Flight Panels has officially announced its expansion into the X-Plane ecosystem, marking a significant milestone for the company as it brings its popular Stream Deck cockpit solutions beyond Microsoft Flight Simulator for the first time, as detailed in the official announcement.
The developer, known for creating more than 80 high-quality Stream Deck profiles for MSFS, is now entering the X-Plane space with dedicated cockpit profiles designed to enhance immersion and usability for sim pilots.
Expanding Beyond Microsoft Flight Simulator
This move represents a major step forward for Flight Panels. Until now, the company’s products have been exclusively available for Microsoft Flight Simulator, supporting aircraft from developers such as PMDG, iniBuilds, Aerosoft, and Fenix Simulations.
With this expansion, Flight Panels opens the door to a completely new audience — thousands of X-Plane users looking for a more intuitive and immersive way to interact with their aircraft systems.
Turning Stream Deck Into a Cockpit Interface
Flight Panels transforms Elgato Stream Deck devices into fully functional cockpit control panels. Instead of relying on a keyboard or mouse, users gain access to physical buttons, rotary controls, and LCD interfaces that allow direct interaction with aircraft systems.
This includes control over:
- Autopilot systems
- Navigation and communications
- Lighting and overhead panels
- Aircraft-specific systems
The result is a far more tactile and realistic flying experience, closely resembling real-world cockpit workflows.
Official Statements
Richard Kennedy, Founder of Flight Panels, highlighted the importance of this expansion:
“We’ve spent three years refining our products within Microsoft Flight Simulator, building detailed profiles for a wide range of aircraft. Expanding into X-Plane gives us an exciting opportunity to bring that experience to a new community of pilots who value immersion just as much as we do.”
From the X-Plane side, Laminar Research also welcomed the collaboration. Dellanie Byron, Community Manager, stated:
“X-Plane has always been built around flexibility and customization. Partnering with Flight Panels feels like a natural step forward, offering users a powerful new way to enhance their simulation experience.”
Initial Product Lineup
Flight Panels confirmed that its first X-Plane products will include both Aircraft Profiles and Autopilot Profiles, scheduled for release before the end of March 2026.
The initial supported aircraft will be:
- Cessna 172 (default X-Plane aircraft)
- Zibo Boeing 737
Profiles will be available in multiple layouts, including:
- 15-key and 32-key configurations
- Compatibility with Stream Deck XL and MK.2
- Support for Stream Deck Mobile
- Integration with Corsair Xeneon Edge
Additionally, dedicated autopilot profiles will be available for the Stream Deck +, expanding functionality even further.
All products will be distributed through the official Flight Panels Store as well as selected third-party marketplaces.
About Flight Panels
Flight Panels is a Northern Ireland-based developer specializing in premium Stream Deck profiles for flight simulation. Its products are designed to replace traditional keyboard and mouse inputs with physical, intuitive cockpit controls.
Each profile includes hundreds of pre-configured actions covering all major aircraft systems, allowing simmers to operate their aircraft with a higher level of realism and efficiency.
About X-Plane
X-Plane 12 is widely regarded as one of the most advanced flight simulators available for personal computers. Known for its highly accurate flight model, it is used not only by enthusiasts but also by professionals within the aviation industry.
The platform features a sophisticated atmospheric system, advanced lighting and sound engines, and full virtual reality support, making it a powerful and versatile simulation environment.
Final Thoughts
As Flight Panels continues to expand its ecosystem beyond Microsoft Flight Simulator, its move into X-Plane could mark a significant shift in how simmers interact with their virtual cockpits. By bringing Stream Deck integration to a new platform, the developer is opening the door to more immersive, hardware-based control solutions across multiple simulators.
With further aircraft profiles and updates expected in the future, Flight Panels is positioning itself as a key player in the evolution of modern flight simulation workflows. For more flight simulation news and updates, be sure to check out other articles on FSNews.
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