Army Aviation Information
Helicopter aerodynamics, systems, and flight rules — the SIFT knowledge subtest you can study for directly, with representative practice in our trainer.
- Questions
- 40
- Time limit
- 30 min
- Pace
- ~45 s per item
- Counts toward
- SIFT score
Representative questions from the trainer
Practice Army aviation knowledge with four-choice questions and focused explanations. Flip through a few.
Inside the Army Aviation Information subtest
This is a pure knowledge test: how helicopters fly, what their controls do, and the rules and vocabulary of Army aviation. Unlike the perceptual SIFT subtests, there is no trick of speed or eyesight here — you either know that the collective changes the pitch of all blades at once, or you don't. That makes it the highest-return subtest to prepare: every hour of study converts directly into points.
Lift, torque, autorotation, dissymmetry of lift, ground effect, settling with power
Cyclic, collective, anti-torque pedals, rotor systems, engines and transmissions
Airspace basics, weather, flight publications, aviation vocabulary
How the 30 minutes unfold
40 questions, about 45 seconds each — generous for recall questions you know cold.
You should be near question 14. Knowledge questions don't reward dwelling — answer and move.
Five minutes left — commit an answer on every remaining question.
The battery moves on. Blanks score zero — there is no penalty for guessing, so never leave one.
Distractors swap the cyclic and the collective, or the causes of two look-alike phenomena (dissymmetry of lift vs. transverse flow). When two controls both sound plausible, picture the maneuver — which hand moves?
The FAA's Helicopter Flying Handbook — a free download — covers nearly everything this subtest asks. It is the only SIFT subtest where memorization pays directly.
Three questions, solved the test-day way
Every set is scored against every other candidate
The moment you finish, your result drops onto the score distribution — percentile, total score, and time, read at a glance.
Ready to continue?
Open a timed Army aviation knowledge set, then review your score and explanations question by question.
Five habits that move an Army Aviation Information score
The free FAA handbook covers most of what this subtest asks. One chapter a day, six weeks out.
Cyclic, collective, pedals, swashplate, rotor systems — control-to-effect pairs are the most-tested facts.
Autorotation, settling with power, retreating blade stall, dynamic rollover — know the cause and the recovery for each.
45 seconds a question is comfortable only when recall is instant. Timed sets expose the facts you only half-know.
It is the only SIFT section where study converts directly to points — secure it early, then spend the remaining weeks on the perceptual tests.
Six weeks out: handbook reading. Weeks 3–4: flashcards and daily timed sets. Final two weeks: full-battery simulations only.
Next SIFT subtests to master
Army Aviation Information, quick answers
Can I really study for this subtest?
Yes — it is the most studyable section of the SIFT. The material is stable, published, and finite; disciplined candidates routinely turn it into their strongest score.
Do I need flight experience?
No. Every concept tested can be learned from books and diagrams. Flight hours help intuition, but candidates with zero cockpit time score well here.
Are the questions about helicopters or airplanes?
Mostly rotary-wing — this is Army aviation — plus general aeronautics that applies to both: the four forces, airspace basics, weather, and terminology.
How does it affect my SIFT score?
The SIFT reports a single score from 20 to 80 (minimum 40 to qualify), and the retake rules are strict: pass once and that score is permanent — you can never retest to improve it. Score below 40 and you get exactly one retest, no sooner than the 46th day after your first attempt. A strong showing here lifts the whole number.
Build your test-day method
- Exam-aligned drills under deliberate time pressure
- Instant explanations after every item
- Your score estimate, tracked drill after drill