This desktop application bridges DCS World with some of the WinCtrl hardware, enabling real-time data exchange between the simulator and the physical device.
Data Flow: DCS <-> DCS-BIOS <-> This App <-> WinCtrl Devices
- Install DCS-BIOS (see detailed instructions below)
- Download using the release assets / zip file. and extract this application to your preferred folder
- Connect your WinCtrl CDU ( before starting bridge )
- Configure the DCS-BIOS json folder (auto-detected in most cases)
- Run the application
- Launch DCS and load your aircraft — the bridge detects it automatically and starts
- DCS World
- DCS-BIOS v0.11.5 or later
- .NET 8.0 runtime
At least one of these devices.
- Winctrl CDU hardware (MCDU / PFP3N / PFP7 / PFP4)
- Winctrl FCU and EFIS ( tested with Left Efis )
- Winctrl PAP3 (or PAP3Mag )
- Winctrl AGP32 Metal
Each aircraft has its own page describing the supported devices, CDU display, LEDs, brightness, and any front-panel output. Click an aircraft for details.
A-10C | AH-64D | F/A-18C | CH-47F | OH-58D | F-14B | F-15E | F-16C | M-2000C | UH-1H
Two more are driven by the live data export rather than DCS-BIOS, which carries no module for them, and so show one display each: the F-14B(U) CDNU (setup) and the C-130J CNI-MU (setup).
Contributions: Smreki F15E , Mustang038 M200C, F16C Poussedebamboo, F18 Iefi pages Martin Javorek
Front panels (FCU/EFIS, PAP3, AGP32) render whatever the active aircraft publishes. The A-10C drives the full set (flight data, gear LEDs, and the chrono/UTC/ET clock on the AGP32). The F-14B drives the AGP32 gear lights and clock. The OH-58D drives the AGP32 UTC clock. See each aircraft's page for specifics.
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Download DCS-BIOS v0.11.5 or later:
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Extract the DCS-BIOS folder to your DCS saved games Scripts directory:
%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\DCS-BIOS\If you've relocated your Saved Games folder (right-click it > Properties > Location), extract there instead — the app finds it automatically either way.
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Configure Export.lua in your Scripts folder:
dofile(lfs.writedir() .. [[Scripts\DCS-BIOS\BIOS.lua]])
⚠️ Important: If you already have an Export.lua file, add the line above instead of overwriting it.
- Extract the application files to your chosen directory
- Run
WctrlDcsBiosBridge.exeOn first launch, the app looks for DCS-BIOS under your real Saved Games folder (even if you've relocated it) and fills in the JSON path automatically — no dialog box if it finds it. - If it can't find it automatically, a config dialog box opens so you can select the DCS-BIOS JSON folder manually. It should be located inside the
Scripts/DCS-BIOS/doc/jsonfolder.- Example:
Saved Games/DCS/Scripts/DCS-BIOS/doc/json
- Example:
You no longer pick the aircraft yourself. While the bridge is running, the CDU shows a "Waiting for DCS... / Aircraft detection" screen and watches DCS-BIOS for the loaded module:
- When a supported aircraft is loaded, the bridge starts automatically.
- An unsupported module is shown in red as "Not supported", and the bridge keeps waiting.
- When you switch or exit the aircraft, the bridge resets and returns to the waiting screen on its own — no restart needed.
The only manual choice left is the seat for a dual-seat aircraft (AH-64D, CH-47F, C-130J) when two or more CDUs are connected (see below). With a single CDU there is nothing to choose: the AH-64D and CH-47F follow you from one seat to the other, and the C-130J shows the pilot's CNI-MU.
- CDU Keys: Map them in DCS.
- Seat selection (dual-seat aircraft with 2+ CDUs): when prompted, press the line-select key next to PILOT or COPILOT; the other CDU takes the seat you did not pick. See the CH-47F documentation.
"PLT_CDU_LINE1" does not exist (CH-47 Chinook)
- Wrong dcsbios version installed.
- You need version 0.11.0 or later
"Connection failed" or CDU not responding
- Ensure your Winctrl CDU is properly connected
- Try unplugging and reconnecting the device
- Restart the application ( application does not detect devices plugged after start )
- Check that no other applications are using the CDU
"No data appearing on CDU"
- Start your aircraft in DCS (data appears after aircraft systems are powered)
- Check that DCS-BIOS is working (look for network traffic) - you can use Bort tools from DCSSkunkworks to verify DCS-BIOS is sending data
- Verify Export.lua is configured correctly
Aircraft not detected / stuck on "Waiting for DCS..."
- Make sure an aircraft is loaded in the cockpit and DCS-BIOS is exporting (check
Export.lua) - Unsupported aircraft are shown in red as "Not supported" — the bridge keeps waiting for a supported one
- You do not need to restart when switching aircraft; the bridge detects the change automatically
- Mismatched brightness: Use the aircraft's brightness controls first, then adjust MCDU
- A10C: Check the specific documentation
- CH-47F: Check the specific documentation
- In case of flickering with SimAppPro running, check the
All application activity is logged to log.txt in the same folder as the executable. Check this file for detailed error information.
Report issues here, or reach out on Discord
- Cursor behavior: May appear erratic during waypoint entry (reflects DCS-BIOS data)
- CH-47F support: Requires DCS-BIOS 0.11.0 or later
- Brightness sync: May not perfectly match aircraft state
This project is written in C# and targets .NET 8.0. It uses:
- DCS-BIOS for DCS communication
- ww-devices-dotnet for Winctrl hardware interface
- NLog for logging
see the wiki Contributing page for contribution guidelines.
See LICENSE.txt and thirdparty-licences.txt for licensing information.
For issues and questions, please check the logs first and review the troubleshooting section above.
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