FAA Approved Simulators: How They’re Used in Flight Training

FAA approved simulators can be incredibly helpful in flight training, but the phrase can also be confusing when you are just starting out. You may have seen home simulator setups, professional training devices, full-motion simulators, and aviation apps all described in similar ways, even though they do not all serve the same purpose.

If you are thinking about learning to fly, it helps to understand what simulator approval actually means, how simulator time may fit into training, and where real aircraft experience still matters. Simulators can be valuable tools for building familiarity, practicing procedures, and supporting your progress, but they are only one part of becoming a pilot. Keep reading, because the difference is worth understanding before you begin.

Understanding FAA Approved Simulators Before You Begin

When you first hear the phrase “FAA approved simulator,” it is easy to assume it means any realistic simulator can replace time in a real airplane. You may picture a home setup with multiple screens, a yoke, pedals, and realistic scenery, then wonder whether that kind of practice can count toward flight training.

The truth is more specific. Flight simulators range from home gaming setups to highly regulated training devices used in formal aviation training. “FAA approved” has a particular meaning in training, qualification, and logging contexts. It is not just about how realistic the simulator looks or how advanced the software feels.

Realistic Does Not Always Mean Approved

A simulator can look impressive and still have no FAA approval for training credit. Many home setups are excellent for building familiarity, practicing flows, learning basic cockpit terms, or getting comfortable with navigation concepts. That does not automatically make them approved or loggable.

FAA approval depends on the device, its qualification, its documentation, and how it is used. For aviation training devices, FAA guidance distinguishes Basic Aviation Training Devices and Advanced Aviation Training Devices, and the FAA notes that these are separate from Flight Training Devices and Full Flight Simulators governed under 14 CFR Part 60.

Some Simulator Time Can Count

Some approved devices may be used toward certain training or experience requirements when they meet FAA standards and are used properly. That usually means the device has the right authorization, is used within its approved limits, and is part of training that follows applicable FAA rules.

For example, FAA-approved Aviation Training Devices are generally supported by a Letter of Authorization and a Qualification and Approval Guide. The FAA notes that those documents identify the approved use and any limitations when the device is used to satisfy pilot time or experience requirements under Part 61 or Part 141.

So while a simulator may be useful, only some approved devices can be used in certain ways for credit. 

Home Simulators Can Still Be Helpful

Your home simulator may still have value, even if it is not FAA approved. You can use it to become more comfortable with basic aviation ideas before you start training.

A home simulator may help you practice:

• Recognizing common instruments
• Understanding basic cockpit layout
• Previewing routes and airports
• Learning headings, altitude, and airspeed concepts
• Practicing checklist discipline
• Getting familiar with radio rhythm

The key is to use it as a supplement, not as your primary teacher. A home simulator can build familiarity, but real aircraft training and instructor guidance are where you build true pilot skill.

FAA Approved Often Requires Dedicated Hardware

Another point beginners sometimes miss is that FAA approval is not usually about downloading the right software onto any computer. Approved devices typically require dedicated hardware, specific configurations, documentation, and ongoing compliance with the approval or qualification standards that apply to that device.

That means a realistic home simulator with a consumer yoke and pedals may be fun and educational, but it is generally different from an approved aviation training device used in a structured training environment. The approval attaches to the device and its approved configuration, not just the idea of simulation.

Approved Simulators Support Training, but They Do Not Replace the Airplane

FAA approved devices can help students train more efficiently. They can be especially useful for procedures, instrument scan, checklist practice, navigation workflows, emergency scenarios, and repetition in a controlled setting. Still, real aircraft training matters. The airplane teaches control feel, rudder coordination, trim pressure, takeoff and landing sight picture, weather judgment, traffic awareness, and the responsibility of operating in the real world.

A good way to think about it is this: simulators can help you prepare, review, and reinforce. The airplane is where you learn how flying actually feels.

The Main Types of FAA-Recognized Training Devices

When you start researching simulators, you may see phrases like full flight simulator, flight training device, aviation training device, BATD, AATD, and home flight simulator. They may all look like “simulators” from the outside, but they are not treated the same in training or logging contexts.

Full Flight Simulator, or FFS

A Full Flight Simulator, often called an FFS, is usually the most advanced type of simulator. These devices are commonly used in airline, turbine, type rating, recurrent, and professional training environments.

An FFS may replicate a specific aircraft type with a high level of detail. Depending on the qualification level, it can include motion, visual systems, cockpit replication, aircraft systems simulation, and the ability to practice complex scenarios in a controlled training environment.

You may see Full Flight Simulators used for:

• Airline training
• Jet and turbine aircraft training
• Type ratings
• Recurrent training
• Crew training
• Complex emergency scenarios

For a first-time Private Pilot student, this is generally not where training begins. Full Flight Simulators are impressive and highly capable, but they are usually designed for advanced aircraft, professional programs, and aircraft-specific training needs.

Flight Training Device, or FTD

A Flight Training Device, or FTD, is designed to represent an aircraft, aircraft class, or training environment with varying levels of fidelity. FTDs are often used for procedure training, systems training, instrument work, and repeated scenario practice.

Under 14 CFR Part 60 Appendix B, airplane FTD qualification levels include Level 4, Level 5, Level 6, and Level 7. Those levels describe different standards for how the device is evaluated and qualified.

FTDs can be especially useful when the device is aligned with the aircraft or training environment you are using. For example, a device representing a Cessna 172 may help students practice procedures, instrument workflows, and cockpit familiarity in a way that connects more closely to their aircraft training.

As a beginner, you may encounter an FTD later depending on your school, your training path, and the type of practice being done. It can be a strong tool for repetition, but it still has a specific role within your broader flight training.

Aviation Training Device, or ATD

Aviation Training Devices, or ATDs, are commonly discussed in general aviation and pilot training. ATDs include Basic Aviation Training Devices, or BATDs, and Advanced Aviation Training Devices, or AATDs. The FAA’s Advisory Circular 61-136B provides guidance for the approval and use of BATDs and AATDs under parts 61 and 141. It explains that ATDs are evaluated and approved for specific training and experience uses, with limitations based on the device and its authorization.

ATDs can be useful for specific training tasks, especially procedures and instrument work. They may help you practice scanning, navigation setups, flows, approaches, emergency procedures, and other structured tasks in a repeatable environment.

For a student pilot, ATDs may be helpful for:

• Instrument scan practice
• Procedure rehearsal
• Navigation practice
• Checklist flows
• Emergency scenario discussion
• Avionics familiarity
• Repeated practice without aircraft scheduling pressure

The important point is that you should not assume every desktop simulator is a BATD or AATD. Approval depends on the device, its configuration, its documentation, and how it is used. If you are trying to understand whether simulator time may count toward training requirements, ask your instructor or school what device is being used and what approval applies.

Home Flight Simulator

A home flight simulator is what many beginners are most familiar with. This may include consumer software, desktop computers, VR headsets, yokes, joysticks, throttle quadrants, rudder pedals, and multiple monitors.

Home simulators can be genuinely useful. They can help you become more comfortable with basic aviation terms, cockpit views, instrument layouts, airport orientation, routes, headings, and simple procedures. They can also make aviation feel less intimidating before your first real lesson.

A home simulator can help you practice:

• Recognizing instruments
• Learning basic cockpit vocabulary
• Understanding pitch, bank, climbs, descents, and turns
• Previewing airports or routes
• Practicing radio rhythm
• Reviewing checklist sequence
• Building general aviation curiosity

Most home simulators are not FAA approved or loggable. A setup can look realistic and still be informal practice. It generally does not count toward FAA training requirements unless it is part of a properly approved device and used in the correct training context.

That said, home practice can still be valuable when you use it correctly. Treat it as a familiarization tool, stay open to instructor correction, and avoid trying to self-teach advanced skills before you have professional guidance. The goal is to arrive more comfortable, not to arrive with habits that need to be rebuilt.

From Procedures to Pilot Skill: Why Real Flying Matters

Simulators can be useful, especially when you want to practice procedures, review concepts, or build familiarity before a lesson. They give you a low-pressure way to repeat tasks, think through steps, and become more comfortable with aviation language and cockpit layouts.

But real aircraft training is where the foundation is built. As a beginner, you are learning more than what to do next. You are learning how the airplane feels, how the environment changes, how your decisions matter, and how to stay calm and focused while everything is happening for real.

Real Flying Teaches Physical Skill

Flying an actual airplane is a physical experience. You feel the aircraft respond through the yoke, rudder pedals, trim, seat, and sound. Small control inputs matter and airspeed changes the way the airplane feels. Wind changes how you correct. Trim changes your workload.

These are things a simulator can introduce conceptually, but real aircraft training teaches them in your body. You learn how much pressure to use, how to relax your grip, how to coordinate your feet and hands, and how to make smooth corrections without overcontrolling.

Real aircraft training helps you develop:

• Control feel
• Rudder coordination
• Trim pressure
• Takeoff feel
• Landing sight picture
• Crosswind correction
• Motion and sensory awareness

These skills take repetition, coaching, and actual aircraft time.

Understanding a Maneuver Is Not the Same as Performing It

A simulator can help you understand what a maneuver is supposed to look like. You may be able to visualize a turn, descent, traffic pattern, or landing sequence before you try it in the airplane. That is helpful, but it is only part of the process. Performing a maneuver safely in real flight requires timing, feel, awareness, and judgment. You are managing altitude, airspeed, heading, traffic, wind, configuration, checklists, and instructor feedback while the airplane is moving through real air.

For example, you may understand the idea of a landing from a simulator. In the airplane, you still need to learn the sight picture, flare timing, runway alignment, wind correction, power management, and control feel. That learning happens through real instruction.

The Real Environment Changes the Lesson

Every real flight has its own personality. The wind may be different. The runway may be busier. The air may be smooth one day and bumpy the next. Visibility, temperature, traffic, and airport activity can all shape how the lesson feels.

That variation is valuable. It teaches you to adapt while staying safe and organized. You learn that flying is not just about moving the controls correctly. It is about reading the environment, listening carefully, making good decisions, and staying ahead of the airplane.

Pilot Responsibility Starts Early

One of the biggest differences between simulator practice and real aircraft training is responsibility. In a simulator, mistakes are reset easily. In the airplane, your instructor is there to keep the lesson safe, but the experience carries real weight. That sense of responsibility helps you grow. You start to understand why checklists matter, why weather decisions matter, why radio communication matters, and why your awareness outside the airplane matters. You begin thinking like a pilot, not just someone practicing a skill.

Simulators Can Support Your Training

A simulator can still be a helpful part of your learning routine. You can use it to review procedures, preview routes, practice radio calls, or reinforce concepts your instructor has already introduced.

The key is to keep it in the right role. Use simulation to support your training, then let real aircraft instruction build your skill, judgment, confidence, and habits. For beginners, especially Private Pilot students, the airplane is where your foundation becomes real.

That is why the best next step is not just more screen time. It is getting into an actual training aircraft with a qualified instructor who can guide you through the real experience from the beginning.

Start Your Aviation Journey With Leopard Aviation

If you have been exploring aviation through simulators, videos, or online research, you may be ready for the next step: feeling what real flying is actually like. A simulator can help you understand instruments, procedures, and basic concepts, but the airplane brings everything together in a way that is physical, memorable, and exciting.

At Leopard Aviation, we help you move from curiosity to real experience in a supportive, professional environment. Whether you are thinking about becoming a pilot, exploring aviation as a career, or simply wondering if flying is right for you, we give you a clear and welcoming place to begin.

Start With a Discovery Flight

A Discovery Flight is one of the best ways to understand the difference between simulation and real flying. It gives you the chance to experience the airplane, the cockpit, the view, and the feeling of flight with a Certified Flight Instructor beside you.

At Leopard Aviation, we offer Discovery Flights for people who are thinking about learning to fly. You will fly with one of our Certified Flight Instructors in a Cessna 172S Skyhawk and spend time in the pilot’s seat. When appropriate, you may even have the opportunity to handle the controls and feel how the aircraft responds.

This experience is designed to be relaxed, supportive, and informative. You do not need to arrive with aviation knowledge or simulator experience. You can simply show up curious and ready to learn.

During your Discovery Flight, you can ask questions about:

• What real flight training feels like
• How lessons are scheduled
• What aircraft you will train in
• What to expect after your first flight
• How simulator experience may fit into your learning
• Whether aviation feels like the right path for you

For many students, that first real flight makes everything click. The sound, motion, controls, outside view, and instructor guidance help you understand flying in a way a screen never fully can.

Real Flight Training in Phoenix

We train students in the Phoenix area, one of the most exciting places to learn to fly. Leopard Aviation began flight instruction operations in Scottsdale and expanded to Mesa due to increased demand, allowing us to serve more students across the Valley of the Sun.

Phoenix offers strong opportunities for consistent flight training. With many flyable days throughout the year, students often have more chances to build momentum and stay connected to their lessons. That consistency can be especially helpful when you are learning new skills and building confidence.

At the same time, real-world conditions matter. Heat, wind, density altitude, airspace, traffic, scheduling, and local weather patterns all shape the training experience. Our instructors help you understand those factors as part of becoming a thoughtful, capable pilot.

Flexible Part 61 Training

We provide flight training under FAA Part 61, which gives students flexibility while still working toward FAA requirements. That flexibility can be especially valuable if you are balancing training with work, school, family, travel, or changing availability.

Part 61 training allows you to build a schedule that fits real life. You can begin with a pace that feels manageable, increase lesson frequency when you are ready, or adjust your schedule as your goals and responsibilities change.

A flexible training structure can help you:

• Start without feeling overwhelmed
• Build consistency at a realistic pace
• Increase training intensity when your schedule allows
• Stay focused on FAA requirements
• Work with your instructor on areas that need extra attention
• Keep training sustainable over time

The goal is to help you move from interest to progress in a way that fits your life.

Keep Going Beyond the First Flight

A Discovery Flight can be your introduction to aviation, but it can also be the beginning of a larger goal. After your first flight, we can help you understand training options, lesson structure, scheduling, and what the path forward may look like.

You may decide to pursue your Private Pilot License. You may want to explore aviation as a career. You may simply want to keep learning and see where flying takes you. Whatever your goal is, we are here to help you move forward with clarity and support.

Turn Training Tools Into Real Flying Progress

FAA approved simulators can be valuable tools when they are used in the right training context. They can help students practice procedures, build instrument awareness, review navigation concepts, and reinforce good habits. Still, simulator training works best when you understand what it can support and where real aircraft training remains essential.

For beginners, the airplane is where the foundation truly comes together: control feel, motion, radio workload, weather judgment, traffic awareness, and real pilot responsibility. If you are ready to move from learning about aviation to experiencing it for yourself, schedule your Discovery Flight with Leopard Aviation and take your next step into the pilot’s seat.

FAQs

What are FAA approved simulators used for in flight training?

They are used to support specific parts of training, especially procedures, instrument awareness, navigation, checklist flows, and repeated scenario practice. Depending on the device and approval, some simulator time may count toward certain training requirements. For beginners, the biggest value is understanding that approved simulator training can help, while real aircraft time still builds the physical skill and judgment you need.

Is a home flight simulator the same as an approved training device?

Usually, no. A home simulator can be very helpful for learning basic cockpit terms, practicing navigation ideas, or becoming familiar with instruments, but that does not automatically make it approved or loggable. Approval depends on the specific device, hardware, configuration, documentation, and training context. Use your home setup as a helpful supplement, then let your instructor guide your real training.

Can simulator time replace real aircraft training?

Simulator time can support your learning, but it cannot fully replace real aircraft training. The airplane teaches control feel, rudder coordination, trim pressure, takeoff and landing sight picture, wind correction, radio workload, traffic awareness, and real responsibility. A simulator can help you understand what to do, but the aircraft teaches you how flying actually feels.

Can I start with a Discovery Flight at Leopard Aviation before committing to training?

Yes. We offer Discovery Flights for people who are thinking about learning to fly and want to experience the real thing. You will fly with one of our Certified Flight Instructors, spend time in the pilot’s seat, and ask questions about training, scheduling, aircraft, and next steps. It is a relaxed, welcoming way to begin.

What should I tell my Leopard Aviation instructor if I have simulator experience?

Tell us what simulator you use, how often you use it, what aircraft you usually fly, and what you have practiced. That gives your instructor a better starting point. We can then help you keep the helpful pieces, adjust anything that does not match real flying, and build safe habits from your first lessons.