The Viper Garage

Building a home cockpit is an adventure you don’t have to take alone. Over the years, a passionate community has shared knowledge, designs, and inspiration online. Here’s my personal bibliography for pit building—a collection of the most useful links I’ve found.

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Community Hubs & Forums

• Viperpits.org → viperpits.org/smf
  The legendary forum for F-16 cockpit builders. A true goldmine of CAD drawings, wiring diagrams, and photos of full-scale pits. If you have a question, someone here has probably answered it already.
• Check-Six (FR) → checksix-forums.com
  French-speaking sim community. Great for sharing progress, asking questions, and discussing DCS and BMS with fellow enthusiasts.
• Falcon BMS Forum → bmsforum.org
  The official forum for Falcon BMS pilots. Perfect for staying updated on software releases, mods, and cockpit integration.

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Hardware & Ready-Made Components

• XFlight → xflight.de
  German-based builder providing high-quality ICPs, panels, and components. A reliable source for ready-made hardware.
• TekCreations → tekcreations.com.au
  Australian maker specialized in backlit panels and USB devices. Very popular among pit builders.
• PSFalcon Blog → psfalcon.blogspot.com
  A dedicated blog with tools like PS UDP that allow you to extract flight data from Falcon BMS or DCS and send it to mobile devices.
• JaHeLi Simulator → jahelisimulator.com
  Offers modular simulator electronics and components—knobs, cockpit panels (including F-16 specific layouts), and IO boards. Includes a knowledge base and downloadable resources.

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Tutorials & DIY Tips

• HeliOx Lab → helioxlab.com
  A treasure trove of tutorials for making your own panels, backlighting systems, and 3D-printed parts.
• OpenHornet Project → openhornet.com
  An open-source project originally for the F/A-18, but filled with CAD models and building techniques useful for any pit.

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Technical Tools & Documentation

• DCS-BIOS → dcs-bios.readthedocs.io
  Essential for connecting your cockpit hardware to DCS World—switches, LEDs, displays, and more.
• Flight Manuals Online → flightmanualsonline.com
  A library of real-world flight manuals, procedures, and checklists—great for authentic references.

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Video Inspiration

• YouTube Channels:
  • HeliOx — Detailed pit building videos.
  • Simhanger Flight Simulation — Hardware reviews and setup guides.
  • VR Flight Sim Guy — Focused on VR immersion in flight simulation.

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Conclusion

These resources are an excellent starting point. Whether you’re looking for CAD plans, CNC tips, ready-made components, or simply inspiration, you’ll find plenty here.