Comprehesive list of HW & SW Addons for Cockpit builders

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Hello home cockpit builder and flightsim enthusiast,

as a long-time flightsim enthusiast (since Apple IIe) I always tried to update my simulation expirience with as much hardware as possible and affordable. So I am what you can call a “cockpit builder”.

In my opinion there are two main types of “cockpit builders”:

  1. Those using hardware like Joysticks, Yokes, pedals, and other input and output hardware to get the hands away from keyboard and mouse most the time but with different planes.

  2. Those who try to copy a cockpit of their favourite plane, like C172, A320, B737, etc. with detailed hardware, 3D-printer and CNC machines.

I personally was the “type 2” in my ancient times of FS9 setting up a B737 cockpit with multi-PC, Project magenta, and beamers.

Komplett unten
Komplett unten1900×1267 252 KB

Today many years later (after founding a family and raisng 2 childs) I am back to flightsim, first with P3D and now with MSFS since the first day.
Because I like the visuals of MSFS I focused in VFR flights (C172, Carenado C182) and IFR (with TBM930). Regarding airliners I am waiting for the PMDG 737.
Therefore now I would call myself a “Type 1” cockpit builder…

Cockpit
Cockpit1920×1080 239 KB

Upon buying MSFS at day one I tried to use my existing hardware (Saitek yoke & Goflight panels) and extended my cockpit with new hardware (Honeycomb).

Getting information about flightsim hardware, especially if and how it will work with MSFS was a pain in the xxx work. As always this information is spread all over the internet, in different forums and the MSFS compatibility is work in progress at many manfacturers.

Here I would like to open a topic to collect all my - and hopefully also your - information as a list of compatible cockpit builder hardware for MSFS.
The list includes stuff I am already using and stuff I just found in the internet and should or may work with MSFS.

I will focus on the “Type 1” cockpit builder.

Disclaimer: All infos shared in here is my personal expirience or publicly collected and I am not paid or somehow related to any mentioned companies!
I will give no guarantee to the correctness of the information published herein.

Tell me your experience or addons/hardware worth to be added in this list.

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1. Yokes, Joysticks, Throttles and Rudder Pedals

2. PANELS

3. GAUGES

  • Logitech/Saitek Flight Sim Instrument Panels
    The Instruments also have buttons and rotary switches.
    Together with SPAD.next and FIPGAUGES.COM very flexible and nice looking.
    Alternatively use the FSX Times Gauges together with the original Logitech driver (without SPAD.next)

  • Fligh Illusion
    Extensive range of Gauges in high quality (high price).

  • Simkits
    Interesting range of gauges in effordable quality and price.

4. Software for GAUGES

5. SOFTWARE TOOLS

Feel free to send me more…

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Some words to my PC setup:

At the moment I use a Intel I7-11700, 32GB RAM, Big SSDs, RTX3070 and have the settings “4K/high or ultra” with resulting 25-35fps in 4K.

I have two monitors attached to the PC, the bigger one (32") at the RTX3070, the smaller is connected to the onboard grapics. Connecting both on the same graphic card can lower the frame rate in some cases. Especially for pop out instruments see here.

I use a second PC for Navigraph charts, Littlenavmap and Discord communication.

I plan to buy a 4K TV (45-50") for my main view.
At the moment MSFS does not support Multiple Screens Functionality (aka multi monitor) for the main view, whilst Pop-out is possible with some frame rate loss.
Multi-monitor is on the Asobo wishlist but I personally worry my graphic card will not handle 3 high-res monitors, so I focus on one big screen and extra screens or PCs for gauges or addon software.

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You may add the gauges of fsxtimes.com (Tom Tsui). I use these and they run on the logitech driver, so you don’t need spad.next).

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Oh, cool stuff! Did not know this.
Thank you! Is added…

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“Software” section is missing AAO (AxisAndOhs), right on par with SPAD.next and FSUIPC

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And a free alternative to spad.next, FSUIPC and AAO for game controllers (joysticks, throttles, arduinos): EasyControls for MSFS.

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what about Mobiflight? https://www.mobiflight.com/

To me it should definitely be on your list, it’s free, easy to use, flexible, works for a small button box or a small custom panel or a full airliner cockpit as well… compatible with standard USB joysticks/devices, as well as Arduino boards if you want to add LEDs and LCD screens and all…

I am a type 1 cockpit builder, I fly all kinds of planes and helicopters, to me Mobiflight was a game changer! I first tried it as a workaround to solve mapping issues in MSFS, but it grew on me and I added LEDs and a LCD screen to my panel, added more buttons and encoders

There are a lot of great tutorials on Youtube and their forum to help people get started, and the developers and community are really great, always friendly and ready to provide advice.

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Yes, I totally forgot MobiFlight although I had tested it… Thank you mm212hd130.

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Air Manager and Panel Builder are also nice addons.

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They are much more “general” but I would definitely add the Virpil Control Panels, especially if you are a Type 2 kinda guy who also wants to use their peripherals for other games.

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Hello @LTMcComb,
Siminovations Airmanager is already mentioned.
Panel Builder is new for me, are you relating to this Panel Builder ?

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Thank you @JazzSam!
Was real fun flying the 737 Online with IVAO those days.
Sold all years ago, family was more important at that time…

By the way: I used Touchscreens for Overhead and FMC in the past!
This is also a topic I plan to investigate deeper. As far as I know there are problems with touch/mouse reactions on pop-out instruments on touchscreen…

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Some more pics from the past:

Overhead with Touch:

overhead_juli06
overhead_juli06800×618 128 KB

Throttle and Radios:

Throttle 1
Throttle 11440×1239 238 KB

Running (with old throttle):

cockpit_januar07
cockpit_januar071000×731 167 KB

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Welcome back to flight simming. Have to admit, after 30 years I was getting bored with p3d and xplane. Asobo blew the roof off of our beloved hobby. Look at all the possibilities we have now.

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I have the Class Echo on top of my Bravo Throttle and I like it a lot! Kind of a Knobster on steroids.

Look for a few resellers who will sell the complete kit and everything you need

For example: Class Echo - Shakeprint Simulations | FlightsimWebshop and Class Echo - Electronics Kit - Shakeprint Simulations | FlightsimWebshop

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Air Manager has a full overhead for the 737 and A320. Some folks have the overhead on a large monitor with touch overlay. There are also many other jet and GA instruments that make really nice cockpits possible.

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@Sling380, so touch control is working those guys? This is good news.
One more possibility for mouse-less handling of the sim!

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Yes touch works very well with Air Manager instruments. The MSFS touch issue only affects in sim derived popped out windows like the G3000 LRU’s that are meant to be touch capable.

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Im not having much luck with popping out a msfs display such as the gtn750 touch on a touch screen display. The buttons dont work for me. Air Manager works perfect, its just the touch buttons of the 750 display doesnt work on my touch screen display. Hopefully there is a work around I dont know about.

Just saying, dont go buy a touch screen thinking everything works.

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