CogScreen
Moderators: lilfssister, North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, I WAS Birddog
I ran through a demo of Cogscreen AE, which is a specific cognitive program developed with the USAF and FAA to not only determine your cognitive ability, but to rank you with an internal data base of over 50000 other tests done by pilots of all levels of experience.
The test I did was on a PC and there was a lengthy calibration period with the input devices - mouse and keyboard. This is crucial, as the sole measure of cognitive ability is in response timing and accurracy. In many of the tests the software is measuring response times in fractions of a second.
The other key feature of the test is the explanation and practice session prior to each test. It is imperative that you understand the goals of the test and practice effectively to ensure that you understand completely what is required. There is no going back and redoing the test if you misunderstood once you've started!
Some of the tests are very basic and others get quite complex and taxing - your brain definitely hurts afterwards! The best way to prepare is to get ample rest prior to the test, be well fed and hydrated, and above all try to relax.
The test I did was on a PC and there was a lengthy calibration period with the input devices - mouse and keyboard. This is crucial, as the sole measure of cognitive ability is in response timing and accurracy. In many of the tests the software is measuring response times in fractions of a second.
The other key feature of the test is the explanation and practice session prior to each test. It is imperative that you understand the goals of the test and practice effectively to ensure that you understand completely what is required. There is no going back and redoing the test if you misunderstood once you've started!
Some of the tests are very basic and others get quite complex and taxing - your brain definitely hurts afterwards! The best way to prepare is to get ample rest prior to the test, be well fed and hydrated, and above all try to relax.
Last edited by JL on Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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gonefishin'
- Rank 2
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- Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 6:59 pm
- Location: CAW3
MEC NEWSLETTER 2005 #05
CogScreen for New Hire pilots at Air Canada
July 6, 2005
Air Canada has recently commenced hiring pilots, and new hire courses are
ongoing at this time. I am sure all will agree that we welcome this hiring
trend and we look forward to welcoming these new colleagues into our ranks.
One aspect of new hiring to be aware of is that Air Canada has been using,
and continues to use, "CogScreen testing" for new hire pilots. This testing
is a computerized aptitude test of a person's cognitive function - the
mental faculties of perception, thought, reason and memory. This will take
place during the medical phase of a new hire pilot's selection process.
The established protocol, with appropriate guarantees, for such CogScreen
testing, was agreed upon as far back as 1998 between ACPA and Air Canada,
and is set out in our LOU#43. The Association has always opposed the use of
psychological testing, except for purpose of research that may be of benefit
for the piloting profession, and it is thus important to note that LOU#43
allows only voluntary CogScreen testing as part of a pilot's regular medical
examination and is subject to the same medical privacy privilege that
applies to any other medical test, with such test result remaining anonymous
or being destroyed at the pilot's option. ACPA and Air Canada have further
agreed "... that abnormal test result will not lead to further testing or
any other job implications". In this same LOU#43, it is clearly set out that
all information drawn from such tests of new hires is supposed to be treated
for all purposes as if provided on a voluntary basis, in accordance with
these same principles, i.e. medical privacy/privilege and no job
implications.
The Association would therefore, like to take this opportunity to advise any
of our membership, who may have recommended a particular pilot as a
candidate for employment at Air Canada, to advise him or her to be fully
prepared by showing up well rested and providing as much attention to detail
as they would with any other testing phases they will be subject to in the
new hire process. Such new hire pilot should also be made aware of his or
her rights to medical privacy/privilege and no job implications as a result
of such CogScreen testing.
Captain John Scott
MEC Chair
jscott@acpa.ca
CogScreen for New Hire pilots at Air Canada
July 6, 2005
Air Canada has recently commenced hiring pilots, and new hire courses are
ongoing at this time. I am sure all will agree that we welcome this hiring
trend and we look forward to welcoming these new colleagues into our ranks.
One aspect of new hiring to be aware of is that Air Canada has been using,
and continues to use, "CogScreen testing" for new hire pilots. This testing
is a computerized aptitude test of a person's cognitive function - the
mental faculties of perception, thought, reason and memory. This will take
place during the medical phase of a new hire pilot's selection process.
The established protocol, with appropriate guarantees, for such CogScreen
testing, was agreed upon as far back as 1998 between ACPA and Air Canada,
and is set out in our LOU#43. The Association has always opposed the use of
psychological testing, except for purpose of research that may be of benefit
for the piloting profession, and it is thus important to note that LOU#43
allows only voluntary CogScreen testing as part of a pilot's regular medical
examination and is subject to the same medical privacy privilege that
applies to any other medical test, with such test result remaining anonymous
or being destroyed at the pilot's option. ACPA and Air Canada have further
agreed "... that abnormal test result will not lead to further testing or
any other job implications". In this same LOU#43, it is clearly set out that
all information drawn from such tests of new hires is supposed to be treated
for all purposes as if provided on a voluntary basis, in accordance with
these same principles, i.e. medical privacy/privilege and no job
implications.
The Association would therefore, like to take this opportunity to advise any
of our membership, who may have recommended a particular pilot as a
candidate for employment at Air Canada, to advise him or her to be fully
prepared by showing up well rested and providing as much attention to detail
as they would with any other testing phases they will be subject to in the
new hire process. Such new hire pilot should also be made aware of his or
her rights to medical privacy/privilege and no job implications as a result
of such CogScreen testing.
Captain John Scott
MEC Chair
jscott@acpa.ca
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captainglen1
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- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:13 pm
Re: CogScreen
I have take4n the Cogscreen AE once and failed and am preparing to take it again. There are numerous elements and it is nearly an all day affair. I will describe several elements that are of particular interest: There is an element where math questions must be solved in 10 seconds or less i.e. a school has a student body of 1,000, 50% are men 20% of which collect student aid. How many male students collect student aid.
Another element has a bar at the bottom of the screen that moves erratically and must be kept as close to center using keyboard arrow keys with one hand while poking at targets on the screen with a stylus in the other hand.
Still another element presents a number to letter conversion table chart for 10 seconds then a series of then you must solve conversion problems from what you remember of the chart. In the end you must try to reconstruct the chart from memory.
Arrive to the test completely rested and mentally alert. I had woke at 4AM worked a 10 hour shift, departed at 10PM for a 10 hour drive from Las Vegas to Phoenix. Tried to catch a couple of hours of sleep in my car in 100 degree heat and took the test at 10AM 26 hours awake when I started the test.
I am a 63 year old general aviation pilot, my results were then compared to commuter pilots in their 20s and airline pilots in their 50s but not to general aviation pilots in their 60s. The person who developed the test, Dr Gary G. Kay knows of the flaws and is soliciting GA pilots to take the test at airshows so he can come up with more relevant comparisons for various pilot groups.
Another element has a bar at the bottom of the screen that moves erratically and must be kept as close to center using keyboard arrow keys with one hand while poking at targets on the screen with a stylus in the other hand.
Still another element presents a number to letter conversion table chart for 10 seconds then a series of then you must solve conversion problems from what you remember of the chart. In the end you must try to reconstruct the chart from memory.
Arrive to the test completely rested and mentally alert. I had woke at 4AM worked a 10 hour shift, departed at 10PM for a 10 hour drive from Las Vegas to Phoenix. Tried to catch a couple of hours of sleep in my car in 100 degree heat and took the test at 10AM 26 hours awake when I started the test.
I am a 63 year old general aviation pilot, my results were then compared to commuter pilots in their 20s and airline pilots in their 50s but not to general aviation pilots in their 60s. The person who developed the test, Dr Gary G. Kay knows of the flaws and is soliciting GA pilots to take the test at airshows so he can come up with more relevant comparisons for various pilot groups.
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co-joe
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- Location: YYC 230 degree radial at about 10 DME
Re: CogScreen
I couldn't balance the line on the other line for the life of me. I tried so many times my hands cramped. The machine crashed twice and I had to go wander aimlessly around the office to find the receptionist and get her to reset it for me. Thousands of hours, years of training, half a dozen moves, a whole life geared towards one goal thwarted by a game that would have made my TI-99 4A computer in 1981 look state of the art.
You could buy brain age and the big brain academy for the 3DS and see if it helps. I don't think it did, but my brain grew so It wasn't a total loss...
You could buy brain age and the big brain academy for the 3DS and see if it helps. I don't think it did, but my brain grew so It wasn't a total loss...
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captainglen1
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- Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:13 pm
Re: CogScreen
I took the Cogscreen a second time and failed another time. I was afforded an opportunity to take a full neuropsychiatric test battery which showed no cognitive impairment at all and in fact scored above average. Dr Chris Front of the FAA is well aware of the deficiencies in the cogscreen test which relates to control group to which you will be compared. The test is most defficient in evaluating general aviation pilots. A more extensive data base has been compiled but they are not yet using it.
