Reviewed August 7, 2026. Requirements, programs, prices, and application dates can change; confirm current details with the linked official source.
A flight simulator can help a student rehearse cockpit flows, radio procedures, navigation concepts, instrument scans, and lesson scenarios. It can also reinforce bad habits if used without a plan. Coordinate simulator practice with your flight instructor and remember that consumer software does not automatically qualify for loggable training credit.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Best for: visual familiarization, aviation exploration, and home practice.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 provides detailed scenery, aircraft, weather simulation, and career-style activities. Microsoft explicitly states that MSFS is not FAA approved for flight training. Use it as a study aid rather than recording the time as aeronautical experience.
X-Plane 12
Best for: flexible desktop practice and configurable procedures.
X-Plane 12 supports multiple operating systems, hardware controls, aircraft, and instructor-style scenarios. The normal home version is not an FAA-approved training device by itself. X-Plane explains that approval applies to a complete professional software-and-hardware configuration, not simply to purchasing the desktop application.
FlightGear
Best for: free, open-source experimentation.
FlightGear can be useful for learners who want a no-cost simulator and are comfortable configuring software. Aircraft and system fidelity vary, so compare the simulated cockpit and procedures with the aircraft handbook and your instructor’s guidance.
FAA-approved aviation training devices
Best for: structured training when the specific device, approval, curriculum, and instructor requirements are met.
Devices such as qualifying Redbird models may be approved as Basic or Advanced Aviation Training Devices. Approval belongs to the particular device configuration and its current FAA letter of authorization. The amount and kind of credit available depend on the regulation, training program, instructor involvement, and required records.
Before paying for “loggable simulator time”
- Ask whether the exact device is a BATD, AATD, flight training device, or full flight simulator.
- Review its current FAA approval or qualification documents.
- Ask which certificate, rating, currency, or training requirement the session can satisfy.
- Confirm whether an authorized instructor must be present and sign the logbook.
- Make sure the school’s Part 141 authorization covers the device if training under an approved curriculum.
Use home simulation effectively
- Practice a specific lesson objective instead of flying without a plan.
- Use checklists and cockpit flows approved by your instructor.
- Pause and discuss discrepancies between the simulation and the real aircraft.
- Avoid treating simulated handling as proof that you can perform the maneuver safely in an aircraft.
- Spend practice time on procedures, navigation, communications, and decision-making—not only landings.
See the FAA’s flight simulation training-device guidance, including AC 61-136B, before relying on a device for training credit.
