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AIM Cockpit Manager: User Guide

Welcome. This guide covers everything you need to get your Invictus cockpit wired up, configured, and flying.

AIM Cockpit Manager running with panels connected

What the AIM platform is

The AIM network is the backbone of your Invictus cockpit. Each panel board (Sidewinder, Phoenix) connects to your PC over a single Ethernet cable that carries both data and power. No separate power supplies, no USB hubs, no driver installs for the boards themselves. The AIM Cockpit Manager is the Windows app that ties it all together: it finds your boards, walks you through setup, and keeps your switches, knobs, and displays in sync with the sim while you fly.

What the manager does

  • Finds every board on your cockpit network automatically and guides you through a first-time wizard.
  • Lets you assign each switch, knob, and pot to a pin, then test it live. No round-trips to the simulator.
  • Installs the sim integration for DCS World and Falcon BMS.
  • Puts your MFDs, DED, RWR, HUD, and EHSI on extra monitors in both sims.
  • Updates itself and your board firmware over the air. No USB cables after the first flash.

Where to start

Setting up for the first time? Work through these in order:

  1. What You Need. Hardware and software checklist before you begin
  2. Install the Manager. Download, install, first launch
  3. Set Up the Cockpit Network. Get your PC talking to the boards
  4. Add Your First Board. The setup wizard
  5. Assign Controls to Pins. Map your switches and knobs

Already running, looking for something specific?

I want to… Go to
Set up DCS World Set Up DCS
Set up Falcon BMS Set Up Falcon BMS
Put displays on extra monitors Cockpit Displays in DCS or Cockpit Displays in BMS
Set up my VFT5 stick VFT5 Side-Stick
Wire indicator lights or segment displays Indicator and Caution Lights
Fix something that's not working Troubleshooting
Update the manager or board firmware Update the Manager

A note on sims

DCS World is the primary and most complete integration. Falcon BMS (F-16C and eventiually F-15) is fully supported as of v1.1.0. When a control isn't simulated in a particular sim, the tooltip in the manager tells you.