Since the days of the first Link Trainer, flight trainers have played a small part in the initial training of most military and commercial pilots. The elementary types of trainer have been used successfully to teach new pilots the basics of instrument flying and subsequently how to fly instrument procedures on SBA, Radio Range, non-directional beacons, VOR and ILS.

Quite a lot of thought has been given from time to time to the possibility of extending the role of the trainer, for use as a pre-flight trainer perhaps, or to reduce the total amount of in-flight training and experience required for the issue of a licence.