- FAA AATD | CERTIFIED
- Transport Canada Level 2/MCC | CERTIFIED
- KOCA Level 4 | CERTIFIED
- FAA Level 4 | COMPLIANT
- EASA FNPT2/MCC | COMPLIANT
B737 MAX Flight Training Device
Every switch, lever, and yoke is real hardware. Crews train on an authentic B737 MAX flight deck, so the procedures they learn here transfer directly to the aircraft.
The FDS B737 MAX Flight Training Device is a fixed-base, full-tactile simulator designed for professional pilot training. Certified to Transport Canada Level 2/MCC and FAA AATD standards, it replicates the B737 MAX flight deck with authentic controls, dual FMS, and complete fly-by-wire modelling.
Training programs use the device for jet orientation courses, multi-crew coordination, systems training, and interview preparation, giving students hands-on experience with the aircraft they’ll encounter at the airlines.
Built for Professional Pilot Training
Three Regulatory Certifications
FAA AATD, Transport Canada Level 2/MCC, and KOCA Level 4. Training credit is determined by your regulator and approved course.
Full Tactile Cockpit
Authentic switches, knobs, and controls. No touchscreens substituting for real hardware.
300+ Malfunctions
Injection of realistic failure scenarios across 13 aircraft systems for comprehensive emergency training.
Multi-Crew Ready
Two-pilot configuration for CRM, LOFT, and collaborative decision-making training.
210° Visual System
Wrap-around display for realistic airport and weather environment immersion. Single or multi-flat panel LCD option available for space-restricted applications.
Fits Your Facility
Modular design assembles through standard doors. No building modifications required.
Explore The Flight Deck
Overhead Panel
Complete overhead panel with authentic switches for electrical, hydraulic, pressurization, and engine start systems.
Primary Flight Display (PFD)
Full glass cockpit with realistic flight instrumentation, including attitude, airspeed, altitude, and navigation data.
CDU/FMS
Dual Flight Management Systems with authentic CDU programming for real-world route building and navigation procedures.
Mode Control Panel (MCP)
Autopilot and flight director controls replicate the actual B737 MAX interface for automation management training.
Throttle Quadrant
Fully tactile motorized thrust levers with authentic control feel, complete with full reverse thrust controls.
Visual Display System
210° wrap-around visual system for immersive airport environments and weather conditions.
Instructor Operating Station (IOS)
Dedicated instructor station for real-time student monitoring, repositioning, weather control, failure injection, and flight analysis recording.
Crew Seats
Purpose-built for training devices rather than adapted from aircraft or generic seating. Servo-driven height adjustment on J-rails with manual fore and aft travel, and stow-away armrests that open up instructor access during a session. Rated to 400 lb and built for years of continuous use.
Pedestal
Center pedestal with radio panels, transponder, trim controls, speedbrake, and fire suppression, replicating the complete pilot interface between the crew seats.
Muscle memory that transfers to the aircraft
Motorized throttle levers and true control yokes deliver authentic tactile feedback, so procedures learned here carry directly into the flight deck.
A flight deck pilots recognize instantly
Authentic backlit instrument panels reproduce the B737 MAX glass cockpit layout, so training happens in a genuinely familiar environment.
Training you control, scenario by scenario
The Instructor Operating Station lets instructors inject failures, control weather, and reposition the aircraft, turning every session into targeted, repeatable practice.
Technical Specifications
Training
Capabilities
- 300+ realistic malfunctions
- 13 aircraft systems, incl. engine, hydraulic, electrical, and flight control systems
- Control loading for elevator, aileron, and rudder available
- Dual FMS with authentic CDU programming and navigation procedures
Systems
Training
- Multi-crew coordination with advanced autothrottle and flight management integration
- TCAS, EGPWS, RAAS, and weather radar training with comprehensive threat scenarios
- CPDLC communication procedures and uplink flight plan management
- Automated lesson plans with failure injection across flight controls, hydraulics, electrical, and engine systems
Operational
Training
- Immersive audio system with engine sounds, warnings, and call-outs
- 210° wrap-around visual system for realistic airport and weather conditions
- Autobrake and antiskid modelled for realistic landing and rejected takeoff performance
- Advanced autothrottle with full hardware integration, so thrust levers move as the aircraft commands them
Facility &
Installation
- Modular nose section and Instructor Operating Station (IOS) eliminates need for building modifications
- Ships fully assembled where facility entry accommodates assembled size, or in separate sections that pass through a standard door and set up in an average room
- Visual Display System assembled and set up onsite
- Classroom-friendly footprint designed for educational facilities
Certifications & Compliance
- FAA AATD | Certified
- Transport Canada Level 2/MCC | Certified
- KOCA Level 4 | Certified
- FAA Level 4 | Compliant
- EASA FNPT II MCC | Compliant
Training Applications
Jet Orientation Course (JOC)
Introduce pilots to jet aircraft operations, high-altitude handling, and swept-wing performance in an authentic B737 MAX flight deck before they reach an airline.
Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC)
Build the CRM, communication, and collaborative decision-making skills of a two-pilot crew in a realistic airline operating environment.
Systems & Automation Training
Develop proficiency in complex automation, dual FMS operations, and systems management across 13 aircraft systems.
Type-Transition & Interview Preparation
Prepare candidates for airline assessments and type training so they interview and perform with genuine understanding of the aircraft they will fly.
Procedures & Recurrent Proficiency
Practise standard operating procedures, normal and non-normal checklists, and recurrent proficiency work with consistent, repeatable lesson plans.
Scenario-Based Training
Use the Instructor Operating Station to inject failures, control weather, reposition the aircraft, and record flight analysis for tailored scenario training.
Explore solutions for:
Certification & Compliance
The FDS B737 MAX is built to regulatory standards, and FDS installations have earned certification from the authorities below.
Certified means a regulator has assessed an installed device and approved it for training. Compliant means the device is built to that standard, so it can be certified wherever a program requires it. Regulators certify each installation individually, and FDS supports customers through the process.
FAA AATD
Certified
The FAA’s approval category for advanced aviation training devices. Under FAA regulations, an approved AATD may be used for defined training and experience credit when operated within an FAA-approved training program.
Transport Canada
Level 2/MCC
Certified
Transport Canada’s certification level for the device, including approval for Multi-Crew Cooperation training.
What this permits within a given program is set by Transport Canada standards and the training provider’s approval.
KOCA Level 4
Certified
Certification issued by the Korea Office of Civil Aviation, the civil aviation authority operating under the Korea Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, recognizing the device to Level 4 under Korean FSTD standards.
FAA Level 4
Compliant
The FAA qualifies flight training devices by level. The B737 MAX is built to Level 4 requirements. Programs using this device have worked from its FAA AATD certification, so Level 4 qualification has not been pursued to date. Where a program requires it, FDS supports the process.
EASA FNPT II MCC
Compliant
EASA defines the Flight and Navigation Procedures Trainer II with Multi-Crew Cooperation for procedural and multi-crew training. The B737 MAX is built to those requirements.
Qualification is granted by the national aviation authority in the country of operation, and FDS supports customers pursuing it.
What this means for your program
What any of these standards mean for your program's training credit depends on your regulator and your approved course. We can walk through your situation in a consultation.
In service
The FDS B737 MAX is in service with professional training organizations in Canada, the United States, and throughout Europe and Asia.
Orizon Aviation
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Orizon operates the FDS B737 MAX under Transport Canada certification for MCC training and IPC renewals. The device is part of their integrated ATP-A program.
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, USA
The Center for Aviation Studies added the FDS B737 MAX to its ground-based training fleet, jointly funded by the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering. Students in Aviation 4300: Advanced Multi-Engine Operations fly it as part of the course.
FAQs
Does training on the FDS B737 MAX count toward a licence or rating?
That depends on your regulator and your approved training program, not on the device alone. FDS states what the device is certified as: FAA AATD, Transport Canada Level 2/MCC, and KOCA Level 4. How those certifications translate into training credit is determined by your civil aviation authority and the course you have approved. Organizations operating the device today work within their own approvals, and we can walk through your situation in a consultation.
What is the difference between certified and compliant?
Certified means a regulator has assessed the device and granted approval. Compliant means the device is built to that standard, and certification can be pursued where a program requires it. The B737 MAX is certified by the FAA as an Advanced Aviation Training Device, by Transport Canada at Level 2/MCC, and by KOCA at Level 4. It is built to FAA Level 4 and EASA FNPT II MCC requirements, and FDS supports customers pursuing qualification where their program calls for it.
How does a fixed-base FTD fit alongside a full flight simulator?
It handles the work that does not require motion. Procedures, checklist discipline, systems and automation management, FMS programming, and multi-crew cooperation are all trained effectively in a fixed-base device. Moving that work off the full flight simulator leaves FFS time available for the training that genuinely needs it, and gives crews somewhere to practise procedures without competing for that schedule.
Are the controls real hardware, or simulated on screens?
Real hardware. Switches, knobs, levers, and yokes are physical components in their correct positions, so a pilot builds the motor memory the aircraft will ask for. Nothing on the flight deck substitutes a touchscreen for a control that exists in the aircraft.
What facility does the device require?
Approximately a 10ft x 10ft footprint with a 9ft minimum ceiling. No building modifications are needed, and the device is designed for rooms that already exist rather than purpose-built simulator bays. A single or multi-flat-panel visual option is available where ceiling height or room depth will not accommodate the 210° wrap-around display.
How is the device delivered and installed?
The nose and instructor operating station ship assembled where the building entry allows, or in sections that pass through a standard door. The visual display system is assembled onsite. FDS technical services handles installation and commissioning.
Let's look at what your program needs.
Discover how FDS training devices can enhance your program efficiency, reduce costs, and meet regulatory requirements.