The FCP-65 Flight Control Panel is a standard Dzus mounted control panel used to select the operating modes of the flight guidance or autopilot system. Selected modes and system status is indicated on an annunciator strip at the top of the FCP-65. Annunciated messages are color coded green for active, amber or white for status or arm, and red for failure. The mode annunciators in the FCP-65 can be dimmed automatically by a photo sensor in the FCP-65 or externally from the aircraft dimmer bus. Mode selection is interlocked by the APC-65 Autopilot Computer or FGC-65 Flight Guidance Computer to ensure that only compatible modes are selected at one time. The FCP-65 has an annunciator voltage of 28 Volts.

The Test button on the FCP-65 selects the system diagnostic mode consisting of an annunciator test and other test routines. The TEST button is a momentary-action pushbutton that selects system diagnostic mode. This mode can be entered on the ground or in the air. In diagnostic mode, a lamp test of the system annunciators is performed, followed by a series of test routines to determine the operational status of the system. Both ground and airborne test modes provide the same diagnostic capability. Pressing and releasing the TEST button while the aircraft has an airspeed of less than 11 miles/hour puts the system into ground test mode.

 The FCP-65A combines the basic mode, self-test features, and system annunciators from the FCP-65 with the AP and YAW engage buttons from the autopilot panel to provide a single control panel that can be used in a basic autopilot system where space is at a premium. The dimension of the FCP-65 are width 146.05 mm (5.750 in) height 47.63 mm (1.875 in) length 87.38 mm (3.440 in).