The original main instrument panel was the Simkits/TRC offering. the quality of the panel is stunning. It is made from 2mm aluminium, powder coated and finished with silk screened labels. The Simkits panel was designed for use in the metal casing designed by the same company as a desktop unit. Being a desktop unit the panel has cutouts for the trim wheel, fuel selector, fuel cutoff and even a landing gear lever. As I was planning to build a full scale cockpit panel I would be using a pedestal and therefore had no use for the additional holes.

The Simkits/TRC Steam gauge trainer (copyright Simkits)

Using the Simkits panel as a guide I drew up my own upper panel and made a few modifications to it. I added an extra gauge opening under the location of the turn and slip gauge and moved the fuse panel to the right hand side of the panel. this will enable me to add an extra gauge needed when flying a C182. I had the panel laser cut and then a local company in Almere powder-coated it for me. The decals were printed on a to decal transfer sheets using a laser printer. I might remove them and have white ones printed for me by someone with a cricut machine.

The original Simkits panel at the back. I only realised when I picked up the new panel that the holes for the ELT and the Hobbs were too large. The ELT just covers it’s hole and I made a 3d Printed bracket for the hobbs, the quick fix does not look too bad in the panel.
Masking the panel.
The new upper panel with decals and black ‘fake panel lines’ added.

Once the decals had been added I removed the gauges from the old panel and screwed them into the new panel.