Project Overview

The "Sky-Link Avionics Interface" is a sophisticated Human-Machine Interface (HMI) designed to bridge the gap between virtual flight and physical hardware. Utilizing an Arduino Nano 33 IoT, this panel provides real-time telemetry and radio management for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. By offloading critical flight data like Indicated Air Speed (IAS), Altitude, and Course Deviation (CDI) to physical displays, the pilot can reduce on-screen clutter and achieve a higher level of cockpit immersion.

Technical Deep-Dive

• The SimConnect Data Pipeline:
  • External Data Synchronization: The project relies on FS2020TA, a middleware that interfaces with the flight simulator’s SimConnect API. The PC application polls the simulator's internal state (e.g., NAV frequencies, pitch/roll, vertical speed) and serializes this data into a custom UART Packet Stream sent to the Arduino at high frequencies (30Hz+).
  • Serialization Logic: The Arduino firmware parses these incoming packets, identifying data headers (e.g., $NAV1Active) and updating the local memory buffer prior to display refreshing.
• Digital CDI Implementation:
  • Deviation Mapping: The Course Deviation Indicator is visualized via two 10-segment LED bar graphs. The firmware calculates the deviation from the selected radial (OBS) and maps the floating-point value to the LED segments.
  • The "Green-Center" Precision: A central 3mm LED signals a "Null Deviation" state, indicating the aircraft is perfectly on-course, a vital feature for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) practice.
• Frequency Management HMI:
  • Dual-LCD Split Architecture:
    • LCD 1 (Radio Stack): Manages NAV1/NAV2 and ADF frequencies.
    • LCD 2 (Glass Cockpit): Displays structural flight parameters including Airspeed (knots), QNH/QFE Altitudes, and Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI).
  • Rotary Encoder Tuning: Frequency adjustment is performed using an incremental encoder. The firmware handles Accelerated Tuning—rotating the knob faster increases the frequency step size, allowing for rapid transition between ground, tower, and center frequencies.

Engineering & Operation

• Nano 33 IoT Power Management: While the Nano 33 IoT supports WiFi, this project primarily utilizes its 48MHz ARM Cortex-M0+ processor to handle the high-speed serial interrupts and the simultaneous driving of two LCDs and two LED bars without refresh flickering.
• Signal Integrity & Wiring:
  • Multiplexing Considerations: Driving 20+ individual LEDs for the bar graphs requires efficient pin management. The implementation utilizes direct GPIO driving with current-limiting resistors, ensuring that the total current draw doesn't exceed the Nano's thermal regulator limits.
• User Interface Logic:
  • Active/Standby Flip: Emulating real aircraft radios, the system allows the pilot to tune the "Standby" frequency while monitor the "Active" one. Pressing the rotary encoder switch triggers a Flip-Flop routine in the firmware, swapping the two variables in memory and updating the FS2020 registers via the return serial path.
• Future Resilience: The architecture is designed to be expandable. By adding additional encoders or a multi-line graphic OLED, the panel could be scaled to support full G1000 glass cockpit functionality, including engine monitoring and GPS trajectory data.

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Elevate your simulation: Physical hardware precision for the virtual skies.