A320 Home Cockpit

Cockpit Overview

Discover our full-size Airbus A320 cockpit and its 180-degree field of view across three large 4K TV screens. The cockpit is fully functional for both the Captain and the First Officer, allowing two virtual pilots to experience the joy of flying as a crew.

The cockpit took roughly four months to build and has already accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours over 500 flights.

A list of the main parts is available here.

Architecture

Our flight simulator currently uses three computers. The main one, which is the most powerful, runs the simulator environment (currently MSFS 2020) and generates the images for all three external views displayed on the large TV screens. The main computer also runs the A320 flight model, the audio module, and the server responsible for the communication with the other two networked computers. One runs the displays for the captain side (PFD and ND), the captain MCDU, both ECAM displays (E/WD and SD), and the standby instruments. The other one runs the displays for the PFD, ND, MCDU, and DCDU on the first officer side.

All electronic modules, as well as all audio inputs and outputs, are connected to the main computer. I lost count of the total number of USB devices connected to that computer, either directly or through five additional USB hubs.

Hardware

All structural components for the cockpit are from Vier-Im-Pott, including the rudder pedals, side sticks, and tillers. They resell the electronic modules from Skalarki. The electric seat replicas are from OpenCockpits. Both the rudder pedals and the brakes are mechanically linked between left side and right side, providing feedback on their position to the other pilot. All hardware is mounted on a wood platform custom-built to match the exact size of the room.

The external visual system is composed of three 75” TVs mounted at 60 degrees from each other to offer a full 180-degree field of view. The viewpoint is located in the center of the cockpit, between the two pilot seats.

Two independent speaker systems provide a rich sound experience. The first system, with its 5.1 surround speakers, creates all aircraft, cabin, and external sounds. The second system, with its two speakers mounted right behind the Main Instrument Panel (MIP) generates all in-cockpit sounds and aural alerts.

For audio communications, the captain and first officer each have a dedicated headset with a boom microphone connected to the fully-functional intercom system. A third headset is also available through the extra radio mounted in the overhead panel. The entire system can be connected to VATSIM and Discord.

All electronic equipment includes backlighting with various potentiometers controlling different parts of the equipment. As the aft overhead is not present in the cockpit, additional LED lights have been mounted on the side of the front overhead, providing top down illumination. Reading lights located under the glareshield provide lighting to the area around the tray tables. The four small lights located towards the back of the glareshield, right above openings on top of the MIP, are also available to illuminate the MIP areas that don’t include any screens.

The pedestal includes a functional ACARS printer, allowing to print weather information, loadsheet and other data received in the cockpit.

Software

Originally (2021-2024) Lockheed-Martin Prepar3D (P3D) provided the external visuals and the simulator environment. Note that P3D did not render any “virtual cockpit” or instruments. A freeware geared towards cockpit builders, named JeeHell FMGS, was used for the A320 flight model, system logic, and rendering of all instruments displayed inside the cockpit.

Since June 2024 the simulator is now exclusively running Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS 2020) with ProSim (well technically HomeSim) for the A320 simulation. Similarly to JeeHell FMGS, ProSim provides the A320 flight model, external aircraft model, system simulation, and rendering of all instruments displayed in the cockpit. ProSim also provides an Instructor Operating Station (IOS), Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), as well as the simulation of a multitude of failures and circuit breakers.

The simulator environment is enhanced by Active Sky FS for weather effects in the simulator and a working weather radar in the cockpit, including gain, tilt, and predictive windshear alerts. For flying online, full VATSIM communication is also available for both pilots using the intercom system. If flying offline, the combination of PSXTraffic and RealTraffic injects real-world traffic around the aircraft, both on the ground and in the air.

Numerous airport addons and regional sceneries further improve the realism and complete the immersion.

Building the Cockpit

Find more pictures about the build here or just enjoy the short video below.