Why 6.22-Inch 720×720 Square LCD Displays Are Suddenly Becoming Popular in F-16 and F/A-18 Flight Simulator Cockpits
Over the past few months, we’ve noticed a growing number of requests related to a very specific type of display for simulator hardware projects:
6–7 inch square LCD modules, especially the 6.22-inch 720×720 format.
At first, this seemed unusual because most LCD demand traditionally comes from:
industrial equipment
tablets
consumer electronics
standard widescreen displays
But after looking deeper into the simulator community, the reason became much clearer.
The Rise of Realistic F-16 and F/A-18 Cockpit Builds
Modern flight simulator platforms such as:
DCS World
Falcon BMS
Microsoft Flight Simulator
have created a huge community focused on realistic cockpit replication.
Instead of using a single monitor, many simulator enthusiasts are now building:
full F-16 cockpits
F/A-18 Hornet panels
multi-screen avionics systems
modular MFD setups
These projects are no longer simple gaming setups.
Many builders now care deeply about:
cockpit geometry
real panel spacing
accurate avionics layouts
realistic MFD proportions
And this is exactly where square LCD displays become important.
Why Standard 16:9 Displays Don’t Work Well for MFD Systems
Aircraft such as the:
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F/A-18 Hornet
use multifunction displays (MFD/DDI) that are visually much closer to a square format than a widescreen layout.
However, most available consumer LCDs today are:
16:9
16:10
ultrawide formats
This creates several problems in cockpit builds:
wasted mounting space
inaccurate display proportions
unrealistic panel appearance
UI scaling issues
Because of this, many cockpit builders have started searching for compact square LCD solutions instead of adapting widescreen panels.
Why the 6.22-Inch 720×720 Format Fits Cockpit Simulators So Well
One display format that keeps appearing in simulator hardware discussions is the 6.22-inch 720×720 square LCD.
This size is particularly interesting because it sits very close to the practical dimensions required for:
F-16 MFD panels
F/A-18 DDI systems
radar export displays
navigation screens
embedded cockpit interfaces
Compared to larger monitors, the 6.22-inch format provides:
better cockpit integration
easier panel mounting
more realistic avionics scaling
efficient multi-display layouts
The 720×720 resolution also offers a good balance between:
image clarity
GPU performance
export compatibility
which is important for cockpit systems running multiple independent displays.
Growing Trend Toward Multi-Display Cockpit Systems
Another reason these square LCDs are becoming more popular is the shift toward modular cockpit architecture.
Many advanced simulator setups now use:
separate MFD screens
dedicated radar displays
telemetry interfaces
independent navigation panels
instead of relying on a single large monitor.
As a result, smaller embedded displays are becoming more relevant than traditional desktop monitors in simulator hardware design.
Example of a 6.22-Inch Square LCD Used for Flight Simulator Applications
One example of this type of display is the following 6.22-inch 720×720 square LCD module designed for simulator and embedded display integration:
👉 https://www.aptusdisplay.com/products/6-22-inch-720x720-square-lcd-module-flight-simulator-lcd-display
Main features include:
true 1:1 square aspect ratio
720×720 resolution
IPS wide viewing angle
compact structure
high brightness
LVDS interface
optional HD-MI controller support
This type of display is especially suitable for:
F-16 cockpit MFD systems
F/A-18 simulator panels
DCS export displays
avionics simulation interfaces
custom cockpit hardware projects
The Future of Flight Simulator Display Hardware
As cockpit simulation becomes more realistic, the demand for specialized display formats will likely continue growing.
The increasing interest in 6.22-inch 720×720 square LCDs suggests that simulator builders are moving beyond generic consumer displays and looking for hardware that better matches real avionics systems.
For cockpit developers, hardware integrators, and simulator enthusiasts, square-format LCDs may become an important part of next-generation flight simulation setups.
