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Memory exercise · ~3 min a run · free

Clearance Recall

Read a four-item clearance, survive a delay, then recall one value.

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Pilot selection batteries routinely test the ability to hold a set of verbal and numerical values in working memory under interference, then reproduce a queried item accurately. This exercise presents a four-parameter clearance (altitude, heading, speed, frequency), gives you a short window to memorise it, blanks the display, optionally inserts an arithmetic distractor, and then asks for one of the four values. Optional text-to-speech reads the clearance in ATC digit-by-digit style. Choose Easy (3 s display, 3 s delay, no distractor), Medium (2 s, 5 s, 1 distractor), or Hard (1.5 s, 7 s, 2 distractors).

About this test

What this test measures

This measures short-term verbal and numerical working memory under interference: holding a four-part clearance of altitude, heading, speed and frequency through a delay and an optional distractor, then recalling one queried value. It is the same load as reading back a clearance accurately while still flying the aeroplane.

How to improve your score

  • Group the four values by unit as you read them, with the flight level, heading, speed and frequency each in its own mental slot.
  • Rehearse the values silently in a steady rhythm during the blank delay so they do not fade before the question appears.
  • Work up through the difficulty levels as your accuracy holds, since the harder settings shorten the display and add distractors that crowd your working memory.

Good to know

  • Chunking the four values

    Group the values by unit as you read them: the flight level, the heading, the speed, and the frequency each live in a distinct mental slot. Saying them silently to yourself (sub-vocal rehearsal) during the display window extends how long your phonological loop can hold them before the delay drains it. To build that habit on a longer, growing chain, the Flight-Parameter Memory drill runs the same chunk-and-recite technique across a running stream of cockpit values.

  • What strong performance looks like

    Scoring 10 or more correct out of 12 (Excellent) at Medium or Hard means your working memory is coping well with the delay and the distractor. Aim to respond quickly once you know the answer (the time bonus is generous at up to 5 seconds) and work up through the difficulty levels as accuracy stabilises.

Frequently asked questions

What does this exercise measure?

Short-term working memory and verbal-numerical recall under delay and cognitive interference. These are the same demands as reading back an ATC clearance accurately while also managing the flight deck.

How is scoring calculated?

Each correct answer scores 10 base points plus a 2-point time bonus if you respond within 5 seconds (but not less than 200 ms, to prevent click-through). A streak multiplier of up to 3x applies for consecutive correct answers. The maximum possible score in one session is 354 points.

Does the frequency accept just the integer part?

No. You must always include the decimal point (e.g., type 121.5, not 121). This matches real ATC readback practice where the decimal is mandatory and avoids ambiguity between frequencies that share the same integer part.

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