FORWARD AND AFT OVERHEAD PANEL
The forward and aft overhead is probably the most complex panel, both in the real aircraft and in the simulator. Therefore, it has been earmarked to complete at a later stage in the project. I believe it’s wise to have everything else working in the simulator (MIP, avionics, throttle, CDU, etc) with minimal bugs before connecting the forward and aft overhead.
At first, I deliberated using a overhead manufactured by Flight Deck Solutions - mainly becasue it was ‘plug and fly’. However, an OEM Boeing 737 overhead frame appeared on the market at a reasonable price, and I was fortunate in securing the forward and aft sections along with Cole starter switches, some gauges, light switch toggles and several other switches and panels. This said, there was still still a number of panels and light plates missing.
OEM Panels
The overhead forward and aft frame comes from a 737-500 classic series aircraft. To this frame various OEM panels will be added.
Conversion
The OEM panels are being converted using the original avionics and Canon plugs using Phidgets and the ARINC 429 protocol.
Timeline
The overhead is not a panel you can construct in a few days or weeks and finding the correct OEM panels in reasonable condition has taken longer than anticipated. The simulator is flyable without an overhead, so a time frame has not been set for completion; this is a project that ticks along in the background.
737-800 overhead functionality
Overhead Functionality
The forward and aft overhead controls the following functions:
The adjacent video provides a good overview of the overhead functionality.
Update (March 2025) - Building the Overheads
After many years finding various OEM panels, the overhead is finally being fabricated and wired. It is hoped that the overhead will be operational by June 2025. Wherever possible OEM Canon plugs are being used to connect the panels to the various ARINC 429 cards. At this time, additional articles that relate to the overhead will be published.
Gallery: OEM Forward and Aft Overhead
The images in this gallery are ad hoc and show the overheads and OEM panels during the construction phase. When the overheads are complete, these images will be replaced with higher quality images.
The lower gallery displays OEM overheads from several Boeing 737 air frames.
Teaser showing the various lights in flaps Le Devices being checked for operation (dancing lights)
