Aircraft technology has traditionally evolved with small periodic step changes. Over the last few years, there has been an almost silent earthquake in the tectonic plates of the commercial aircraft simulation industry, which has let the 'Elephant in the Room' syndrome enter into simulators. The horizons of the possible continue to expand at a staggering tempo. Anything that could become computerised now has a processor and 'lives' on a series of networks. The aeroplane has moved from an inanimate object to an intelligent and increasingly independent being. However, the technology that has brought life to the aeroplane providing safety, reliability, and efficiency produces other effects. These consequences of aircraft technology advancement now impact not only the technology of its associated training devices, but also have commercial, political, operational and security implications. Such factors govern the way the latest generation of simulators are designed, built, accredited and supported over the long term. In a similar way, the traditions and philosophies within the flight simulation industry are changing at an unprecedented rate. This paper provides a simulation engineering perspective on the 'elephant in the simulator' with an aim to highlight its influence upon the future of the flight training industry.
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