Compare a home flight simulator with an FAA-approved training device: approval, hardware, loggable hours, paperwork and the right use for each.
A normal home flight simulator is a consumer practice tool: the FAA has not evaluated that particular hardware-and-software setup, so its time does not count as approved simulator training. An FAA-approved or qualified training device is a controlled, documented configuration that meets standards for specified tasks and may provide limited loggable credit.
In real-world aviation training, “FAA-approved training device” is often used loosely. The FAA approves aviation training devices and qualifies flight training devices and full-flight simulators; it does not award credit simply because a desktop cockpit looks realistic.
Home simulator versus approved device: the practical differences
The decisive difference is regulatory status, not graphics, price or the number of cockpit controls.
| Area | Ordinary home simulator | FAA-approved or qualified device |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory status | No FAA approval or qualification | Approved or qualified under the applicable FAA framework |
| Configuration | User-selected computer, software, controls and displays | Documented hardware-and-software configuration with controlled substitutions |
| Training credit | No credit as simulator flight time | Limited credit may be available for authorised tasks |
| Quality control | Set up and maintained by the owner | Must retain the required configuration, performance and documentation |
| Best use | Practice, familiarisation and procedural rehearsal | Structured instruction, proficiency work and eligible training credit |
A sophisticated home cockpit can have better scenery, more displays or more convincing controls than a basic approved device and still provide no FAA credit. Approval measures compliance with training standards; it is not a general award for realism.
What does FAA-approved actually mean?
The term covers several device categories with different capabilities and permitted uses.
- Aviation training devices (ATDs) include Basic ATDs and Advanced ATDs. These are often desktop or fixed-base systems approved for specified training and currency tasks.
- Flight training devices (FTDs) reproduce a particular aircraft or class of aircraft to a defined qualification level, normally without the full motion system required of a full-flight simulator.
- Full-flight simulators (FFSs) combine a detailed cockpit representation with qualified aircraft performance, visual systems and motion.
Technically, FTDs and FFSs are FAA-qualified rather than merely “approved”. Our explanation of FTD qualification and its role in pilot training covers that category in more detail.
The approval belongs to the complete device configuration and its authorised functions. Installing software that also appears in an approved product does not transfer that approval to a home PC; this is explained further in our guide to why simulator software alone is not FAA-approved.
Can home flight simulator hours count towards a licence or rating?
Ordinary home simulator hours cannot be credited as FAA training-device time towards a certificate, rating or flight review requirement.
An instructor may use a home simulator to explain a procedure or provide ground instruction, but that does not turn the session into creditable simulator flight time. Personal practice records should not be entered as though the computer were an approved ATD, FTD or FFS.
Time in an approved or qualified device can count only within the limits that apply to the pilot’s objective. Those limits depend on the device category, certificate or rating, task being performed, instructor requirements, the governing regulation and any approved training syllabus.
Before treating a session as creditable, confirm:
- Device status: Check the approval or qualification paperwork for the exact device being used.
- Authorised task: Confirm that the intended manoeuvre, procedure, currency task or training event is covered.
- Training conditions: Establish whether an authorised instructor or approved course is required.
- Logging method: Record the device identification, tasks and instructor endorsement when required, while observing the applicable time limit.
Can a home simulator become FAA-approved?
A simulator installed at home can potentially be an approved ATD, but a self-built consumer setup does not gain approval through software settings, accurate controls or instructor supervision.
The practical route is to obtain a complete approved device and preserve the configuration specified in its documentation. Substituting a different yoke, computer, display system or software build may take the device outside that configuration, so changes should be checked before installation.
Approval is not retroactive. Hours accumulated before the equipment met the applicable approval requirements do not become creditable later.
Common mistakes when comparing the two
Most confusion comes from treating realism and regulatory approval as the same thing.
- Buying the same simulation software: Approval applies to the complete device, not the retail software package.
- Trusting an “FAA certified” sales label: Verify the device documentation, category and authorised uses rather than relying on informal wording.
- Changing approved hardware freely: Consumer upgrades are harmless on an ordinary home sim, but controlled devices may require specific components or authorised alternatives.
- Logging every simulator session: Credit depends on the task and rule, not simply on sitting in approved equipment.
- Assuming approval guarantees perfect realism: An ATD may satisfy its training purpose without reproducing motion, control loading or every visual cue found in an aircraft.
Which type should you use for pilot training?
Choose according to the training objective: use a home simulator for inexpensive repetition, an approved ATD for eligible procedural training, and an FTD or FFS when the programme requires qualified aircraft-specific simulation.
A home setup is useful for checklist flows, instrument scanning, navigation practice, radio preparation and rehearsing an approach before a lesson. Our guidance on the skills a home simulator can genuinely support explains where it adds value without replacing aircraft instruction.
For training credit, ask the instructor or school which approved device matches the certificate, rating or currency task. Do this before paying for time or recording it in a logbook.
Home practice should also follow the same procedures and tolerances taught by the instructor. Otherwise, unrealistic control forces, unlimited use of pause and reset, or an incorrect instrument scan can reinforce habits that must later be unlearned. Our comparison of consumer simulation with real aircraft flying sets out those physical and behavioural limitations.