1st Iteration of the G5 Panel.

C172 Panel Update: Dual G5s, Overlay Refinement, and Wiring

Project Journal — Febuary 2026 Project: Cessna 172 Flight Simulator Iteration: Main Panel Prototype Update

The first version of the panel was built to answer a fairly simple question: could I use a monitor, Air Manager, and a physical overlay to create a convincing Cessna 172 instrument panel?

The answer was yes.

Once that prototype was assembled, though, a few things became apparent. The six-pack layout was useful for proving the concept, but it didn’t represent the type of modernized training aircraft panel I wanted to build. The physical overlay also needed refinement, and the wiring behind the panel needed to be rearranged so everything would fit properly over the monitor.