With reference to your question regarding simulation levels, specifically FNPT and other variations, I would strongly suggest that you acquire a copy of the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Document #9625, ANB/938, Manual of Criteria for the Qualification of Flight Simulation Training Devices, Volume I, Aeroplanes.
In this document you will find a whole series of tables that include several concepts:
1. One concept is the listing of individual license or rating levels in the document and how these rating or license levels are distributed through the seven (7) levels of devices, expressed in terms of Roman Numerals, One through Seven.
2. Another concept is a listing of the specific flight tasks on which pilots may be trained and/or checked, broken into sections: the first of which contains the tasks required by ICAO, the second contains the tasks required by the FAA where they may be different from those required by ICAO, and the third section contains those tasks that are classified as Miscellaneous.
3. Still another concept is what feature is required in each level of device, and whether this feature must be one of the following, with respect to the specific airplane being simulated:
S (Specific) — Highest level of fidelity
R (Representative) — Intermediate level of fidelity
G (Generic) — Lowest level of fidelity
N (None) — Feature not required
4. One of the important differences addressed throughout the document … that is whether a specifically identified task can be “trained” or if that task can be “trained to proficiency.” These are important terms and they are defined quite specifically – as below:
a. “Train is defined as the introduction of a specific training task. The training accomplished may be credited towards the issuance of a license, rating or qualification, but the training would not be completed to proficiency. The fidelity level of one or more of the simulation features may not support training-to-proficiency.
b. “Train-to-proficiency” is defined as the introduction, continuation, or completion of a specific training task. The training accomplished may be credited towards proficiency and/or the issuance of a license, rating or qualification, and the training is completed to proficiency. The fidelity level of all simulation features supports training-to-proficiency.
My guess is that you will find the answer to a good share of the questions you may have … but I would also suspect that it will generate even more questions. If I’m correct, please feel free to let me know and I’ll try to provide you answers or direct you to the place where you can read more about the whole issue.