Which MIP - Half or Full

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Several companies fabricate 737 Next generation Main Instrument Panels (MIP) and each company offers different design options.  Basically, you have the following main options - some with and without instrument integration.

  • Full MIP with lower kickstand & CDU bay (Double Seat Training Device (DSTD)

  • Full MIP (desktop version) without lower kickstand & CDU bay

  • Half MIP with lower kickstand & CDU bay (Single Seat Training Device (SSTD)

  • Half MIP (desktop version) without lower kickstand & CDU bay

LEFT: A half MIP (SSTD).  Just because you don't have a DSTD doesn't mean you cannot have realism (photo courtesy FDS).

Which MIP is purchased depends on what level of realism is sought, your budget, your time, and your ability to fabricate lower kickstand sections (CDU bay, etc), and most importantly your available floor space.  Floor space is often a forgotten phase of your research.  Saying it will fit and 'she’ll be right mate' often 'doesn’t cut the mustard'.

My previous generic flight sim was very compact and was little larger than a desk.

Initially, I decided that a half MIP with lower kickstand and CDU bay would be ideal for my purpose; the new sim would fit perfectly into the alcove area that my current generic sim resides. 

Granted a half MIP is only a one seater and obviously wouldn't be an honest replication of a two seat aircraft, but the space savings are considerable – sometimes you need to compromise. 

Fly Engravity make an ideal half MIP, from which you can add to, as space and budget dictate.  However, the half MIP doesn’t come with full ICS (instrument integration) meaning you must wire it up yourself; for me, a somewhat daunting task in skill and time.

Flight Deck Solutions produces a half MIP with full ICS, lower kickstand and CDU bay.  But, at the time of writing this MIP is only a special order.  Therefore, if I was to have full ICS, I must purchase a full MIP with lower kickstand and CDU bay.