B737NG builder from Denmark

[TorbenJA]

Hi all.
My little one-man (righthandside B737) cockpit is slowly developing - but it'll tage quiet a while before a maiden flight. I've now build the stand for Engravity's MIP+lower EICAS/CDU bay and should shortly start fitting monitors into place.

The setup is a FSX on a Intel i7-920 (win7) + Intel Dual Core E5400 (win7) + old computer (WinXP prof.)

The idea is to run 3 17" Samsung E1720+tripplehead2go on the i7, a 18"WS showing PFD+ND +10.4" Upper EICAS on the DUal core and using the old XP for a 17" monitor as Lower Eicas/squawkbox/weather/topcat etc.

My first idea was to use PM, as most hardware I've got (Engravity CDU, CPFlight MCP+EFIS, Revolution Throttle Quadrant) can run on PM. I then looked a bit on Sim-Avionics, as it seems more modern and makes it simple to rotate the screen on the 10.4" in the S-A software, whereas I don't know how this is done in PM. But from fora I can read that S-A are having problems recognizing the Engravity CDU, the TQ isn't supported (yet), and you need to BUY yearly upgrades, which I do not think is nessacary with PM.


So right now I'm on a (short) hold, while I consider the options. Any input is most welcome.

yours

Torben Andersen

Ohh - btw. Which B737NG would be a choice to pick - PMDG B737 installed on FSX or.... and which is best supported using PM or S-A

[Joe Lavery]

Welcome Torben,
If it helps to make a decision, it's a single menu option to turn the screen in PM software. I still use an FS2004 737 simply becasue I get fluid flight with 2004 and I prefer that to the extra graphics of FSX.
 
Regards
Joe Lavery

[ivar hestnes]

Hi there Torben

Even if I am a flightdecksolutions team member, I will try to write a few lines as a simulator builder. I have used PM for 4 years now in my setup. But I started to integrate Sim-avionics in my sim a couple months ago. So I have a working setup where I can choose if I want to fly with sim-a or PM. And to be honest, I dont think that the screen rotation should worry you. Thats pretty easy in both softwares. But the system logics..... Big difference. When I am flying with sim-a on my personal simulator, fully loaded plane, It will take some time to get to FL330, it will adjust power settings so you dont bounce above your preset altitude, the Level change works, You will have RETARD announced in your PFD, it will not drop in speed and altitude at the same time, It will be harder to descend (You reduce speed OR altitude), it will follow the glideslope on approach, it will autoland perfectly and reduce thrust as the real thing, and it will take some runway lenght to a full stop....... The 737 is a glider and should act like one...I can bla bla bla for hours about this.... You can also manipulate autopilot parameters+++ from the softwares server application (the brain that contains ALL the logic). So from a builders perspective, I love sim-a because my flight experience now feels alot more realistic, and because its easy to set up.

From my flightdecksolutions point of view. There is no annual update fee for sim-avionics software bought through us. That was part of the plan when we joined forces with sim-a. I think actually many people do believe that there is a fee, so it is good to clear that now. For customers that bought the introductory pricing package through sim-a, there will be a update fee as in the sales terms for that product.

I was also at the FDS shop a few weeks ago and spent some days configuring and testflying the latest FDS 737-trainer with sim-a, and that was a good experience Some pictures of the setup down the page, when Maurice was testflying it a few days later
http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4295

Feel free to send me a PM or email if there is anything more you would like to know Torben Wish you good luck on your project regardless of which software you would choose for your project!

[NAX228]

Davs Torben
Nice to have more scandinavians in here. Welcome.
Seems like you get a nice setup when you get it all together. As I know those modules, you also have the opportunity to expand to a full size cockpit as time goes by... and the cockpit-bacteria gets to your brain Started up with a similar setup a couple of years ago.
Regarding software I'm using a suite from www.flightdecksoftware.com. There is also options of using only capt. side.
It's a software still in development, but that is more or less the rule of this type of software.
As I was visiting Ivar last weekend ( Takk for sist Ivar ) I got a chance to see S-A in action, and it was a promising experience. The software looked and felt good.
Flightdecksoftware is also fully flyable now, but have a longer way to go. I.e. our VNAV is not quite dependable and some pages in FMC is not fully working.
It supports most hardware including all of your hardware.
I have bought a softwarepackage that will, quote the developer: "Support all functions and logic in the 738" , as time and programing goes by.
I have stuck with this software for about two years now and looking forward to the development to come. The development has followed my cockpitbuild and both are still flyable but not finished
Pricing is also very pleasant.

I still wonder about what comes with the PMDG 737 NGX regarding interface opportunities. If it comes with a licenseprogram for interacting with all functions, I guess the cockpitsoftware developers will struggle to survive.

Looking forward to follow your build.

[TorbenJA]

Thank you all for your reply and your experiencies with PM/SA/Flightdecksoftware. It is truly a hard decision to pick the software, but as it is essential, so thinking needs to be done.

I do not intend at present to buy the PMDG B373NGX - who knows when we'll see it, but I've read on the fora that the FS2009 version can be run on FSX. Reading on the default FSX B737 it doesn't sound too good and the other B737s I've seen is also FS2009 version running in FSX. Looking at the PM site, it seems as if no dedicated FSX B737 is found (needed?) and I was wondering, if it mattered. Until now I've used the PMDG and been pleased with it (and it limitations), but using hardware instruments instead of software might prove a different experience.

Anyway - thank you all.

Torben

[Benja]

Torben,

Welcome from a Brit living in Sweden.

Although many have managed to use the FS9 PMDG flight model in both FS9 and FSX, i never managed to get it working properly. I got completely frustrated with the process, and in the end switched to the Project Opensky 737 for FSX along with some config files i found online that supposedly had been tweaked by a real 737 driver.

I have to say that i am finally happy with my flight model and along with using Topcat to load the aircraft and fuel etc, it flies really well.

I am a Project Magenta user and have been happy with their package so far. I would love to try some of the other developers out there, but have so much invested in my setup and getting it right, i would be loath to start again setting up something else for the instrumentation.

Anyway, just thought i would throw in my 50 Ore!!

Thanks.

Regards
Ben

[NAX228]

I would love to try some of the other developers out there, but have so much invested in my setup and getting it right, i would be loath to start again setting up something else for the instrumentation.

I belive this is the single biggest "thing" to change in a cockpit. They are all big investments whatever software you choose.
Important to try out the demos to do our best to come out the right way from the beginning.