← Emaad Majeed

Autopilot Flight Director System (AFDS) Panel

2022

The AFDS (Autopilot Flight Director System) panel from the 737 overhead.

AFDS panel vector design showing cutouts, rotary selector, and engraved TEST label AFDS panel design detail

I designed the panel face as a laser cut vector: an octagonal plate with cutouts for its switches and displays, a two position rotary selector, and an engraved TEST label. The red lines are cut paths and the black areas are engraving.

AFDS panel design detail Arduino protoshield and wiring behind the panel

After cutting and painting the panel, I wired its inputs to an Arduino through a hand soldered protoshield so the switches could drive Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

Building and wiring the panel Building and wiring the panel

Finally, the panel installed into the overhead structure alongside the other panels.

AFDS panel installed in the overhead panel assembly