Edwin Link’s invention of a moving base trainer in the late 1920’s, which could simulate the roll, pitch and yaw of real airplane, was initially regarded as more suitable for the amusement park than for the flying school. In fact, the first of the trainers was installed at the Mayfair Miniature Golf Course in Los Angeles.

Link had bigger plans for his trainer, opening a school and advertising that one could learn to fly for eighty-five dollars. The flight training featured his invention, using it for all ground school instruction and reducing actual flight time to two hours. However, the Depression was hard on Link, and his school, plant and assets were liquidated by December of 1930.

Shortly after this setback, however, Link was able to resume production of the trainer. By 1932, around 50 had been sold to parks while the aviation industry had purchased only three. The first of the three went to the Pioneer Instrument Company of Brooklyn, the second to the New York University Museum of Arts and Industry and the third, in 1931, to the United States Navy for use at Pensacola, Florida. Three years later, the Army Air Corps began to purchase Link Trainers. Nevertheless, it was not until the years immediately before World War II that the capabilities of the trainer were fully appreciated. Eventually, the “Pilot-Maker” would be used in the training of more than two million flyers, including 500,000 World War II pilots, in instrument flying and radio procedures.

The Museum’s Link Trainer is on display in the World War II Gallery next to the P-26 Peashooter. There is a light inside so visitors can see the instrument panel. In August 2009, Edwin Link’s granddaughter visited the Museum and shared her stories with the volunteer docents. One of the volunteer docents trained in a Link Trainer and used to share his experiences with visitors on tours. The Link Trainer on exhibit is the type in use by the armed forces in the early 1940s.