Definition
In flight simulation, fidelity is the degree to which a Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD) reproduces the look, feel, and behavior of a real airplane. Higher-fidelity devices replicate cockpit layout, flight control forces, instrument response, motion cues, and aerodynamic behavior more accurately; lower-fidelity devices reproduce only some of these elements.
Plain English
How closely a flight simulator matches the real airplane it is meant to represent.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions about using flight simulators and training devices for upset prevention and recovery training.
Derivation
From the Latin fidelis, meaning 'faithful.' A high-fidelity simulator is one that is faithful to the real airplane — it behaves the way the airplane behaves.
Why Pilots Care
Higher fidelity improves the transfer of skills from simulator to actual flight, which directly affects training quality and safety outcomes in upset recovery.
Intuition Check
Fidelity does not mean loyalty or honesty here. It means realistic match: how closely the training experience copies the real airplane or flight condition.
Example Sentence 1
The full-flight simulator's high fidelity allowed the crew to practice stall recovery with realistic control forces and motion cues.
Example Sentence 2
Lower-fidelity devices can still teach basic procedures but lack the realism required for effective upset prevention and recovery practice.