Browse Aircraft Flight Simulators Parts

One of the most critical parts of training pilots and crew on new aircraft is the use of flight simulators. While flight simulators have existed for almost as long as powered flight itself has, modern simulators are almost as complex as actual aircraft. This is because they must simulate the aircraft in as many aspects as possible, from the placement of gauges and displays on the instrument panel, to the handling characteristics of the flight control system, to the placement of emergency equipment for the crew aboard a commercial aircraft.

The most common type of simulator is the cockpit simulator. Designed for training new pilots on an aircraft before actually putting the pilot in the sky, a cockpit simulator is designed to be an exact one-to-one replica of a particular aircraft. The simulator of a Boeing 737, for instance, will have the exact same array of instruments, displays, and controls in the exact same position as an actual 737. The most advanced types of simulators will also be mounted on hydraulic platforms that allow the entire cockpit to shift and move in response to the inputs made on the simulator’s flight control systems. Thus, if the pilot banks left on the flight stick, the entire simulator will tilt left, simulating the aircraft turning. Combined with virtual reality screens around the pilot to simulate the environment and weather the simulated plane is flying in; a simulator is often the closest a pilot can come to flying without leaving the ground.

Simulators are also used to train other members of the flight crew. Flight attendants for major airlines, for instance, will spend time in simulations to prepare them for emergency procedures. These simulations can drill flight crew on the location of equipment and exits long before the need ever arises.

Finally, simulators exist for testing individual components on an aircraft. After an engine has been taken apart, inspected, and reassembled as part of routine maintenance, it will go through simulation tests to ensure that everything is functioning properly.

At NSN Parts Now, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we sell aircraft flight simulator parts and systems produced by some of the top manufacturers around the world. These manufacturers include BAE Systems, Boeing, Holmco, and Honeywell.