FlightControls is a fairly new startup Flight Simulation Controls company providing high-quality & easy to use physical controls so you can build your own cockpit, piece by piece. We currently have built our first product, our Airbus Overhead Lighting Panel which is laid out with realism in mind, with almost 1:1 scale and layout.
My love for Flight Simulation started around 4 years ago when I was given a sidestick/throttle from my brother and had my first experiences with Microsoft Flight Simulator. I enjoyed playing Flight Simulators and continued to do so for the next few years, slowly upgrading hardware. Around January 2026, I was given a 3D printer from a friend who didn’t want it anymore. I happily took it from them and got used to it. After a few months of learning the CAD software and expanding my knowledge around 3D printing, I came up with a loose idea that I wanted to try making something as a personal project based around Flight Simulator. From then I designed a few baseline ideas for an overhead panel although most designs failed or needed tweaks to get them perfect, around June 2026 I had finally created my final product which I would then go on to order all the parts such as switches, wiring, boards to make it functional, I had previously done a small amount of soldering/electrical work so I gave it my best shot and it ended up working perfectly, I had finished my project and created something I could use while playing Flight Simulator, I had the thought to turn this into an actual business throughout the final stages of the project and decided that I was going to give it a shot and try to build myself a brand and sell my own Flight Simulator hardware, and this is where FlightControls started and has expanded to what it is now. With many plans for the future, this is only the start of FlightControls.
Around the time I actually started putting all the pieces of the Overhead Panel together, I was very proud of myself and thought that I should share my work with others, once I had fully finished the panel and had it working, I knew that it was an amazing idea and that I had the skills required to build the business, and the passion to put into it so I decided to give it a go and if it failed, I had still enjoyed myself while doing it, luckily for me that did not happen and I am still expanding FlightControls.
While building this as just a personal project, I didn’t really think about building it in the interest of a customer; more so for functionality. It took a lot of time designing different parts of the panel to be able to sell it as a product, such as making a full enclosure and space for wires, etc. I was constantly tweaking things to ensure the product was perfect.
Feedback from anyone who uses my product is appreciated and taken on board. Feedback allows me to make changes to my product so it is suited to a customer, and it allows me to use that feedback/advice to build future products.
I have seen many new and upcoming UK based businesses around Flight Simulation, all of which are making wonderful and well thought out products, and a lot of which will also, like myself, be in attendance to many major Flight Simulation events showcasing their products which I feel is amazing.
I feel that smaller independent developers are able to take feedback from customers/flight simmers on-board easier and are able to respond to others more promptly due to the smaller scale which will then eventually help them grow to become a larger manufacturer with products which have been not just built by them, but improved by the Flight Simulation community.
At the moment, we have many ideas in our heads about new products that we are working on and how we would be able to execute them, currently I am working on making many different parts of overhead panels for many different aircrafts available to us in Flight Simulator, I want people to be able to easily pick and choose which parts they would like to incorporate into their flight simulators and have things laid out how they would like. There will hopefully be some newly showcased products available to see at FSimUK 2026.
In a few years’ time, I aspire for FlightControls to have expanded, to have at least 5-10 different brand new products available and to have a fully established and well known brand that people know and can trust for quality hardware.
You will be able to find FlightControls located in the Community Hub at FSimUK 2026. I am happy to speak to anyone about my journey, FlightControls journey and how we have achieved what we have already, plans for the future and anything about our products! You will have the opportunity to try out some of our current and new products and additionally purchase them at the event if you desire!
The best thing about flight simulation is the constantly expanding systems, technologies and creations which are evolving and taking shape all the time.
