The training requirement may change. The cockpit hardware strategy doesn’t have to. Flight training devices come in many forms. Simtek FTD - Level D One customer may need a cost-effective FTD for procedures and familiarization. Another may require a full-motion, high-fidelity simulator capable of supporting the most demanding training requirements. Those systems are very different. But that does not mean every avionics panel, display, control, and cockpit assembly has to be r

A cockpit panel is more than a faceplate. At first glance, a simulator panel may look simple: a few switches, knobs, displays, and backlighting mounted behind an engraved surface. In reality, producing a high-fidelity cockpit device requires many different technologies to work together as one system. It Starts with Mechanical Design Every control must be positioned correctly. Switch spacing, knob diameter, shaft location, display placement, panel thickness, fastener location,

Simtek - H60 Flight Simulator The flight simulation industry is changing. In July 2026, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) introduced its most significant update to Flight Simulation Training Device qualification in decades. The new framework introduces the FSTD Capability Signature (FCS) and places greater emphasis on matching simulator capabilities and fidelity to the actual training task being performed. For simulator manufacturers, training organizations, ai

Selecting a supplier for a flight-simulation program involves more than finding a company that can manufacture a panel, instrument, or display. Prime contractors need a simulated avionics partner that understands the full program lifecycle—from early engineering and prototype development through repeatable production, documentation, delivery, and long-term support. The right partner should strengthen the program, reduce technical and schedule risk, and remain responsive when

F-16 CENTER PEDESTAL DISPLAY In simulator hardware, fidelity is often discussed in broad terms. High fidelity. Low fidelity. Aircraft-representative. Training-capable. But real fidelity is not created by one large feature or one impressive-looking cockpit assembly. It lives in the details. It is found in the feel of a switch as it moves through its detent. It is found in the brightness and clarity of an annunciator. It is found in the spacing of a panel legend, the resistance

Simtek - Simulated Avionics control panels, display and instruments - BULLETPROOF RELIABILITY Every Simtek product is designed to match the tactile feel, actuation force, detents, and feedback of OEM avionics. That means: Switches that click with the same resistance and confidence Panels that feel solid, not hollow Controls that respond exactly as the pilot expects This isn’t cosmetic. It’s muscle memory training—and it matters. When pilots train on Simtek hardware, they’re n

Simtek F-16 - Mixed Reality When “good enough” breaks, training stops. Mixed reality (MR) is changing how aircrews train. Instead of relying solely on full-motion devices or purely virtual cockpits, MR platforms blend real tactile hardware with immersive digital environments. Done right, MR lets crews build muscle memory, execute true-to-life procedures, and repeat complex scenarios—faster, safer, and at a lower lifecycle cost than traditional training paths. That “done right