| Aviation simulators can be extremely valuable to | | | | Full-fledged simulators, known as Full Flight Simulators |
| aviation students, potential students, and established | | | | (FFS) duplicate most aspects of being in an airborne |
| pilots. In addition, flight simulators can simply be a lot of | | | | plane. They feature a full replica cockpit with full-size |
| fun for anyone, even those who have no interest in | | | | instruments and functional yoke. They are mounted on |
| ever becoming a pilot. | | | | six-cylinder motion platforms that can simulate all six |
| Simulation programs range in complexity and features | | | | degrees of freedom – three linear movements and |
| from the basic, PC versions to full room, 360 degree, | | | | three rotations – that a plane in flight can |
| virtual reality simulators. | | | | experience. Those training in an FSS get in, buckle up, |
| The most popular and full-featured PC flight simulator | | | | and carry out procedures just as they would in a real |
| is the Microsoft Flight Simulator program. The program | | | | plane. |
| is generally marketed and purchased as a video game, | | | | Also found in an FFS is a high definition visual display |
| but is a complete simulator that is used by pilot | | | | with a 360 degree view of the outside world, seen by |
| instructors, students and experienced pilots to learn | | | | the pilots in training. Visual displays can be programmed |
| and refresh skills. The professional edition of the | | | | to show any airport or terrain in the world. |
| simulator has more aircraft, tools and more extensive | | | | The advantage of an FFS is that a pilot and crew can |
| scenery than is found in the standard edition. | | | | experience virtual emergencies in nearly true to life |
| The flight area in this virtual arena covers virtually the | | | | circumstances without endangering a real plane or |
| entire world, with differing levels of difficulty and | | | | human life. So crews will experience engine failure, |
| realism, and includes 20,000 airports. The Microsoft | | | | systems failure, loss of flight instruments, loss of cabin |
| Flight Simulator 2004 and Microsoft Flight Simulator X | | | | pressure, and so on in a carefully regulated simulated |
| are specifically aimed at current and prospective pilots | | | | environment. |
| and those who wish they were pilots. The simulator is | | | | Between PC simulators and the FSS simulators, there |
| widely appreciated because of the large number of | | | | are a variety of other simulators in hierarchical steps. |
| upgrades and add-ons that allow such applications as | | | | From system trainers, the training advances to CPTs, |
| air traffic control environments, historical aircraft and | | | | or Cockpit Procedures Trainers. These trainers |
| aircraft checklists. | | | | don’t have the motion platform or the visual cues |
| Moving beyond consumer products, the flight simulator | | | | of the FSSs. They do provide exact replicas of the |
| market branches out into a range of professional | | | | instrument panels, cockpit instruments, etc. |
| devices used for pilot training. Some flight simulators | | | | Higher level Flight Training Devices (FTDs) are just like |
| review one, or perhaps two, aircraft systems. These | | | | mini simulators, some even featuring visual systems. |
| Part-Task Trainers (PTTs) offer repetitive review of | | | | However, they don’t have a moving platform like |
| systems and procedures pilots must master before | | | | the FFS does have. |
| moving on to the more complete systems. | | | | |