LED Sectional

A WiFi-connected LED display for aviation sectional maps that shows real-time flight conditions at airports using color-coded LEDs.

What It Does

The LED Sectional automatically fetches current weather data (METARs) from aviationweather.gov and displays flight conditions on your sectional map:

Color	Meaning
Green	VFR - Clear skies, good visibility
Blue	MVFR - Marginal conditions
Red	IFR - Instrument conditions
Magenta	LIFR - Low IFR, poor conditions
Yellow	High Winds - VFR with winds over 25 knots
White Flash	Thunderstorms reported
Off	No data available

Weather updates automatically every 15 minutes.

What You Need

Hardware

• Controller board - ESP8266-based (Wemos D1 Mini Lite recommended), or purchase a pre-made kit
• LED string - WS2811 or WS2812 LEDs (one per airport)
• Power supply - 5V DC, sized for your LED count
• USB cable - For initial setup (must support data, not charge-only)

Your Map

You'll need a framed sectional chart with holes drilled at each airport location. See the full build guide for detailed instructions on creating your map.

Setup

Step 1: Install the Firmware

1. Visit the LED Sectional Configuration Tool
2. Connect your controller via USB
3. Click the Firmware tab
4. Click Install Firmware and follow the prompts

Step 2: Connect to WiFi

After installing firmware, the controller needs your WiFi credentials:

1. Keep the USB cable connected
2. In the Configuration Tool, click Connect
3. Go to the WiFi tab
4. Enter your network name and password
5. Click Save - the device will reboot and connect

Note: The controller only works with 2.4 GHz WiFi networks.

Step 3: Add Your Airports

1. In the Configuration Tool, go to the Airports tab
2. Add airports in order matching your LED string (LED 1 first, LED 2 second, etc.)
3. Use standard ICAO codes (e.g., KSFO, KJFK, KORD)
4. Click Save to upload to the device

Special codes: - NULL - Skip an LED (leave it off) - VFR, MVFR, IFR, LIFR, WVFR - Legend LEDs that always show that color - WBNK - Wind blink demo - alternates between green and yellow (requires "Alternate Colors" setting enabled)

Step 4: Mount and Enjoy

Disconnect USB, connect your 5V power supply, and mount your sectional!

Troubleshooting

LEDs aren't lighting up

• Check that your power supply is 5V and has enough current for your LED count
• Verify the data wire is connected to the correct pin (GPIO 14 / D5 by default)
• Make sure the LED string and controller share a common ground

Can't connect via Web Serial

• Use Chrome, Edge, or Opera (Safari and Firefox don't support Web Serial)
• Try a different USB cable - some cables only carry power, not data
• Close any other programs that might be using the serial port

WiFi won't connect

• Confirm your network is 2.4 GHz (5 GHz is not supported)
• Double-check the password
• Move the controller closer to your router during setup

Some airports show no color

• The airport may not have recent METAR data
• Verify the ICAO code is correct at aviationweather.gov

Adjusting Settings

In the Configuration Tool's Settings tab, you can adjust:

• Brightness - LED brightness level (0-255)
• Wind Threshold - Wind speed that triggers yellow color (default: 25 knots)
• Lightning Animation - Enable/disable flashing for thunderstorms
• High Wind Indication - Enable/disable yellow for high winds
• Light Sensor - Enable automatic brightness based on room lighting (requires additional hardware)

Home Assistant Integration

The LED Sectional can integrate with Home Assistant for smart home control. Once configured, your sectional appears as a light in Home Assistant where you can:

• Turn the display on/off
• Adjust brightness
• Include in automations (e.g., dim at night, turn off when away)

To set up, go to Settings > Advanced Settings in the Configuration Tool and enable MQTT. Enter your Home Assistant's MQTT broker address and credentials. The device will automatically appear in Home Assistant via MQTT Discovery.

More Information

• Full Build Guide - Detailed instructions for building your sectional
• Kit Information - Pre-made electronics kit
• Contributing & Development - For developers who want to modify the code

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by this Reddit post and Dylan Rush's blog
• Weather data from aviationweather.gov
• Web flashing powered by ESP Web Tools