DLR BU/GU tests - prepare for the pilot aptitude assessment

What are the DLR tests?

The DLR is a German organization based in Hamburg, specialized in aeronautical and space engineering and research. Among other fields, it specializes in flight crew selection and designs its own aptitude testing tools. These tests are used by many European airlines to select their pilot applicants, whether ab-initio or already professional pilots. The DLR tests have a reputation for being highly selective. They are most often taken in Hamburg, at the DLR premises, and are made of two eliminatory phases. The first one, known as BU/GU, corresponds to the aptitude tests presented here, while the second one, FQ/FU, includes the individual and group interviews and the simulator assessment.

Who uses the DLR tests?

Here is a non-exhaustive list of companies or flight training schools that use the DLR tests to scrutinize and select pilot applicants:

→ Lufthansa, Eurowings, TUIfly, Condor, Austrian Airlines, Swiss, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines, Aerologic, Cargolux, Cargolux China, Air Dolomiti and Royal Jordanian.
⚠ No longer concerned: Luxair, which moved to the CUT-E tests.

If you happen to take the DLR tests in another company or flight school that is not listed above or if one of these companies doesn't ask for the DLR tests anymore, please contact us and we will update the list above.

What are the DLR BU/GU tests for?

When you apply, whether for an ab-initio training or for a flight crew position, the selection outcome is highly committing for you as well as for your future employer. A pilot training, or even a single type rating, represents a heavy financial investment whose return has to be considered over a whole career. Trying to minimize the risk of failure is therefore legitimate.
Now, a strong correlation is measured between the results obtained at some aptitude tests and the risk of failing during training. The purpose of the DLR BU/GU tests is precisely to anticipate such difficulties by revealing cognitive weaknesses in a few key areas. How selective the assessment turns out to be depends on the maximum risk a recruiter is ready to take and on the applicant's flying experience. Note that the exact tests you will take during the BU/GU phase depend on the selection you are sitting and may vary.

Should I train before taking the DLR BU/GU tests?

A few weeks before the assessment, the DLR sends the applicant a digital training package for the BU/GU tests. You can therefore practice at will during this short period. However, the tests provided differ slightly from the ones taken on the day. Moreover, this training phase is designed to familiarize you with the test rules rather than to really make you progress. Reaching a performance plateau after a few days of practice is not enough! What matters is raising that plateau through long-term work. We therefore advise a thorough and regular preparation to anyone willing to pass the BU/GU phase of the DLR tests.

Using Pilotest to pass the DLR BU/GU tests

Pilotest aims at letting you approach the BU/GU phase in Hamburg with confidence. Given how competitive these selections are and how many preparation tools are now available online, training has almost become a mandatory step to stay in the race. After each test, Pilotest gives you your result as a stanine class, which represents your position relative to the other users of the website. Since the vast majority of pilots train on Pilotest, this result is all the more relevant.