Aspects relate to augmented reality (AR) methods and systems for simulated operation of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. An exemplary AR system includes at least an aircraft component of an eVTOL aircraft, a computing device configured to operate a flight simulator to simulate flight in an environment and simulate at least a virtual representation interactive with the flight simulator, where the at least a virtual representation includes an aircraft digital twin of the at least an aircraft component, and a mesh network configured to communicatively connect the at least an aircraft component and the computing device and communicate encrypted data.