The manufacturer Wingflex kindly sent me their version of an A320 MCDU. I had previously tested their first product for Airbus simulation, the Wingflex A320 Combo for simFlight.DE and was very impressed at the time. I still use it today, even though there is now another well-known competitor product.

Now, there’s an MCDU that will have a tough time in the newly fiercely competitive flight simulation hardware market. It currently costs a hefty USD 599.00, but Wingflex is currently running a promotion that reduces the price to USD 499.00. Shipping costs are not charged extra, but customs and VAT will certainly be due upon import.

However, the Wingflex product stands out in particular due to one special feature, more on that later.

Unpacking, Assembly and Haptics

The unit comes with a clever, foldable metal stand, which is included separately in a linen bag. This looks like an elegant solution that creates a high-tech feeling on the desk.

The problem is the assembly…. At first, I had the feeling that the MCDU and the stand didn’t really want to go together. Four screws are supplied, which are even colored in Airbus gray, along with four plastic screw covers, which, like the screws, only serve aesthetics. There were no nuts included, but Wingflex promised to include them in the future.

But all of this has nothing to do with attaching the unit to the stand; there are no instructions included, only an illustration on the back of the packaging box showing what it should look like.

It is attached with two screws that are attached to a rail on the back of the unit; these must be loosened and then reattached with the stand in between.

Unfortunately, this is really not the optimal solution… In practice, the unit is only attached at the top with the 2 screws and is loose at the bottom. Not for pedantic natures. But otherwise, it looks very chic when assembled:

The stand enables easy operation with just one finger without the unit slipping backwards. This is absolutely brilliant!

Overall, the unit meets expectations and is true to the original in terms of scale, which was hardly to be expected given the specifications. The plastic housing looks high-quality and is colored to match the original. Disappointingly, this is not the case for the buttons. Here, similar to the cheaper competitor product, a rubber keypad mat was used. The buttons are functional and offer a short but hard pressure point, but do not match the feel of the original.

Here is a comparison picture with a ‘real’ MCDU of an A320 (left). The real one is the Honeywell model, the Wingflex MCDU imitates the newer Thales model, only immediately apparent in the slightly different BRT/DIM button layout.

The backlight works and adapts to the setting of the flight simulator.

Connection and Compatibility

The Wingflex A320 MCDU is connected with the included USB-A to USB-C cable.

In the rear area there is also a switch to make the MCDU usable on the pilot or co-pilot side.

After that, the Wingflex Bridge App should be installed and started.

This app offers a manual setting of the brightness and through it you get into a menu mode that shows us which firmware version is loaded, but is not further accessible or usable.

Then it’s the flight simulator’s turn to be started, I used MSFS2024.

Then you have to decide which aircraft you want to use. Admittedly, the possibilities are not too great in MSFS: the FlyByWire A320 and the entire Fenix series. Since the Headwind 339 is based on the FBW engine, it also works perfectly.

According to the manufacturer’s website, the device is also compatible with the X-Plane, with the Flight Factor A320 and with the Toliss A3xx series.

Usage

It is of course much more pleasant to enter your flight data on this MCDU than to do it with the mouse on the screen, that is beyond question.

The device is dark until I give the machine power, that’s correct. And now the strength of the Wingflex MCDU is revealed, and that is that the display is razor sharp, see for yourself in the following images:

Otherwise, everything is as expected, there is no delay between the MCDU display in MSFS2024 and the Wingflex MCDU, as you can see here.

Conclusion

In summary, the Wingflex A320 MCDU convinces with some outstanding features:

• The razor-sharp display, which impresses with its clarity and detail.
• The stable and elegant stand, which offers a solid base despite initial assembly difficulties.

Apart from that, there is little to complain about. Only the price can be a point of discussion. Here, everyone has to decide for themselves whether the high-quality display and the appealing stand included are worth the investment.

Overall, a convincing product that combines quality and aesthetics.

Website and Shop: https://www.wingflexsim.com/index.php?id=2307