Men hand-build an Airbus A320 simulator despite having absolutely no DIY experience

Building an Airbus A320 simulator with no DIY experience sounds like a terrible idea, which is exactly how this ambitious office project began.

The team from Airliners Live embarked on this mammoth project with little more than enthusiasm and confidence.

With the help of a few online plans, the duo set out to transform an empty office space into a working Airbus cockpit.

Somehow, against all expectations, it started to resemble the real thing.

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Building the Airbus A320 simulator required a lot of patience

The Airbus A320 simulator project kicked off with the cockpit’s wooden frame, cut using CNC designs provided by an internet user called Sim Guy.

Despite having never worked with CNC-cut parts before, the pair quickly learned that glue, rather than screws, was the real source of strength.

Progress was steady, even if it involved occasional improvisation, including using a photography tripod to hold parts in place.

As the frame took shape, it became clear that the DIY structure was far sturdier than anticipated.

Next came the heart of the simulator: the center pedestal.

Sponsored flight controls from Winwing added instant authenticity, but mounting them proved tricky.

Each panel had different mounting requirements, forcing creative problem-solving to achieve consistent height and alignment.

Blank panels had to be hand-measured, cut, sanded, and painted, testing patience and precision.

Measuring once and cutting carefully became essential, as mistakes meant buying more MDF and starting again.

What’s next for the simulator?

The side boxes for the Airbus sidesticks turned out to be the most challenging part of the build.

Without full schematics or 3D-printed parts, the team relied on reference photos and a lot of guesswork.

Height adjustments were made by eye, and faux leather was added for realism using a mix of glue, staples, and hope.

It wasn’t easy, but the results exceeded expectations.

Painting brought everything together, with carefully selected colors to match real Airbus panels.

Once the fascia panels were installed, the transformation was dramatic.

The pair finally had a convincing flight deck.

With the physical build complete, the simulator is now ready for electronics, screens, and software.

They’re going to make these additions off-screen, and they promise to take their viewers on a virtual flight in their next video.

Perhaps the wildest part is that these two aren’t even the first to build their very own Airbus A320 simulator.

Aviation fans truly are in a totally different league in terms of passion.

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