At the end of June, the big moment finally arrived — the double Euro pallet from Vier im Pott was delivered. I had ordered the Size M shell frame made of aluminum profiles (including all the necessary connectors), the front overhead with panels, and the complete MIP structure with all panels and monitors. Even unpacking everything was an experience in itself — after all, I had been looking forward to this delivery for months!
Once again, the packaging was extremely well thought out. Everything was carefully secured so that damage during transport was practically impossible. The long aluminum profiles of the frame were even used to stabilize the connection between the two pallets during shipping — a clever touch.
Naturally, assembly started with the main frame. Thanks to the digital assembly manual provided by Vier im Pott, putting it together was straightforward, though you definitely need two people — not just because it’s easier, but because it’s a lot more fun that way. In the end, everything fit together perfectly and could be mounted on the prepared cockpit floor.
Next came the overhead frame, followed by installing all the panels onto the housing. The wiring was largely self-explanatory and could be completed without a tangled mess, thanks to the use of flat ribbon cables. Ultimately, the entire overhead is operated via just one single USB connection to the simulator PC — very clean and efficient.
After the overhead was completed, it was time to assemble the Main Instrument Panel. The biggest challenge here was definitely the installation and alignment of the monitors. A second pair of hands is extremely helpful — the monitors fit very tightly, being only slightly larger than the cutouts in the panels. Eventually, everything came together perfectly. As the final step, I installed the glareshield, using the corresponding panels from the Skalarki Desktop Line I already had, and mounted it on top of the MIP.
With that, nothing stood in the way of the first test flights with (almost) full cockpit functionality. After completing the build, I rotated the entire cockpit 90 degrees and placed an old projector on top of the overhead. This setup allows me to use the wall as a temporary projection screen — a simple yet effective solution for thoroughly testing all the hardware.