How do I prepare for the DLR technical test (TVT)?

TVT is a knowledge test on technical comprehension used in some DLR procedures. It's set up as multiple choice and checks whether you can correctly reason through basic physical-technical relationships from everyday life — from simple mechanics to electrics to everyday technology. The best way to prepare is a mix of refreshing fundamentals, practising regularly with realistic sample questions, and working to a clear timeline.

What TVT covers

Based on experience reports and overviews of the test content, TVT typically covers several technical sub-areas, including:

• Mechanics: levers, gears, pulleys, and basic force transmission.
• Electrics: simple circuits, relationships like U = R·I.
• Hydraulics: transmitting force and pressure through fluids.
• Heat: basic relationships around temperature and expansion.
• Optics: simple principles such as reflection and refraction.
• Everyday technology: understanding how common mechanical or electrical everyday objects work.

Questions are multiple choice, and you can navigate back and forth between questions within the test. The goal is usually a rating (such as A or B) rather than a simple pass/fail — the exact scoring logic depends on the procedure.

A sensible study plan for TVT

Because TVT tests basic understanding rather than specialist knowledge, a structured but not overly heavy study plan tends to work well:

1. Refresh the basics: go back through secondary-school-level physics and technology material (mechanics, electrics, simple formulas) rather than trying to learn new specialist content.
2. Review formula basics: get comfortable applying core relationships — force, pressure, circuits — without having to think them through from scratch.
3. Short daily quiz sessions: rather than the occasional marathon session, build in regular short blocks of practice questions, similar to the other test parts.
4. Practise under time pressure: since the test is multiple choice with limited time, it helps to work through practice questions under similar time constraints.

For more background on technical comprehension, see the TVT blog article; since physics and TVT overlap in content, it's also worth checking the physics blog article.

How TVT relates to maths and physics

TVT overlaps somewhat with maths and physics, but focuses more on understanding how mechanisms work than on pure calculation. For more on the overall maths/physics level, see our question on maths and physics in the DLR test; for a full overview of all test content, see the question on what's tested.

TipThe TVT quiz in the DLR Exam Trainer is free to use and is a good way to test your basic technical understanding with realistic sample questions before tackling detail questions on hydraulics or optics.

Which technical sub-areas are actually tested, and exactly how scoring works, differs by procedure and can change. The current information from the DLR or from the relevant airline or flight school is what counts.