A flight engineering simulator created by BAE Systems is ready to be “flown” by F-35 Lightning II pilots for the first time as they prepare for flight trials on the UK’s new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier next year.

BAE says that the simulator will test pilots’ skills to the limits, as they practise landing on the deck of the new aircraft carrier in a range of difficult sea and weather conditions.

The £2 million simulator offers a 360deg immersive experience for pilots to fly the jet to and from the UK carrier.

It comprises a cockpit moved by an electronic motion platform and a representation of the ship’s flying control tower, where a Landing Signal Officer will control aviation operations.

Peter Wilson, BAE Systems’ test pilot for the short take-off and vertical landing variant on the F-35 programme, said the simulator trials will give engineers the data to begin flight trials on HMS Queen Elizabeth — the ‘first of class’ aircraft carrier — in 2018.

He said: “The immersive experience is as near to the real thing as possible. The data will show us exactly what will happen when F-35 pilots fly to and from the new carriers.

“The trials we can run through the simulator are far more extensive than what we will do in the actual flight trials, because we can run and re-run each trial until we have all the data we need.

“The simulator provides greater cost efficiency for the overall programme and is extremely important to the success of the first flight trials.”