Recent research revealed a discrepancy between pilots' perceptions of training effectiveness and objective training effectiveness results for simulators with different visual scene field-of-view (FOV) sizes. The results indicated that pilots rated the simulator with the narrower FOV less effective for training two air-to-air skills largely dependent on visual information—maintaining formation and executing merge gameplan—than the simulator with the wider FOV, yet the training effectiveness results showed no difference between the two simulators. The purpose of the current research is to examine whether a similar discrepancy exists between pilots' perceptions of training effectiveness and objective training effectiveness results for air-to-air skills most influenced by cockpit fidelity. The air-to-air skills selected for this investigation were interpreting sensor output and radar mechanization—two skills largely dependent on information provided by the cockpit displays. We conducted an experiment in which 43 U.S. Air Force F-16 pilots flew air-to-air missions as an integrated team of four. During the experimental trials, two pilots flew a high-fidelity simulator with the actual F-16 aircraft controls and displays, and two pilots flew a lower-fidelity simulator with the essential F-16 cockpit switches on a touch screen LCD in front of the pilot. Both before and after the experimental trials, all pilots flew three benchmark missions in the high-fidelity simulator. To obtain objective assessments of the training effectiveness of each simulator, we compared pilots who flew the high fidelity simulator to pilots who flew the low fidelity simulator on their change in performance on air-to-air skills from pre- to post-experiment benchmark missions. To obtain subjective assessments of the training effectiveness of each simulator, we administered a self-report questionnaire to all pilots immediately following the experimental trials. In this paper, we compare trainees' perceptions of training effectiveness with objective training effectiveness results and discuss implications for training simulator acquisition and use.