upon request, to return promptly all material received from Symbiotics
(including the Document) without retaining any copies thereof. The Document is for the
exclusive use of the recipient and shall not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed to
others without prior written consent of a Symbiotics Director. In furnishing the Document to
the recipient, Symbiotics undertakes no obligation to provide the recipient with access to any
additional information.

© copyright Symbiotics Ltd (2012)

Document History

Document
Document Date Comments
Issue
1.0 29/02/2012 First draft
2.0 27/06/2012 Revision
3.0 15/08/2012 Update to tests
4.0 24/08/2012
4.1 30/08/2012
4.2 08/10/2012 All tests available included, formatting updated
4.3 25/10/2012 Aviation Knowledge Test added
5.0 29/11/2012 Maths and Physics info added
5.1 13/02/2013 NFTI
5.2 25/02/2016 Contact details amended

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Contents
Document Classification ........................................................................................................ 2

Copyright ............................................................................................................................... 2

Document History .................................................................................................................. 2

Contents ................................................................................................................................ 3

Figures .................................................................................................................................. 4

Tables ................................................................................................................................... 5

Executive Summary .............................................................................................................. 6

1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 7

2. Data Protection .............................................................................................................. 8

3. Assessment: What Should I Expect? ............................................................................. 9

3.1 Log In Screen 9

4. Maths Stage ..................................................................................................................11

4.1 Instructions 11

4.2 Level of Maths Paper 11

4.3 Topics Covered 12

4.4 Formulas 12

4.5 Example Questions 13

5. Physics Stage ...............................................................................................................15

5.1 Instructions 15

5.2 Level of Physics Papers 15

5.3 Topics Covered 16

5.4 Formulas 16

5.5 Example Questions 17

6. Physical Task Stage (FAST) .........................................................................................19

6.1 Step by Step Guide to FAST 20

7. Questionnaire Stage .....................................................................................................26

7.1 ADAPT Personality Questionnaire (APQ) 26

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8. Finishing the Assessment .............................................................................................29

Figures
Figure 3-1: Online Login Screen ............................................................................................ 9

Figure 3-2: Online Login Screen ............................................................................................ 9

Figure 3-3: Online Login Screen ...........................................................................................10

Figure 4-1: Online Login Screen ...........................................................................................11

Figure 5-1: Physics Instructions Screen ...............................................................................15

Figure 6-1: Physical Assessment Screen .............................................................................19

Figure 6-2: Explanation of hardware required .......................................................................20

Figure 6-3: Explanation of Audio Requirements ...................................................................20

Figure 6-4: Explanation of Mouse and Keyboard Requirements ...........................................21

Figure 6-5: Information on Candidate Briefing ......................................................................22

Figure 6-6: Explanation of Countdown Timer ........................................................................22

Figure 6-7: Explanation of Personality Questionnaire ...........................................................23

Figure 6-8: Explanation of the Layout of the FAST Assessment ...........................................23

Figure 6-9: Information on Cockpit Monitoring ......................................................................24

Figure 6-10: Information on Flight Path ................................................................................24

Figure 6-11: Information on Reporting ..................................................................................24

Figure 6-12: Information on Questions .................................................................................25

Figure 6-13: Information on Debrief ......................................................................................25

Figure 7-1: APQ Instruction Screen ......................................................................................26

Figure 7-2: APQ Question Type 1 ........................................................................................26

Figure 7-3: APQ Question Type 2 ........................................................................................27

Figure 7-4: APQ Question Type 3 ........................................................................................27

Figure 7-5: Example of Question Type 1 ..............................................................................27

Figure 8-1: Central Screen. Note: all tests have been completed. .......................................29

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Tables
No table of figures entries found.

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© Symbiotics Ltd
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Executive Summary
Symbiotics Performance Solutions is a highly experienced Human Performance Company,
established in 1996, that has expertise in all elements of human performance when operating
in the workplace. We specialise in situations where people must be competent in knowledge,
skill and attitudes to perform complex, safety-critical, multi-tasking activities in a consistent,
safe and effective manner. We have considerable expertise in the aviation sector spanning,
civil and military environments for both fixed wing and rotary wing platforms. We are known
for generating quality solutions to changing market needs.

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1. Introduction
Symbiotics Performance Solutions has developed ADAPT Online as a unique assessment and
training system. The purpose of this system is to find out if you are right for a job, and then to
teach you to develop your skills to match those that are needed. Our aims are to get the best
from you and make sure that you get the most out of your training.

There a number of elements that can make up the ADAPT Online package and you will be
required to complete a combination of the following elements:

 Maths
 Physics
 Physical Assessment Stage (FAST)
 APQ (ADAPT Personality Questionnaire)

Your academy will inform you about which elements you will be need to complete. Please contact
your academy directly for any further details.

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2. Data Protection
All data that is collected will be kept confidential (private), following data protection laws and
codes of practice. Data will not be given to anybody without your written consent (permission).
It will only be used to find out if you will match a given job role.

All candidates get a unique candidate number, which is used by the system to store their data.
No information is shared or used for any reason other than as selection data.

Symbiotics Performance Solutions may use your data to improve internal analysis and so before
you start your assessment you will be asked to sign a consent form, to give permission for
Symbiotics Performance Solutions to use your data. If your data is used your identity will
remain confidential and will not be shared with any 3rd party companies or organisations.

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3. Assessment: What Should I Expect?

3.1 Log In Screen
You will be provided with a 15 digit alpha numeric licence number. Please keep a note of this
licence in case you should need to log in again.

When you log in you will be asked to provide your first name, surname, date of birth, gender,
country of residence and email address. The system will remember these details so please
ensure that you keep a note of the details that you provide for future reference.

N.B. - Please note that the system is case sensitive: details must be re-inputted exactly as they
were the first time (for example: you would be unable to re-login if you inputted your name as
‘Andy’ in the first instance and ‘andy’ in the second instance).

Figure 3-1: Online Login Screen

You must agree to the terms and conditions before you can continue. When you have
completed all details click ‘login’ to continue. A login screen will appear – once your details
have been authenticated, a ‘continue’ button will appear - click this to enter the assessment.

Figure 3-2: Online Login Screen

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The tests that you have been allocated will load. Click ‘continue’ to receive the instructions for
your first test.

Figure 3-3: Online Login Screen

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4. Maths Stage
4.1 Instructions

Figure 4-1: Online Login Screen

Read the instructions carefully before you click ‘next’ to start the test. The test is 30 minutes
long and the timer will commence when you start the test. Click ‘next’ to move on to the next
page of the test. You may use the ‘next’ and ‘previous’ buttons to scroll through the pages of the
test.

The test will automatically finish after 30 minutes whether or not you have answered all the
questions. You will be logged out of the test and your data uploaded. If you finish the
assessment within 30 minutes you may click ‘finish’ to exit the test. Your data will be uploaded –
you will not be able to return to the assessment.

4.2 Level of Maths Paper

You should be informed of the level of maths paper you are sitting. Below are explanations of what
each paper covers.

4.2.1 Advanced
The majority of questions in the test are based at the higher end of syllabuses taught by the
end of compulsory school learning (age 16) – approximate levels are outlined below:

UK – high GCSE level

US – high school diploma
Asia – 10th Standard
Europe – Level 5

There are also a small number of questions designed to challenge students who have been
proactive in advancing their knowledge of Mathematics.

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4.3 Topics Covered

4.3.1 Advanced

 Basic algebra

 Transformations

 Trigonometry

 Bearings

 Units

 Logarithms

 Differentiation

 Factorising quadratics

 Probability

 Simplifying algebra

 3D Pythagoras

 Changing the subject

 Surds

 Solving quadratic equations

 Indices

 Applied Maths – e.g. calculating headwinds and crosswinds

4.4 Formulas

Below is not an all-inclusive list; familiarising yourself with the topics outlined above should
ensure you are aware of all the relevant formulas, including:

 Speed = Distance / Time

 Cosine and Sine rules

 Pythagoras’s theorem: c2 = a2 + b2

 Angles in a triangle add up to 180°

 Trigonometry ratios

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4.5 Example Questions

Examples of typical questions you can expect in the Advanced paper (or the final section of the
paper if you are completing the Progressive paper) can be found below:

1. From a boat, the angle of elevation of the foot of a lighthouse on the edge of a cliff is 34°. If the
cliff is 150 m high, how far from the base of the cliff is the boat.

2. If you are flying on a heading of 037° and make a left turn of 45°, what will be your new heading?

3. A letter is to be chosen at random from this set of letter-cards. What is the probability that the
letter is an ‘S’?

4. Look at the diagram of this cuboid. Calculate the length BG.

5. An airplane has an airspeed of 275 km/h, and flies on a bearing of 295. The wind is blowing at a
speed of 225 km/h from West to East. What is the head wind and what is the cross wind?

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4.5.1 Example Maths Questions - Answers

1) 222 m
2) 352°
3) 3
10
4) 13 cm
5) Head wind = 204 km/h
Cross wind = 95 km/h

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5. Physics Stage
5.1 Instructions
Read the instructions carefully before you click ‘next’ to start the test. The test is 30 minutes
long and the timer will commence when you start the test. Click ‘next’ to move on to the next
page of the test. You may use the ‘next’ and ‘previous’ buttons to scroll through the pages of the
test.

The test will automatically finish after 30 minutes whether or not you have answered all the
questions. You will be logged out of the test and your data uploaded.

If you finish the assessment within 30 minutes you may click ‘finish’ to exit the test. Your data
will be uploaded – you will not be able to return to the assessment.

Figure 5-1: Physics Instructions Screen

5.2 Level of Physics Papers

You should be informed of the level of physics paper you are sitting. Below are explanations of what
each paper covers.

5.2.1 Advanced
The majority of questions in the test are based at the higher end of syllabuses taught by the
end of compulsory school learning (age 16) – approximate levels are outlined below:

UK - GCSE level
US – high school diploma
Asia – 10th Standard
Europe – Level 5

There are also a small number of questions designed to challenge students who have been
proactive in advancing their knowledge of Physics.

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5.3 Topics Covered

5.3.1 Advanced

 Basic Physics – length, mass, volume,

 Acceleration

 Speed/Distance/Time

 Relative speed

 Units

 Weight, mass, density and volume

 Newton’s Law – inertia and forces

 Gravity

 Work, energy and power

 Kinetic energy

 Temperature

 Pressure and state– liquid and gases

 Basic electricity – circuits, current, voltage, resistance

 Basic magnetism – magnetic field, lines of flux

 Refraction

 Pulleys and springs

5.4 Formulas

Below is not an all-inclusive list; familiarising yourself with the topics outlined above should
ensure you are aware of all the relevant formulas, including:

 Speed = Distance/Time

 Gas laws – Boyle-Mariotte law, Gay-Lussac law, Dalton’s law

 Newton’s equations of motion

 Hooke's Law

 Bernoulli’s Theorem

 Ohms Law

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5.5 Example Questions

Examples of typical questions you can expect in the Advanced paper (or the final section of the
paper if you are completing the Progressive paper) can be found below:

1. In an emergency stop, a driver applies the brakes in a car travelling at 24 ms-1. The car stops
after travelling 19.2m while braking. Calculate the average acceleration of the car during
braking?

2. Calculate the current passing through a 6.8 Ω resistor when it is connected to a 9V battery:

3. A sample of ideal gas has a volume of 1.50 x 10-4 m3 at a temperature of 22°C and a pressure
of 1.20 x 105 Pa. If the volume of the gas remains constant, calculate the temperature (in Kelvin
not °C) at which the pressure of the gas is 2.00 x 105 Pa.

4. In a game of cricket, a ball leaves a bat in a horizontal direction from a height of 0.39 m above
the ground. The speed of the ball is 35 ms-1. The ball takes 0.28 seconds to reach the ground
again. What horizontal distance has the ball travelled in this time?

5. In the diagram below, Aircraft A is flying East and maintaining a groundspeed of 340 kt (a kt =
speed of 1 NM / hr). Aircraft B is flying in the same direction as aircraft A but 210 NM ahead,
maintaining a ground speed of 280 kt. Aircraft A will catch Aircraft B at Point ‘X’. What distance
will Aircraft B have travelled when this event occurs?

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5.5.1 Example Physics Questions - Answers

1) -15 ms-2
2) 1.32 A
3) 492 K
4) 9.9 m
5) 980 NM

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6. Physical Task Stage (FAST)

Figure 6-1: Physical Assessment Screen

The physical assessment stage is an online screening tool that takes approximately 15 minutes
to complete. You will be required to:

 Follow verbal and written instructions

 Monitor a cockpit view and flight path

 Fly a ‘crash’ course

 Answer cognitive questions. The types of cognitive questions you will be asked are:

o Numerical Reasoning

o Verbal Reasoning

o Abstract Reasoning

o Perceptual Speed and Accuracy

o Spatial Relationship Reasoning

o Working Memory

Examples of these types of questions can be found online.

 Provide self-analysis in the form of a mini-debrief

See below for details on each phase of the physical assessment.

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6.1 Step by Step Guide to FAST
6.1.1 Information on System Configuration and Requirements

Figure 6-2: Explanation of hardware required

Figure 6-3: Explanation of Audio Requirements

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 Figure 6-4: Explanation of Mouse and Keyboard Requirements

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6.1.2 Information on the FAST System

Figure 6-5: Information on Candidate Briefing

Figure 6-6: Explanation of Countdown Timer

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6.1.3 Information on the FAST Assessment

Figure 6-7: Explanation of Personality Questionnaire

Figure 6-8: Explanation of the Layout of the FAST Assessment

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 Figure 6-9: Information on Cockpit Monitoring

Figure 6-10: Information on Flight Path

Figure 6-11: Information on Reporting

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 Figure 6-12: Information on Questions

Figure 6-13: Information on Debrief

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7. Questionnaire Stage
There is 1 personality questionnaire that must be completed – the ADAPT Personality Questionnaire
(APQ). This looks at your personality, values, behaviour and attitude. The questionnaire can either
be completed at the test centre, or before/after you attend the test centre. If you are not at the
assessment centre you should do the APQ in a comfortable, quiet area with no distractions or
interruptions.

7.1 ADAPT Personality Questionnaire (APQ)

This stage has no time limit, but you should try to finish within 30-45 minutes, in 1 attempt.

Figure 7-1: APQ Instruction Screen

The questionnaire is split in to 11 sections. The questions will change in length and there
are 3 different question types, all of which have 4 multiple choice options:

7.1.1 Question Type 1

Read the question carefully and decide which of the two options most closely describes
your opinion or preference - i.e. which option is 'more like me'. Then select the option that
most accurately describes how strong this preference is - a moderate preference or a
strong preference.

Figure 7-2: APQ Question Type 1

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7.1.2 Question Type 2

Read the question carefully and then select the option that most accurately describes your
opinion or preference – strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree:

Figure 7-3: APQ Question Type 2

7.1.3 Question Type 3

Read the question carefully and then select the one option that most accurately describes
your opinion or preference:

Figure 7-4: APQ Question Type 3

You will answer questions on a range of topics, including your interests, preferences and
opinions. There are no right or wrong answers. To assess your personality to the highest
standard, we need to get the correct information about you. Therefore, you should be
totally honest when answering the questionnaire.

Do not spend too long thinking about each question – your first reaction is usually the
best. The information given may not be as detailed as you want, but answer the best you
can. Be as honest and truthful as you can. Do not give an answer just because it seems
like the right thing to say.

Please ask the assessor or examiner if you do not understand any of the words
used in the questions.

An example of the layout of the APQ questions is shown below:

Figure 7-5: Example of Question Type 1

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Your answers will be saved at the end of each page, so you can come back and carry on
with the questionnaire if you get disconnected. You can go back and change any answers
once you have pressed ‘next’. You need to answer all questions in all sections. You will
not be allowed to finish the questionnaire until all the questions are answered. The left
hand bar on the screen will show you how many questions are still to be answered on the
page and how many pages are left to complete as well as the number of answers required
to complete the page.

The ‘finish’ button will only activate once all questions on all pages have been answered.

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8. Finishing the Assessment
When you have finished each of the tests you will see a screen displaying the specific list of tests
that you are undertaking, highlighting which ones are complete (demonstrated by ticks before the
test name):

Figure 8-1: Central Screen. Note: all tests have been completed.

Once a number of tests are completed, the option to ‘Logout’ may appear. This will allow you to exit
the assessment and complete any further tests (such as the Personality Questionnaire) at home. If
you are required to log out and complete your assessment away from the test centre, you will be
informed. When you are ready to complete any outstanding tests, you will need to log into the
assessment tool again using the same details as before. This will allow you to access and complete
any outstanding tests.

When you have finished all the tests and see this final screen you must click ‘continue’ not ‘logout’.
This will upload your results to Symbiotics Performance Solutions. Your results report will be
generated and sent to the Academy.

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Resource Group  Symbiotics Performance Solutions  Teme House  Whittington Road  Worcester  WR5 2RY
t. +44 (0) 1905 368175  f. +44(0) 1905 368176
e. [email protected]  w. www.resourcegroup.co.uk/sps

Company No: 3242262  VAT No: 927546105

Registered in England

30 Candidate Handbook – ADAPT Online V3  ADAPT - Symbiotics Ltd