Free RAF DAA Practice Test (2026)

The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA) is an aptitude test used by the RAF to assess candidates applying for a wide range of roles, including Aerospace Battle Manager, Air Traffic Controller, Air Traffic Control Officer, Weapons Systems Operator, and roles within the RAF Regiment.

The DAA was formerly known as the Airman Selection Test (AST) and you'll occasionally still see references to AST. It's important to note, though, that the test has changed structurally since it's become the DAA.

Since aptitude tests can be quite challenging, adequate preparation is key. Our DAA free practice questions below will help you get started, but also check out our full DAA PrepPack, which features practice questions for every section and detailed solutions to support your preparation.

The Defence Aptitude Assessment includes six timed sections covering verbal reasoning, numerical ability, work rate, spatial awareness, mechanical comprehension, and electrical comprehension.

While the number of questions in each section can vary depending on your chosen role, candidates usually complete around 100 - 110 multiple-choice questions in roughly 70 minutes.

Below, you’ll find a short overview of each section, along with DAA free practice questions from all six areas to give you a feel for the style and timing of the real assessment.

In DAA Verbal Reasoning, you’ll answer around 20 questions in 15 minutes. Questions are based on short passages and test your ability to spot key details, draw logical conclusions, and work quickly under pressure.

⭐️ Golden Tip: In DAA Verbal Reasoning, practise picking out key details and keywords in passages. Summarise statements in your own words and watch for qualifiers like “always” or “sometimes” to find the most accurate answer.

In DAA Numerical Reasoning, you’ll complete two sub-sections under strict time limits. The first tests basic arithmetic with 12 questions in 4 minutes, while the second challenges your ability to interpret data from tables and graphs with 15 questions in 11 minutes. Accuracy and speed are both essential.

⭐️ Golden Tip: In DAA Numerical Reasoning, focus on interpreting tables, charts, and percentages quickly. Practise basic calculations without a calculator and check your answers mentally for speed and accuracy.

In DAA Work Rate, you’ll work with tables containing letters, numbers, and shapes to find alternative codes for given sequences. There are 20 questions to complete in 4 minutes, so you must balance speed with accuracy. 

⭐️ Golden Tip: For the DAA Work Rate section, focus on spotting patterns quickly and applying the coding rules consistently. Work methodically, and keep track of which rows or columns you’ve already checked to avoid mistakes while working under the strict time limit.

In DAA Spatial Reasoning, you’ll work with both 2D and 3D shapes to test your ability to visualise and manipulate objects in space. The section has 20 questions in total, 10 on 2D orientation and 10 on 3D rotation, with 7 minutes to complete. You’ll need to mentally rotate shapes, match sides, and identify correct perspectives quickly. 

⭐️ Golden Tip: In DAA Spatial Reasoning, try visualising 3D objects from different perspectives. Focus on one rotation or transformation at a time and spot patterns to solve questions more efficiently.

In DAA Electrical Comprehension, you’ll answer 22 multiple-choice questions in 15 minutes, testing your understanding of basic electrical principles. Questions cover series and parallel circuits, Ohm’s Law, circuit components, practical troubleshooting, and more.

⭐️ Golden Tip: For the DAA Electrical Comprehension section, practise applying core principles like current, voltage, and resistance. Sketch diagrams to help visualise circuits and solve problems faster.

In DAA Mechanical Comprehension, you’ll answer 19 multiple-choice questions in 13 minutes, assessing your understanding of forces, levers, pulleys, gears, and motion. Questions are presented as diagrams or short scenarios, and you must apply mechanical principles quickly and accurately.

⭐️ Golden Tip: For the DAA Mechanical Comprehension part, focus on breaking down forces, motion, and mechanisms step by step. Try drawing simple diagrams to make complex systems easier to understand.

The RAF DAA is highly sensitive to preparation. Many candidates underperform simply because they're unfamiliar with the question formats and strict time limits.

Practising DAA-style questions helps you improve speed without losing accuracy, recognise common reasoning patterns, manage your time across sections, and build confidence for test day. Even short, focused practice can refresh key knowledge, such as decimals, vocabulary, or basic mechanical and electrical principles, and improve overall performance.

Free practice questions are an excellent starting point, while our expert-created PrepPacks provide everything you need to tackle the full test with confidence.