737IowaCity

[jetpilot]

Hi Everybody,
It has been almost 2 months since I started following with great interest the forum here at cockpitbuilders. Last month I bought a 737-200 cockpit and my plan is to build a 737NG with your help guys.
Project is just starting and the only thing that I have now is the energy to start searching and learning all about this.
I will keep you posted with pictures and will try to share averything learning in this process.
Right now I am working on bringing the cockpit from florida to Iowa city. Also I am trying to find a place I can put the cockpit for the next 8 months. At that time I will be back to Saint Louis, MO, My hometown.
Regards
Jetpilot

[jackpilot]

Welcome aboard....always pleasant to see an old stricken bird bound for new flights.
We will sure help ...as much as we can.
Jack

[Maurice]

What a way to 'start'! Would be like learning to swim by diving into Niagara falls. I admire your ambition  . Be sure to visit the FDS website as well as they have had quite a bit of experience reviving old birds and their products are made to fit old birds perfectly.

Maurice

[ETomlin]

HEY! I KNOW THIS BIRD! I've actually been in it and sat in it several times. I know the guy in Green Cove Springs who bought it in South Florida and then gutted it to what it looks like here. I tried my best to find a way to buy it but had not the money at the time. Im glad someone is getting it to finish it and fly it hopefully. Carey is a nice guy- I think he's just busy. That is, if he's the current seller of the item selling to you.

Anyhow, great find and I really loved this "sim". Make it fly again!

Really cool to know that Ive been in someone else's sim on here before :-) (before it was a finished sim)

[jetpilot]

Thank you guys for your support. Once again I will keep you post of any new step. Eric, I bought this cockpit from Carey. As you said, excellent guy.
by the way, I am looking for a trailer to transport the cockpit back home. I would really appreciate if anybody has any experience about the best method to transport a cockpit on a flat bed trailer.
Regards
Roberto

[XOrionFE]

Looks great Roberto,

It will be nice to see you progress on it.  I live up near the Chicago area and I know another member lives in Southern Illinois.   We also have one in Wisconsin.   So that means we are starting to get a nice hotbed of simulators in the midwest!    Hopefully we can meet up someday or maybe do a tour of each others sims once a year.

Scott

[jackpilot]

. I would really appreciate if anybody has any experience about the best method to transport a cockpit on a flat bed trailer.

The main regulated criteria is height clearance.
A flat bed towing truck is the way to go.
Hire a local guy , once in a life experience for him, he will love it.
Trying to do it yourself with a trailer is a sure way to get police "attention" all along the way.
Check carefully all clearances.
JP

[matta757]

Looks great Roberto,

It will be nice to see you progress on it.  I live up near the Chicago area and I know another member lives in Southern Illinois.   We also have one in Wisconsin.   So that means we are starting to get a nice hotbed of simulators in the midwest!    Hopefully we can meet up someday or maybe do a tour of each others sims once a year.

Scott

Don't forget me up here in Minnesota!

Matt

[G-BVOB]

Roberto,

As JP said moving a cockpit will be a "once in a lifetime experience" for you and whoever you get to move/help with moving it. If at all possible do go along for the ride, not only will it give you piece of mind that your new baby is being well cared for, but also so you get lots of photos and a story as you document your build progress.

Moving my cockpit from UK to Ireland I got help from the guy who runs my local garage, he borrowed his brother-in-law's 4x4 and trailer. However I'd done a LOT of work with measurements and dimensions and could quote you the UK restrictions on towed loads off by heart, having checked and double checked. We were 6 inches shy of the legal maximum width - weight, width, length and side overhang on a trailer were the main restrictions, height actually wasn't an issue. The single biggest thing we did to avoid any problems en-route was to cover the cockpit with a tarpaulin, so you couldn't tell what it was. Ego may be saying "leave it uncovered" so all passing motorists gaze in awe at what you're moving; I'd recommend covering it , so you're not of interest to the cops.

The second move I did was from metal yard to home after the frame and wheels had been installed, and we did that short journey with a flatbed. Much easier, but you'll need to make sure you have the gear to lift the cockpit on and off - either a vehicle with integral crane, or you'll need a forklift or teleporter (suitably rated for the weight of your cockpit) to lift it off.

Think through everything and every stage of the process - that way you'll avoid silly little problems like side access gates being too narrow, etc, etc. I have a few photos of both moves  on my blog at www.g-bvob.net.

Anyhows best of luck, you'll be starting out on a great "journey".

Cheers
Jon

[XOrionFE]

Don't forget me up here in Minnesota!

Matt

Sorry Matt.    Didnt realize you were that close also.   Wow, a lot of folks in the midwest!

[Maurice]

Don't forget me up here in Minnesota!

Matt

Sorry Matt.    Didnt realize you were that close also.   Wow, a lot of folks in the midwest!

They are EVERYWHERE...those insane folks and their magnificent flying machines. Who knows, your neighbour could be one and you wouldn't even know it. Just ask Roberto's neigbours who are soon going to get the shock of their lives when they see a Boeing nose on his driveway  . They are going to think the Martians have landed.

Maurice

[jackpilot]

[/quote]

Don't forget me up here in Minnesota!

Matt
[/quote]

...where Men are good looking, women are strong and Children above average!!!

(According to G.Keeler)

[jetpilot]

Thank you guys for all your imput. Certainly, is is going to be a pleasure to share with you and having you over once I have the chance to make it running
Jon, I really appreciate your feedback (By the way I look at your web site and is awesome everything you have done. My idea about the screen is similar to yours and may be you already know but there is a software that you can use to adjust the FS to a circular screen:http://fly.elise-ng.net/index.php/immersivedisplaylite).
I also read your note JP and something is going to help me to keep attention away is cover the cockpit (As Jon suggest it).
As for the load process: I am buying an overdeck trailer this week. I will install a wincher to pull the cockpit up. I will attach four 8" 900 lbs rated casters to the cockpit so it will pull up like any regular car.
I will add pictures. If anything comes to your mind just let me know.
By the way, Does anybody have a good estimate of the cockpit's weight (Mine is stripped off for transport)?
Thanks 

[ETomlin]

Well, the cockpit itself is heavy but what's REALLY heavy is the base that he made for it. I'd try to call Carey and ask him for a good estimate, as he had it hauled from Opalaka up to Green Cove Springs and might remember.

[jetpilot]

Hi guys,
It has been some time since my last post.
Unfortunately my real life is quite busy with just few time left for simulation.
As you can see in the PICs I already brought the cockpit from Florida.
I just can say that it was a challenge but really funny experience. Everything when fine. I was legal in all my dimensions (W102, H12'7"). When I started my trip in Florida I was quite anxious about police on my way. By the time I left Atlanta (Second state I went through) I was quite confident (At that point I had at least 10 or more patrols on my way an none of them said anything. I even fueled on a couple of stations with the officer filling up next pump and no problem at all). I end up going through 7 states without any single hassle.
Every place I stopped I always had someone approaching me curious about the content under that blue tarp.
I thought part of the success was having the cockpit cover (I just moved from one place to another, in Florida, and I was interesting how it caught everybodies' eyes) .
I am also uploading some pictures of the nose radome (I when last November to pick it up in Arkansas (Another funny adventure). On these PICs I am holding the radome with my arms up (It is light but no easy to move (Because of the size). I was walking the radome in to the garage and my wife was guiding me (Left, right, front, stop.....bla bla bla)
When time allows I will try to post more PICs and eventually I will start a website.
In the mean time if anybody needs any feedback about moving a real cockpit just ask.
I really appreciate the input I have had from many of you here.

[xxilim]

Plenty of tape to hold the tarp on 8P hehe

[XOrionFE]

Very cool Roberto.   That must have been a very fun trip.   

Scott