ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Flight simulation

Have you ever played a video game where you get to fly like a bird or pilot an airplane? Flight simulation is kinda like that, but much more serious and realistic. People who work with airplanes, like pilots and engineers, use flight simulation to practice flying a plane without actually flying. It's like practicing your ABC's before you go to school!

When you go on a plane, you sit in a big chair and look out the window, right? In a flight simulator, the big chair is actually a pretend airplane with a whole bunch of screens and buttons that look and feel just like a real cockpit. There's also a big screen in front of you that shows what's happening outside the "window."

The people who make the simulator program the computer to make it feel just like you're flying a real airplane. They make sure it feels like it's moving and shaking just like a real plane would. They also program things like wind, turbulence, and weather conditions to make it feel even more like the real thing. It's like playing an airplane video game, but with much more advanced technology.

Pilots use flight simulation to practice flying in all kinds of situations, like flying through different types of weather or handling an engine failure. They can make mistakes and try again without any risks, because it's just a simulation. It's like practicing riding a bike with training wheels before riding without them.

In addition to practicing flying, flight simulation is also used to design and test new airplanes or airplane parts. Engineers can program a simulation to see how the airplane will perform in different situations and test out their designs before building the real thing. It's like making a prototype of a toy before they sell it in the store.

In conclusion, flight simulation is a way for people who work with airplanes to practice and test things without actually flying in a real airplane. It's like playing a video game, but with real-life airplane technology. It helps make flying safer and better for everyone.