Hey guys tell me what you think   Basically I started getting this cockpit moving towards a final design. What I came up with was generic. I'm gonna mount 4 12.1" lcd's in a row so I can configure the cockpit to whatever aircraft I decide to fly.

Above the displays will go a glareshield which will eventually house an MCP along with other controls. To the bottom right will go the pedestal & I will have controls to the right and left of the yoke.

Once I have the displays mounted, wired up and running I was going to create a huge bezel to clean them up nice.

Instead of drawing up plans I decided to do the design on the fly, no mistakes so far

I no plans for touchscreens in the 4 displays But I was planning on using Touchbuddy on a 10.4" touchpad PC I have laying around. That will go either on the pedestal or overhead.

I wouldnt have much use for touchscreens in those 4 since it will be a combination of FSXpand and Free FD. But wiring up 4 touchscreens wouldnt be difficult at all

Well I had a bunch of freebe's sent my way and I really havent really made up a total in my mind. Most of the major purchases have been made and we are looking at 2,000 - 3,000 USD once all is said and done, if it is really ever done.

JSpahn wrote on Feb 3^rd, 2008 at 5:03pm:

Let me know if you ever have too many lying around... !

$3000=£1500+annoyances=£2000.

Thats quite a good build 

Hey Ermias,

   Look into refurbing those old laptops and making a quick hitch on ebay. Those LCD panels are small 12.1" monitors that were used for point of sale or as a server display.

   I basically took the monitors apart and re-used the contollers/lcd panels & inverters. Average price for a panel 50-70 bucks with shipping. Compare that to new open frame or complete lcd monitor kits 250-300 bucks US

   Converting old laptop panels can be tricky, finding the right vga controller and wire harness is next to impossible without some sort of connection. But try looking at the part # to the panel itself and see if you can get a controller. You may find that your panels are easy to setup.

   Of course this method does bring on a bunch of headaches since I don't have much fabrication experience.

JSpahn wrote on Feb 3^rd, 2008 at 5:10pm:

It's not the Masonite panel I'm thinking about, it's the brace below it... the thing that supports the weight of the Masonite and the four screens?

JSpahn wrote on Feb 4^th, 2008 at 7:56am:


That's what I figured.
BUT... humor an old carpenter here... aren't you concerned that the only support for that stick is at the ends, where it's (glued'n'screwed?) to the sheet stock?  No worry that those points could fail...?

Unless there's something else I can't see, I'd advise you to at least put a coupla small cleats under the ends, to distribute that load a little better.

I know it's not all that heavy, but believe me, these projects tend to put on weight...