For making the interactive electronic technical manual (IETM) show more diversified forms, the operation method be closer to the user’s habit and enhance the user experience, a method to locate the technical data by means of interactive 3D simulation model was proposed. Using the characteristics of interactive 3D simulation of strong interoperability and a high degree of visualization, the paper researched the relationship and communication among interactive 3D simulation, the tree of directory structure and the data module, and validated an aircraft cockpit canopy as an example. The verification results show that the method can make the performance of IETM richer and more convenient, and gradually improve the intelligence of IETM and application effect.