DIAL UP YOUR COCKPIT with Arduino and Air Manager:Beginners Guide

A tutorial on how to set up Arduino based hardware controls for your home cockpit. How to easily install the Air Manager Arduino software, connect cockpit hardware, and add hardware functions to your panel.
There are a number of starter kits with assorted supplies on Amazon which could offer a cheaper way to get going but below are things featured in this video.
Arduino Rotary encoders with debounce circuitboard and headers:
www.amazon.com/Cylewet-Encode...
Single pole single throw Toggle switch
www.amazon.com/Nilight-Rocker...
Two Nano clones with Header pins:
www.amazon.com/Makerfire-ATme...
Breakout screw terminal expansion board for Nano:
www.amazon.com/Breakout-Termi...
A good assortment of jumpers of various lengths and configurations for breadboards:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Solderable Breadboards"
www.amazon.com/Gikfun-Solder-...
Solder board breadboard jumpers:
www.amazon.com/Organizer-Asso...

[@mikemays7056]

Mr. Barlow, I am so thankful I came across your channel! Thank you for taking the time to create this great video.

[@jamesberkovatz6576]

Thanks Russ. I am fairly new to simming and currently going through flight training. In some of my reading people mentioned Arduino but I had no idea what it was. You gave me a great introduction to it. I don't think I need it in my current setup however down the road I now understand how I can tweak my simulator in almost any way I can think of. Thanks again.

[@mathieubannwarth7381]

seriously, you made my day! great presentation, you bring the subject with so much precision and make it achievable for newbies! thank you!!

[@deeadam1649]

Loved this introduction to arduinos, thank you. I will try today to create something now you've demystified the difficulty.

[@corywilson4550]

Fantastic video! I'm very new to home cockpit building and have a very basic understanding (if that) of the technology involved. Your videos on Arduino and Air Manager are very informative and have given me the knowledge confidence to pursue a better simulation experience. You clearly know what you're doing, yet have a knack for explaining things to the "every man/woman" with less experience. Well done! Sub'd.

[@petergregorypottery5476]

Thank you for making such a clear introduction to how to use Arduino, and how to make a start with cockpit building. I had no idea how the things worked before and you are so encouraging that I am now looking forward to my first Arduino purchase and giving things a try!

[@mikeswift926]

Russ, as stated below this is by far the best intro video for the newbie about to launch into the world of Air Manager and Arduino. 1st class mate

[@richardsander3936]

Hi Russ, I'd like to thank you for the video. I was stuck on how to configure the Arduino pins in Air Manager. Your instructions were clear and easy. I got my primer and Avionics Master Switch 2 working for both X-Plane 12 and MSFS 2020. Thanks again, Rich

[@jasoncy31]

That was really helpful, Russ. I've been a bit confused about how to hook up Air Manager to hardware. Thank you so much.

[@andypuempel2570]

Excellent Video, Russ! Very informative. Really enjoy your calm and professional presentation technique on all your content. Thanks so much for your efforts in putting this together!

[@bille1136]

Thanks for another wonderful video. Your fondness for Grand Cayman shows during your landing at the end of the video.

[@rbarlow]

It’s a great place but I haven’t been able to go there since Covid started. Hopefully this next winter I can return

[@marcericdavis]

Thanks for all the great content Just ordered a yoke and quadrant to get started siming. Mostly want to jumpstart my IFR training.

[@wildelorme4409]

Thanks again Russ. Your content is alway right down my alley when it comes to Flight simulation.

[@mishmish1968]

Thanks for this tutorial, great job, I'm a new subscriber,, I've been watching some old videos to tour the channel, you've been doing a great work and i'm enjoying being in the channel, all the best

[@juanfernandez5436]

This is great, THANK YOU for taking the time to make the video and post it!

[@georgeallensmo]

I review this video each time my brain overloads. Thanks! Hope you are well

[@PA30Pilot]

Russ, I'm an experienced pilot and experienced programmer, generally familiar with Arduino. I'd like to buy a dedicated computer system now that will ultimately be the heart of the simulator I build, but that I'll be able to use in the interim as a simple flight simulator. You've got me thinking I can do this - build a simulator that will model my Twin Comanche.

[@ghillieconcarne]

I used to fly a ”Twinkie“, loved that plane. Does your tail number end with a Y?

[@PA30Pilot]

@@ghillieconcarne N833DF is my Twin Comanche. . My first airplane was N8260Y, if that counts.

[@tjohara947]

Thank you Russ. This video solves a BIG problem for me. I bought a SIMIONIC starter key which is essentially a multi-position switch. I didn't know that to get the thing to function as a starter key for the C172, I would need to connect it via an Arduino board. Anyway, this video took the mystery out of the project. At first I didn't want to do it but after watching your video, I think I can give it a try. Thank you!

[@dougkehoe3758]

If I watch these long enough...over and over... I think I’ll get it. Electronics...will it help a DIY scratch builder on an aircraft? So much to process. Woof!

[@StringBanger]

Russ, this is by far one of the best intro videos for getting started with A4 and Arduino. Incredibly helpful. I'm building a full 1:1 Baron G58 and plan to use a mega. Screw terminal board rather than solder just in case the board fails its an easy swap. Next, how can we achieve backlight dimming? I plan to use led strips and I can potentially place a pot to control it without an arduino but how can I use an Arduino to to control it ?

[@tasercs]

Russ, a fantastic video, well paced and really informative. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@acerodney]

EXCELLENT VID! Super job of explaining Arduino and adding hardware to a sim!!

[@ksp1278]

Top quality video from you as usual. Your channel is amazing for xplane enthusiasts.

[@aerofart]

This video hit the nail on the head for me. I am proficient with the Arduino and electronics is one of my hobbies, so knowing about this is a great way to make my own quality custom panel(s) and maybe even save a few bucks in the process. My only concern is the negative reviews of Air Manager and how it is unstable with iPads, especially M1 silicon based devices. That’s a shame.

[@sky173]

Great video and very helpful. I hope to see more videos like this in the future. Thanks.

[@marineg8415]

Awesome video! I am a new flight simmer and was thinking doing something like what you showed would be very difficult. Thank you for making it so easy to understand. I am a school teacher and I have to tell you, your teaching skills are outstanding! Thanks again!

[@rbarlow]

Set up a sim at your school … great STEM project. Happy to advise and help.

[@SimPilot-dl8zy]

I need to upgrade my Air manager. Thanks for this video Russ.

[@CaptainBobSim]

I'd just like to say, thank you for making this video! It is always amazing to see the capabilities software like this has!

[@rbarlow]

I want to offer you a free license for air manager if you wanted to use it with your project. Let me know if that’s the case and I can set you up. Just ask that you give it some positive feedback if you use it and think it is worthwhile. Let me know.

[@CaptainBobSim]

@@rbarlow I think that would be wonderful Russ! I can see great potential in this especially to learn some of the cool things Air Manager does with Arduino :) You can contact me at [e-mail] if you need any further details. Thank you so much!

[@edwardkaplan9699]

Another great instructional video! Russ, if you weren’t a pilot, you would have been a great teacher!

[@rbarlow]

I have been a CFI since 1971 so that is kind of like a teacher🤔

[@oldmang9962]

Wicked Video, I am already building a widget for the cockpit using MobiFlight. But this has explained a lot of the basics that I was missing. I am certainly going to explore Air Manager now also Thanks Russ

[@juhalehtonen296]

Really good introduction to arduino in general and air manager. This really opened it up for me. Thank you!

[@Sixtobobadilla41]

WOW thank you so much for this video i have my own flight sim started 3d printing panels this is exactly what i needed to go forth

[@rbarlow]

Glad it helped

[@diazo5679]

Thanks so much Russ. Like many pf the others I am just starting on this sim journey. Your a fantastic help. Keep up the great work.

[@MauriProsch]

Fantastic video mate, this gave the push to make my own board

[@AtlasMvm]

great video! one thing I recommend is to socket the arduino to the perma-board rather than solder it directly. if you fry the arduino for some reason or it dies it can be a huge pain to desolder all those pins.

[@MartinSawyer-rd7ny]

Thank you for this great simple to follow introduction

[@rpcraighead]

Outstanding work Russ! I've been using the knobster due to its flexibility... But this is tempting!

[@rbarlow]

Just depends how permanent you want things to be. Knobster gives a lot of flexibility but it’s still not quite as realistic as dedicated knobs and switches

[@wingman1392]

Great video, I have flirted with Sims, and watch in awe all these "Look at my cockpit" videos. The Warthog Project being just one. Looks like AirManager is built for building your own cockpits. You have the opportunity to build a series of great how to videos. For info the Genuine Arduino boards cost more because the price funds the design and support for the boards. The clones only funds the pocket of the cloner. So if you can afford it by genuine. Happy building everyone, looking forward to see the amazing things you create.

[@rbarlow]

I was always surprised that they made the whole project open source. But maybe they are smart because by making them available cheaply they are expanding the user base and creating a standard this pretty widely accepted.

[@gerardvanbeek6710]

Excellent video, thanks Russ. Just where i am looking for. You make my day

[@mrwest5552]

Thank You for this. I have a distantly similar build in mind and would be starting with ZERO $. This simply shows me i may not choose to go this route. Best to You.

[@sujeshchandran9143]

What a beautiful explanation. Fantastic teacher🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@berniewiemers728]

Hi Russ, Thank you for a great video, you have inspired me to give arduino and air manager a go. I've ordered the hardware and software and I'm looking forward to getting started.

[@rbarlow]

I think you’ll find it’s fun and rewarding once you get past any learning curve

[@pnksmigge5324]

inb4 I come back to this video 200 times during my f18 build :)

[@jerrodkimball4553]

very informative, this opened my eyes on how these work and i am a 100% newbie at this. now to learn more. Thank you for the schooling.

[@rbarlow]

Good luck….not difficult and fun once you get started.

[@omarsoufan4877]

This is great sir, I love it and I loved the way you made it clear. 👍

[@yosiska]

What a tutorial Video. Awesome! Thank You!

[@slavimihaylov2455]

That's exactly what I am thinking for!!!! Thank you sir!

[@Twinflight-2401]

Perfect just what i was after. fantastic informative and really useful. Thank you Russ

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thank you for this video Russ. Its by far the easiest video to follow. Ive subbed and will be watching more.

[@jmcc685]

Excellent presentation. Thank you!

[@AlasdairMacG]

Superb stuff - even I managed to understand most of it! Looking forward very much to any future vids in this series. I have been using Air Manager for a couple of months now (with the "official" Knobster), Wimaxit touch screen, and the steam gauges (principally C172), and love it. Hoping one day to be able to get the G1000 set up in MSFS 2020 with the Wimaxit/Knobster. I do not feel confident enough to go the Mobiflight route for this, or any of the other current "workarounds" that are available. So when you have nothing to do(!), if you fancy doing a tutorial on this as well, it would be great - I gather that we may need to wait until Air Manager 4.1 is relased though? Regards, Alasdair

[@jessluke5687]

Outstanding tutorial! Thank you!

[@garymcauley5867]

Excellent ! Thanks Russ! Cheers, 🇨🇦

[@totheknee]

Such an amazing video!

[@Airship413]

Nice Job!!!! Good Info..

[@juanpablohernandez8940]

beautiful video Thanks for sharing!!

[@chuckmathe5670]

Russ. Great video. I'm a newbie in the early stages of building a UH-1 helicopter sim pit for DCS. This has been very helpful as i try and determine whether i am better off getting USB PnP gauges or those which require wiring through an Arduino board. My main instrument panel has about 28 gauges/instruments and several "caution lights". Still debating my best avenue of approach. Thanks again.

[@rbarlow]

IMHO Air Manager gives more flexibility than Pnp

[@wrap239]

Great video Russ. Beta testing the OV, I was thinking it would be useful to use Air Manager to build an instrument panel. No hardware inputs. I’d like to be able to always see the instruments even in outside view. (Sure hope ASOBO gives us multiple camera views in 2024 like FSX and P3D!) I’ve never used it before. Your video is a great resource for seeing what it can do. Thanks!

[@ecidadeII]

This was a fantastic tutorial! It’s exactly what I was looking for as a primer before I undertake building my own CRJ panels! But I do have a question. Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but do you need a separate board for each toggle switch?

[@ryanerickson764]

This is great, thank you!

[@simonegiubilato1672]

Great video! It would be fantastic to have a slightly more in depth follow up. Thank you for posting it👍

[@rbarlow]

Keep watching my channel I’m sure I’ll get around to it. I’m retired but these hobby sometimes or more work then going to work

[@Bahanov]

Really great and useful tutorial. Thanks!!! You have +1 subscriber :)

[@mikepowell9316]

Great video. Very informative.

[@hokiebaji]

Fantastic video. Thanks

[@kareemismael6153]

Great video!

[@fuggly007]

A very interesting video, thanks.

[@kevinberlyn8060]

Russ, GREAT tutorial. . I have been looking over KZbin for instructions to connect arduino leonardo and your video has helped me out no end.... May I ask , in regards to the switch instalation. can you advise how I would include a LED to that switch.....to come on when actuated. thanks in advance Kevin

[@ChongMcBong]

very helpful video, thanks, i have piles of arduinos and bits, hopefully i will have a full desk of buttons by the end of the weekend :)

[@rbarlow]

Have fun!

[@ChongMcBong]

@@rbarlow i discovered it was quite expensive software, so went another route in the end, i might still come back to this option at some point. thanks for the video anyway, it inspired me to make some more cool controls :)

[@davidcassidy8390]

Awesome ! Thanks Russ.

[@ericohara2582]

Excellent help, thank you

[@zakkhuitema3748]

I'm sold. I've spent close to 5k for my current setup, but the thing that bothers me most is that the buttons and switches are not labelled. it makes using across multiple sims frustrating to remember. I've also done some basic Arduino in the past so this is something i can really get behind. thanks for the informative video! subbed

[@johannes914]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@cesarojopi6658]

nice work , keep doing it.

[@brgarrison418]

You can also use a 555 timer to build a debouncer for your switch.. this could help some people with that problem... I use it a lot when prototyping circuits on bread boards.

[@rbarlow]

I may be wrong since I am unfamiliar with a 555 tuner but I think Sim Innovations had denouncing built into Air Manager.

[@theminertom11551]

I build my simulator about two years ago (probably used one of your videos as an example). I used an old Precision Flight Controls console in which I cut out the old PCB that was in there and put in an Arduino. I attached the yoke and pedals, which have rotary potentiometers, to the Arduino and that was it. Since then, I have been running X Plane 11. Of course, I am programming it through Air Manager. While doing an instrument approach, I noticed that I have a hard time maintaining a heading. For example, I attempt to roll out of a turn and I way overshoot the intended heading. When I am in an actual C150/152 I don't have the same problem nearly to that degree. I was wondering if there is some sort of "gain control" or some such method to slow down the rate of turn? Thank You Tom

[@noelguyau0571]

Good video, I’m just learning…..

[@gsxr600rm]

Can you use the click function on the rotary encoder to toggle another switch? In my example im thinking of the G5 on airmanager.. thank you in advance, great video! Def subscriber now!

[@albertoacevedo5465]

Excelent video as all yours thanks

[@rbarlow]

Thanks

[@salmon_s5408]

Thanks i bought an old 737 home cockpit and have no idea how to set it up

[@keldsor]

Hi ! I too want to make my own control for FS2020, but what can Air Manager as FS NOT can do ?

[@JesperMilling]

very good introduktion, thankyou.

[@aurimasandrijauskas2172]

What a nice video. Thank you.

[@rbarlow]

Thanks for your comments and encouragement

[@aurimasandrijauskas2172]

@@rbarlow How can I set delay for encoders? Cant find it. I set encoder to G1000 mfd, but if i am entering flight plan after one encoder turn-click, g1000 jumping over 2 letters...

[@franciscofredviana743]

Great video. Im just trying to setup my first slide potentiometer to control throttle for a try and it max out at 67% on the throttle. I have my positive on 3.3v as its what I saw as recommendation on the Arduino and I noticed you used 5v. I don't know if this is my issue. Any tips?

[@georgemirtsos5804]

very nice video, a lot of answers solved!!! One more, need to make a joystick, with serial hall sensors for the movement, because i dont have the Air Manager yet, can you tell me if it can worked with these type of sensors?

[@homayoonhakimi533]

A big thank you

[@JeffreySmith1]

Brand new Air Manager user and everything you showed makes sense and I was able to reproduce. What I want to do is have either an Arduino or Raspberry Pi Pico drive an LCD display where I could display gauges like an altimeter or air speed indicator, etc.. Does the Air Manager flashed program have the ability to output graphics from the Arduino or Pico like that? Or do I need to write my own custom program using graphics for those devices and then use a communication library to talk to Air Manager? Basically, is there a shortcut way to leverage an Arduino -> LCD display using built-in functionality, or do I have to build from the ground up? I can't find anybody else doing that.

[@1947cessna140]

Russ, I am more interested in “assembling” a home Sim than learning about and designing one. May I suggest you author and sell an illustrated Sim Assembly Manual much like your dual screen Sim shown in previous videos. I am thinking about you detailing the type, kind, and construction/fabrication of all components from the instrument panel construction to the hook up of the screens for Air Manager and for the three vision monitors and the dual computers, etc. Include a material list for everything so it can be ordered and then assembled much like a Heath Kit (showing my age). I, as well, as perhaps hundreds of your viewers would purchase such a “How To Build A Sim” manual authored by you. I am not interested in becoming a sophisticated Sim designer and builder, but I would build a “ Paint by Numbers” Sim from a complete build manual incorporating X-Plane, Air Manager, a couple of computers and screens, and hardware controllers and then design an Air Manager Panel to replicate my Cessna 182. Did you ever consider such an endeavor? Hope you will do so. Thanks for your great videos.

[@graemeglasgow4596]

Great video. Quick question. In your triple screen setup, how have you got rid of the stretching in the 2 side screens?

[@-Sunny--]

Thanks man!

[@expataviator7107]

Great video

[@davidweisbrod5771]

Dear Russ, Thank you for this video so much! I was waiting for explanations on this possibility for years! Arduino user, with simvim for xplane, I reached the softwares limitations when i wanted to use my home cockpit in both xplane and fs2020.. simvim is perfect in xplane but not compatible in fs2020.. In the same time, mobiflight works in fs but partially in xplane.. And none will wire from a "xplane card" to a "fs card " its hardwares each time we switch our sims.. It is a big headache .. Fortunately, air manager seems to bring the solution as it works for both sims. Is it possible to calibrate on the same arduino the commands (for instance rotary encoders) in both sims? Or the codes are not the same (and need in that case another arduino)?

[@garageaviator1428]

Russ do you know if a power supply is required for the uno to use the ky040 encoders? Or if onboard usb has enough power for the 5v?

[@richardsander3936]

Hi Russ, would you be able to point me in the right direction to purchase the device needed to control the glareshield and cockpit dimmers? I see they take an ADC input on the Arduino. Is it a potentiometer, and if so, is there a resistance specification for it? Thanks, Rich

[@ItWasAllADream66]

Hi Russ, if I build this rotary encoder with arduino, would I need to do any programming to use it like the Knobster with Air Manager? Or does Air Manager now automatically program it for us by selecting the “DIY Knobster” option in Air Manager? I appreciate any help

[@aviation2155]

the best ever !

[@rigilchrist]

Thanks Russ!

[@ioannismazonakis3055]

How would this work if we needed to use more than 1 Arduino? How would we program it?

[@bassstudent4life]

Can i use the knobster using a macbook pro?

[@davecolston3564]

Russ... I'm a complete newph to Air Manager. Been trying to find an answer to the following... I'd like to use Air Manager to model a panel for the XP11 F33 Bonanza. However I only see the B58 that is somewhat similar. Can I assemble a panel for F33 in AirManager? And what happens to the instruments that are already there? I know, very basic, but I've spent a week trying to post on the Sim Innovations forum. Registered, but not allowed. I really appreciate your help with some fundemental concepts

[@rcbruce841]

Russ, recently my honeycomb throttle quadrant is no longer recognized. i think it is the usb-c female connector pins on the back of the device. i think Honeycomb is out of business or having major issue. No communication from them. i watched your video on the Arduino board. is there a arduino board that i can use to repair the throttle quadrant.