WorldSkills 2026 and the Training Path from the CNFSimulator DA40 to the DA42
The 48th WorldSkills Competition takes place in Shanghai, China from 22 to 27 September 2026. Organised by WorldSkills International and held every two years, the event is widely described as the Olympics of vocational skills, and Shanghai secured hosting rights in September 2022 through a vote of the WorldSkills General Assembly. Competitors are measured against published occupational standards, judged by assessors drawn from industry.
Pilot training works the same way. A licence is issued against a published standard, and the path to it runs through a defined sequence of training stages. Two of those stages are where most flight schools spend the bulk of their device hours.
Single-Engine Before Multi-Engine
Ab initio students begin on a single-engine aircraft. They learn to fly the aircraft, to navigate, and to operate under instrument flight rules. This is where the habits are formed that everything later depends on.
Multi-engine training follows. A second engine introduces a new category of problem: what the aircraft does when one engine stops producing thrust, and what the pilot does about it. Asymmetric handling, engine-out procedures, and the decision-making that goes with them are taught here.
Flight schools running the Diamond DA40 and DA42 in their fleet face a straightforward question about ground training equipment. The two aircraft share a manufacturer and a design philosophy, and the training progression between them is continuous. The devices supporting that progression should be continuous as well.
The CNFSimulator DA40 and DA42 Flight Training Devices
CNFSimulator.FTD.DA40 and CNFSimulator.FTD.DA42 are flight training devices built for that progression.
The DA40 device covers single-engine training: aircraft handling, navigation exercises, instrument procedures, and the normal and abnormal situations a student needs to work through repeatedly before flying them.
The DA42 device covers the multi-engine stage: engine-out procedures, asymmetric handling, and the associated instrument work. These are the exercises that carry real risk in the aircraft and that benefit most from repetition on the ground.
A school running both devices gives its students a consistent environment across the two stages. Habits carry forward rather than being relearned.
Qualification
Certified — CCAR-60 FTD Level 5, Flight Standards Department, CAAC. CCAR-60 is the regulation governing flight simulation training devices in China, structurally aligned with FAA 14 CFR Part 60. Level 5 is the highest fixed-base FTD grade below a full flight simulator. It requires an aircraft-specific aerodynamic model, correctly loaded control forces, and systems that respond as the real aircraft does under both normal and failure conditions. CNFSimulator.FTD.DA40 and CNFSimulator.FTD.DA42 hold CCAR-60 certification, alongside our Cessna 172 devices.
Designed to — FAA FTD Level 5, 14 CFR Part 60. Our hardware and flight model architecture is developed against the Part 60 Level 5 qualification performance standards, covering aerodynamic programming, control loading characteristics and systems fidelity. Devices are prepared with the objective test data and QTG documentation an FAA evaluation requires.
About CNFSimulator
CnTech Co., Ltd., operating under the CNFSimulator brand, has developed flight simulation equipment in Shanghai since 2007. The company has released more than 30 self-developed product types, holds more than 140 items of independent intellectual property, and serves over 1,500 users. The product line covers C172, DA40, DA42, A320, B737 and C919 devices, alongside virtual maintenance trainers and basic aviation training devices.
Equipment has been delivered to an Australian Part 141 flight school and to operators in Hong Kong and Malaysia. Technical support and spare parts come directly from the manufacturer, and a trade-in and repair service covers simulators of any brand and any aircraft type, including devices whose original manufacturer has discontinued support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the DA40 and DA42 flight training devices?
The DA40 device supports single-engine training. The DA42 device supports multi-engine training, including engine-out procedures and asymmetric handling. Schools operating both aircraft types commonly run both devices to keep the training environment consistent across stages.
What qualification do these devices hold?
Both hold CCAR-60 FTD Level 5 certification from the Flight Standards Department of CAAC. The hardware and flight model architecture is designed to FAA 14 CFR Part 60 Level 5 qualification performance standards, with objective test data and QTG documentation prepared for evaluation.
Can a flight training device replace flying hours in the aircraft?
A qualified device may be credited for a defined set of training tasks, with the scope set by the authority under which the school operates. The device supports the syllabus; the approval attaches to the school.
What support is provided after delivery?
Technical support and spare parts are supplied directly by the manufacturer, with remote diagnosis and on-site service dispatched according to fault severity. Long-term maintenance packages are available.
Contact
CnTech Co., Ltd. (CNFSimulator)
1F, Building 3, Lingang Excellence Tech Park, 877 Jiuxin Rd, Songjiang, Shanghai 201615, China
Tel: +86-18817570024
Email: info@en.cntech.com | cnfsimulator@gmail.com
Web: en.cntech.com
