Professional pilots train on a range of simulators, from multimillion-dollar full-motion machines that replicate every detail of a specific aircraft to desktop-sized devices at local flight schools. The type depends on what stage of training a pilot is in and what certificate or rating they’re working toward. Here’s how the landscape breaks down.
Full Flight Simulators for Airline Pilots
The gold standard in airline training is the Level D Full Flight Simulator (FFS). These are the massive, hydraulic-legged pods you’ve probably seen in photos, mounted on platforms that tilt, shake, and heave to mimic turbulence, takeoff rolls, and engine failures. The FAA requires Level D simulators to have six degrees of freedom in their motion systems: pitch, roll, yaw, heave, sway, and surge. Their wraparound visual displays must cover at least 176 degrees horizontally and 56 degrees vertically per pilot seat, creating a near-seamless view of the outside world.
A single Level D simulator costs roughly $10 to $15 million and is built to replicate one specific aircraft type. If you fly a Boeing 737, you train in a 737 simulator with an identical cockpit, identical switches, and flight characteristics modeled from the manufacturer’s own data. Airlines don’t build these in-house. Companies like CAE and L3Harris dominate this market. CAE’s 7000XR Series, for example, is widely used by major airlines and includes features like dynamic weather scenarios, upset recovery training, and continuously updated airport databases so the visual scenery matches real-world conditions.
Airline pilots don’t just use these simulators during initial training. They return regularly for recurrent checks, typically every six to twelve months, to practice emergencies and maneuvers that would be dangerous or impossible in a real aircraft: engine fires on takeoff, hydraulic failures, wind shear on approach. For many airline pilots, the Level D simulator is the only place they ever “fly” certain emergency procedures.
Flight School Simulators
Student pilots and those working on instrument ratings train on much simpler devices. The FAA classifies these as Aviation Training Devices (ATDs), and they come in two tiers: Basic (BATD) and Advanced (AATD). Neither has motion or a full wraparound visual system. They’re essentially enclosed cockpit mockups with screens, realistic controls, and software that accurately models how a specific aircraft handles.
Redbird Flight Simulations is the dominant name in this space. The FAA’s approved device list includes over a dozen Redbird models covering everything from single-engine Cessna 172s to twin-engine trainers and even a Robinson R22 helicopter simulator. Their AATD models like the FMX, MCX, and MX2 can be configured to represent more than 20 different aircraft types, from Cirrus SR22s to Beechcraft King Airs. The simpler TD and TD2 models qualify as BATDs and are typically set up as Cessna 172s or 182s.
These devices matter because hours logged in them count toward FAA certificates. A student working on a private pilot certificate can apply a portion of their required flight time in an approved ATD, reducing the number of expensive hours spent in a real airplane. For instrument training, the savings are even more significant since so much of that work involves practicing procedures and approaches that translate well to a simulator environment.
Software That Powers the Training
The software running inside professional training devices is different from what you’d buy for a home computer, but there’s more overlap than you might expect. Many flight schools run their simulators on Prepar3D (P3D), a professional-grade platform built from the same codebase as the old Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Lockheed Martin licenses P3D specifically for training and simulation use.
X-Plane is the other major player in the training world. When paired with FAA-approved hardware configurations, X-Plane 12 can be used for loggable flight training hours. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020/2024, despite its stunning visuals and popularity among hobbyists, is not FAA-certified for logging training time. Boeing does use MSFS in conjunction with PMDG (a company that builds highly detailed aircraft models) for some internal approved training purposes, but that’s a specialized arrangement, not something available at your local flight school.
Full flight simulators at airlines run entirely proprietary software built by the simulator manufacturer and customized with data packages from the aircraft’s original manufacturer. You can’t buy or download this software.
Military Pilot Simulators
Military training uses both traditional full-motion simulators and newer approaches. The U.S. Air Force’s Pilot Training Next initiative has pushed into virtual reality, using VR headsets to immerse student pilots in a simulated T-6A Texan II, the turboprop trainer used for primary flight school. This approach lets students get additional repetitions outside the aircraft at a fraction of the cost of flying real sorties.
Beyond VR trainers, the military operates high-fidelity simulators for specific combat aircraft. Fighter pilots train in cockpit replicas of their assigned jets, often with dome-style visual projections that simulate air-to-air combat and weapons deployment. These systems are built by defense contractors like L3Harris and CAE’s military division, and the software and threat databases are classified.
What Pilots Use at Home
Many professional pilots maintain a home simulator setup to stay sharp on procedures between formal training sessions. These aren’t FAA-loggable, but they’re valuable for practicing flows, checklists, and instrument approaches. The software of choice is typically X-Plane 12 or Microsoft Flight Simulator, often with add-on aircraft models that closely replicate the cockpit of whatever they fly professionally.
Hardware is where things get interesting. At a minimum, a pilot will want a yoke or sidestick, rudder pedals, and a throttle quadrant. For yoke-equipped aircraft (most Boeings, Cessnas, and Pipers), the Honeycomb Alpha Flight Yoke is one of the most popular mid-range options. Airbus pilots often gravitate toward the Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick, which replicates the sidestick found in modern Airbus cockpits. The Thrustmaster TCA Yoke Boeing Edition goes further, offering a 1-to-1 replica of a Boeing 787 yoke.
Rudder pedals range from the budget Logitech G Pro set to the significantly more precise MFG Crosswind pedals or the Thrustmaster TPR pedals at the higher end. For throttles, the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant is a favorite because it can be configured with interchangeable handles to match different aircraft types, from single-engine props to jet thrust levers. Pilots who want even more realism add dedicated radio panels, autopilot controllers, and switch panels from Logitech’s flight panel line to reduce the need to click on-screen controls.
Some sim enthusiasts own both a yoke and a stick and swap between them depending on what aircraft type they’re flying that session. Complex home setups can also include VR headsets for full immersion or external avionics panels that replicate specific glass cockpit displays. The goal isn’t to replace formal training but to build and maintain the muscle memory and procedural fluency that makes real-world flying smoother.