UFCP - Part Deux

I had started to build my Up Front Control Panel (UFCP) almost a month and a half ago. But, then I got digressed with building other 'easier' parts of the pit.

UFCP, along with the HUD control panel and the UFCP Control Panel, is the single most complicated piece of equipment on the Front Instrument Panel.

Exactly a week back, I re-started to build the UFCP. Finished it today.

I'm fairly happy with the way it has turned out. 

It was such a fun experience, building this piece of hardware, that I forgot to take many pictures of the build. 

Did a small test flight earlier today. It's amazing, how much of a difference this one single part has made, to my overall virtual flying experience. Tested out the Autopilot, IFF, Tacan and ILS functionality over different airport in close vicinity, and also over the boat. The experience was pure exhilaration. 

The 8" monitor & the 4-Wire Touch Panel Kit.
Piece of 5mm sheet of plywood and 5mm Square Soft Wood for the fabrication

Starting with the structure

Front Facade is beginning to shape up.

VGA Driver board for the 8" Pal/NTSC Monitor.
Had to cut the extension of the PCB where the VGA connector is mounted,
to facilitate the relocation of the connector.

This is one of the iterations of the 'internals'. Had to break and rebuild the internals quite a few times.
Each time, one or the other component would butt/interfere or the 'feel' would just not be right.

By the time I was eventually done with it, the internals didn't look anyway like this at all. But, I totally forgot to take any pictures. This is one of the last pictures I had remembered to take.

UFCP completed, all wired up, and mounted on the Front Instrument Panel.
I had some issues in correctly configuring the 'Touch Panel Driver',
but, when it eventually fired up, it was "awesome".

A close up view of the UFCP.
I'm yet to wire up the UFCP Control Panel for backlighting (though the lights are already mounted), but overall, this is now a fully functional UFCP.

Ha!!
My daughter says, it's finally beginning to look like a 'pit'.

You bet!

I'm planning to spend the coming weeks in finishing up the Front Instrument Panel. There is loads of work to make the Master Arm Panel, Sel-Jett/Flaps/Gear Panel, Spin Recovery Panel, Control Panel for EFD, Facia for Standby Instrument Panel cluster and mother of all, the Left/Right Annunciator Panels.

Continue to look forward to the coming weeks!!!