Hardware
Winctrl (Formerly Winwing) Unveils A320 FCU and 737 Throttle Quadrant With Force Feedback
By Matt Henderson · · 2 min read
Winctrl has announced a new Airbus A320 FCU with backlit LCD displays and a Boeing 737 throttle quadrant featuring motorized force feedback, targeting cockpit builders and study-level simmers.
Winctrl — the hardware brand formerly known as Winwing — has unveiled two flagship products aimed squarely at the study-level cockpit builder: a 1:1 Airbus A320 FCU and a Boeing 737 throttle quadrant with motorized force feedback. The FCU reproduces the A320's full autopilot control panel, including SPD/MACH, HDG/TRK, ALT, and V/S/FPA windows rendered on backlit LCD displays, with rotary encoders that mirror the real aircraft's push/pull detents. For simmers flying Fenix Simulations' A320 or ToLiss' Airbus lineup, the fidelity of the tactile interface is the entire point.
The 737 throttle quadrant is the more technically ambitious announcement. Winctrl has integrated motorized levers that can be driven by the sim to reflect autothrottle movement, thrust reverser deployment, and — critically — realistic detent behavior across idle, climb, and full thrust. Force feedback on a throttle axis is rare in consumer hardware, and if the implementation is solid, it addresses a long-standing immersion gap for PMDG 737 pilots who currently fly A/T-driven thrust changes on static levers.
The move follows Winctrl's broader rebranding, which consolidated its FCU, overhead panel, and MFD product lines under a unified identity. Pricing and availability have not been finalized, but the company indicated both products will be shown at the next FSExpo, where hands-on comparisons against Skalarki and CockpitPhD hardware will inevitably be made.
For cockpit builders, the announcement signals that the high-fidelity replica segment is still expanding. Honeycomb Aeronautical and Thrustmaster dominate the entry and mid-tier markets, but Winctrl, Skalarki, and CockpitPhD are competing for the enthusiast willing to spend real money on a home cockpit that behaves like the aircraft it emulates.
Tags: Winctrl, Winwing, A320 FCU, 737 Throttle, Cockpit Building