History

• The first viable flight simulators were the non-computerized Link Trainers, which were first created in the early 1930s. Computers became more common in flight simulators in the 1950s and they advanced continually in the coming decades. In the 1980s, flight simulators were made for common games for personal home computers. In 1980, the FAA established the National Simulator Program (NSP) with requirements for flight simulators used in certification and training.
  
  

Features

• The FAA guidelines cover a number of different aspects and characteristics of flight simulators, and require that the simulator look, function, feel and respond like a particular real aircraft. To verify these requirements, they are inspected by pilots and engineers. The pilot, who must be rated for the type of aircraft being simulated, examines it for subjective qualities, such as the feel between the plane and the simulator. Aerospace engineers then compare the simulator to data acquired from flight testing of the actual aircraft.
  
  

Qualification and Further Testing

• Simulators are evaluated initially before use and then recurrently each year. If a simulator passes, it is issued a "Statement of Qualification."