WFG in the DLR Test: Path Figures and Counting Turns

Anyone looking into the computer-based performance tests of the DLR Stufe 1 assessment for the first time eventually runs into a module that seems almost too simple at first glance: a curved line, an arrow at one end, done. That apparent simplicity is exactly the trap. WFG – short for the German "Wegfiguren", or path figures – doesn't demand complex calculations or a wide vocabulary. Instead it asks for something that turns out to be surprisingly hard under time pressure: tracing a line in your head cleanly, without losing count, while the clock keeps running.

In this article we look at what WFG actually measures, how the procedure works in the real assessment, what the evaluation really hinges on, which mistakes come up most often, and which concrete training methods help you prepare specifically for this module. At the end, we place WFG in the context of a structured preparation – including the levels the DLR Exam Trainer offers to help you get there.

What is WFG?

WFG stands for path figures and is part of the computer-based tests (CBT) in the DLR Stufe 1 assessment, used among others by SWISS, the Lufthansa group (EFA), and various other airlines and flight schools in their pilot selection process. On screen you see a tangled, often multiply curved line. One end carries an arrow, the other end is open. Your task: mentally trace the line from the open end to the arrow tip and count how many times it turns in a specified direction along the way – left turns or right turns, depending on the instruction for that block. You then enter the count using the number keys.

What WFG actually measures is a combination of visuospatial imagination, selective attention, and working memory under time pressure. It isn't about recognising geometric shapes, but about whether you can reliably follow a continuous visual trace without losing count, while the clock is running and the next figure is already waiting. In flying, a related skill shows up constantly in different forms: following a flight route on a chart, mentally tracing an approach procedure, or working through a taxi route at an airport in your head.

Format and procedure

In the real test you're shown one line figure at a time. The figure has one open, unmarked end and one end with an arrowhead. You start mentally at the open end and trace the line to the arrow – in that direction only, never the reverse. Along the way you count the turns of the specified type. Importantly, the orientation of the figure on screen (whether it lies roughly horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) is pure distraction and has no bearing on the count itself.

At the start of each block it's fixed whether left or right turns are to be counted, and that stays the same for the whole set of figures in that block. After each figure you enter the number of turns via the number keys, and the next figure follows immediately. In the more advanced variants, lines within a single figure cross themselves – meaning the line overlaps with another part of itself without this being an actual branch. These crossings are deliberately designed to be confusing, and if you don't clearly distinguish between a "crossing" and an actual "turn", you'll miscount quickly.

A test block consists of several such figures in a row, within a limited amount of time. As a rough guide, you should aim to complete a full set clearly under five minutes once you're comfortable with the technique – this is a general orientation, not a guaranteed requirement, since exact test formats and time limits can differ between providers.

What really counts: evaluation and criteria

With WFG, almost everything comes down to two things: accuracy and speed, with accuracy clearly taking priority. Experience reports around similar CBT modules in the DLR assessment suggest that a target of well above 95% correctly counted figures is worth aiming for, combined with a brisk but not rushed pace. If you work too fast and miss turns or double-count them, you lose points that speed alone can't make up for.

It's important to understand that it isn't enough to trace the line "roughly" correctly – what matters is whether the exact turn count is right. A single missed or wrongly counted turn makes the entire answer for that figure wrong. That's why it's worth working a touch slower but systematically, rather than rushing mentally and guessing at the end.

ImportantWFG punishes haste more than calm, careful work. A steady, repeatable process almost always beats spontaneous "counting on the fly".

The most common mistakes

Miscounting at crossings

By far the most common mistake happens as soon as a line crosses itself. Many test-takers confuse a crossing (the line simply runs over another part of the same line, without an actual turn at that point) with a real turn. If you reflexively count every visual irregularity as a turn, you'll consistently end up with too high a count.

Starting from the wrong end

Another classic mistake is accidentally starting from the arrow and tracing backwards instead of starting at the open end and tracing forwards. Because the figure effectively feels mirrored when traced the wrong way, neither the direction nor the count tends to come out right.

Losing your place mid-count

With longer, heavily tangled figures, it's easy to lose track partway through – you suddenly aren't sure whether you were at turn three or turn four. If you simply keep counting without noticing the uncertainty, you end up with a wrong result without realising it.

Confusing left and right under pressure

Especially when the required counting direction (left or right) changes from task to task, it's common to slip into counting the previous task's direction out of habit. This happens particularly under time pressure, when you stop consciously checking which direction is actually being asked for.

Getting distracted by the figure's orientation on screen

Because figures are often rotated or presented at unusual angles, some test-takers try to mentally "straighten" the line before starting to count. That costs time and focus without any benefit – as noted above, the orientation is pure distraction.

Concrete training tips

Trace the line like driving a route

A proven strategy is to imagine actually driving a small vehicle along the line, the way you'd trace a road on a map with your finger. At each turn you mentally "steer" along and only note the direction of the turn, not its exact shape. This mental image helps shift your focus to the direction of movement rather than the visual complexity of the line.

Evaluate each turn individually instead of taking in the whole figure at once

Rather than trying to grasp the entire figure in one glance, it helps to work through it section by section: spot a turn, determine its direction, count it, move to the next section. This stepwise approach reduces the chance of losing the thread partway through a complex figure.

Practise crossings specifically

Since crossings are the biggest source of errors, it's worth training deliberately with the more advanced variant where lines overlap themselves. Getting comfortable early with telling apart "line crosses another line" from "line turns" means far fewer surprises in the real assessment.

Build a fixed counting routine

Develop a routine you apply to every figure in the same way – for example: locate the starting point, confirm the required direction (left or right), then count section by section while silently repeating the running total. A consistent routine reduces cognitive load, because you don't have to decide anew how to approach each figure.

Train regularly, in short sessions

WFG benefits strongly from repetition, because recognising turn patterns becomes more automatic over time. Short but regular training sessions of a few minutes each tend to be more effective than rare, long sessions where concentration drops off toward the end.

Only increase speed once accuracy is stable

Deliberately increase your working pace only once you're consistently hitting a high accuracy rate across multiple sessions. Training for speed at the expense of accuracy reinforces bad habits that are hard to unlearn later.

How to fit WFG into your preparation

In the DLR Exam Trainer, WFG is split into three levels: levels 1 and 2 work with simpler, clearly separated line paths, while level 3 introduces the more demanding variant with self-crossing lines, matching what appears in the real test. Every exercise is freshly generated, so you never see the same figure twice and have to rely on genuine technique rather than memorising individual figures.

The app's target is an accuracy rate above 95% (green), with the yellow indicator kicking in from 90% as a signal that more practice would help. For speed, a rough guideline is completing a full set clearly under five minutes. The adaptive level recommendation automatically suggests moving up a level once you're green three times in a row, and suggests stepping down a level after two reds in a row – keeping your training at an appropriately challenging level at all times.

As a rough time budget, plan for WFG two to three times a week, five to ten minutes each session, complemented occasionally by a full test-mode run without in-between feedback to simulate the real assessment situation. If you want to structure your entire preparation, the 8-week training plan offers a suggestion for where WFG fits alongside the other modules, and the complete guide to the DLR test gives you an overview of the assessment's overall structure. If you'd also like to work on spatial imagination more broadly, the article on PPT cube folding covers related strategies, since both modules draw on similar cognitive foundations.