What is a Full Flight Simulator?

Have you ever contemplated how pilots are trained to handle a wide range of scenarios, from navigating challenging weather conditions during landing to addressing unexpected events? A significant portion of their skills is honed on the ground using one of the most sophisticated technological tools in aviation: the Full Flight Simulator (FFS).

With the projected demand for over 600,000 new pilots over the next two decades, upholding the highest training standards is crucial for ensuring aviation safety. Full Flight Simulators play a vital role in the pilot training process.

A full-flight simulator is much more than a sophisticated video game. It is a fully functional replica of a specific aircraft's cockpit, equipped with a multi-axis motion system. The switches, displays, sounds, and feedback are meticulously designed to authentically replicate the experience a pilot would have in a real aircraft cockpit.

When paired with expert flight instructors, a Full Flight Simulator (FFS) enables flight crews to train in a safe and controlled environment, providing diverse and complex flight scenarios to address a wide range of technical and non-technical situations across various contexts, such as weather, airports, and geographic areas. This ensures pilots are consistently prepared for the unexpected, upholding the highest safety standards in the industry.

Flight simulators are classified into several levels by the EASA and the FAA: Level A, Level B, Level C, and Level D. Among these, Level D is the most sophisticated, featuring full motion, high-resolution visuals, and stringent performance criteria. Level D simulators replicate all aircraft systems accessible from the flight deck that are essential for training. Due to the high fidelity of this simulator category, experienced pilots can obtain complete type ratings without flying the actual aircraft, a process referred to as ‘zero-flight time’ training.

A Level D FFS combines several key technologies to create an immersive experience:

• Dynamic Motion System: The simulator utilises robust electric or hydraulic actuators to tilt and move, accurately replicating the sensations of acceleration, turning, and turbulence. For example, the new Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for our A350 fleet employs the latest 100% electrical motion technology, ensuring smoother and more realistic movements.

• High-fidelity visuals: A 180-degree high-definition visual system offers a realistic depiction of the external environment, encompassing everything from airports to weather conditions, at any time of day or night. This latest generation of visuals is incorporated into Airbus' newest simulators.

• Authentic Soundscape: The cockpit sounds that a pilot would encounter in real life, including the roar of engines during take-off, as well as various beeps, voice callouts, and verbal warnings, are meticulously reproduced.

For pilots, training is a continuous process throughout their careers. A new pilot operating a specific aircraft type will experience full-flight simulator training for the first time during the initial training phase. Commercial airline pilots already certified on a particular type are required to return to the simulator approximately every six months. This is essential for licensing purposes and to refresh their skills and knowledge by practising both normal and emergency procedures.

The authorities require regular training to ensure continuous improvement, which is consistent with Airbus' Flight Training Reference philosophy, dedicated to maintaining the quality and consistency of our training programs.

Each Full Flight Simulator (FFS) is required to undergo evaluation and certification by aviation authorities such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This process ensures that the simulator's performance accurately replicates that of the actual aircraft, thereby validating the training conducted under the jurisdiction of each authority. It is important to note that when a simulator is relocated, even within the same facility, it must be re-certified before it can be used for pilot training again. This re-certification process is currently in progress as Airbus relocates its simulators to the new state-of-the-art Airbus Europe Training Centre in Toulouse, France.