What is the personality test in the DLR test?

Alongside computer-based performance tests and knowledge tests — see also What is tested in the DLR test? — the DLR test programme also includes a personality questionnaire; descriptions of it sometimes reference instruments such as the 16PF. In the DLR Pilot Certificate, personality is explicitly one of four areas the final EASA-based assessment covers, alongside basic cognitive abilities, operational competencies, and social competencies. Unlike a knowledge test, there's no objectively "right" answer here — the questionnaires are designed to capture personality traits and behavioural tendencies considered relevant to the pilot profession.

What the questionnaire is trying to measure

Personality questionnaires used in selection contexts typically target traits like resilience, teamwork, decision-making style, or how someone handles stress and responsibility — qualities considered important for day-to-day cockpit work. The exact design, the scales used, and how heavily individual dimensions are weighted aren't published in detail and can differ between procedures. Worth knowing: this isn't a test with a score in the usual sense, but a profile that feeds into the overall assessment.

Should you try to answer strategically, or just be honest?

A common misconception is that you can "game" a personality questionnaire by consistently ticking the most socially desirable answer. Many of these instruments, though, include consistency checks that flag implausibly uniform answer patterns. Anecdotal reports, and general advice from selection psychology, therefore point the same way: answer honestly and consistently with how you actually behave, rather than trying to construct an "ideal" profile. There's no genuine set of original items or a model answer key, so treat anything claiming to be one with caution.

How this compares across procedures

In the Lufthansa BU, the personality component is one building block alongside performance tests and knowledge questions; the later Firmenqualifikation deepens the personal assessment further through interviews and group exercises. In the DLR Pilot Certificate, as mentioned, personality is one of four explicitly named assessment areas. On the SWISS/EFA Switzerland pathway, a separate assessment centre with interviews and group exercises comes later on top of the certificate test, adding another angle on personality beyond the initial questionnaire.

TipPrepare for the personality section mentally rather than by content — show up rested, and answer at a natural pace without overthinking each item. Handling tension during the selection process more broadly is covered in DLR Test: Stress & Mindset.

Which questionnaires are actually used, and how they're weighted, tends to change over time and isn't disclosed by the DLR in detail. The current information from the DLR or from the relevant airline or flight school is what applies.