Frame

I sketched out some general plans and key dimensions before building the frame but I built the support structure and cut-outs by measuring and modifying as I went.

As a result, I don’t have a single set of dimensional drawings of the frame yet but I plan on getting that documented and posted.

The image below is a work-in-progress photo from several months ago and several modifications have been made since.

Layout

The physical dimensions of the display required some adjustments from the actual layout of a Cessna 172 but I have attempted to keep the dimensions as close to actual as possible. The panel is about 6 inches narrower than an actual Cessna panel to save space.

The shaft of the yoke moves parallel to the desk surface just below the LCD monitor and just above the surface of the desk. This keeps the yoke reasonably close to the correct height from the top of the glareshield and allows me to fit a mostly unmodified CH Eclipse Yoke into the panel.

The portion of the frame below the desk surface houses the switch panel, throttle/mixture controls, flaps controls, and trim wheel.