"Daylight" in the cockpit

[jackpilot]

Unless you do100%  night flying and love it, the ambiant lighting of our cockpits is totally irrealistic. I think that this pitfall is much more annoying than anything else on the "visual" side of things.(always looking for things in the dark spoils the fun.)

Today was an exception, sunshine and 55°F, I flew with a vest and the garage door open..hence full daylight in the cockpit , outside visual view was at best dim, but usable.I set visibilty ½mile and it was credible.
The trade-off was worth it. Full daylight inside makes a tremendous difference and the outside view quality seems a remote problem then, as we fly instruments  anyway.

I know that some builders tried led strips around the windows (Nat , Mau) or "warm" neon lights inside, or spots (Michael)..
So Guys, please , input/debate/comments /ideas
Jack

[blueskydriver]

So far, I have two of the overhead globe lights that are a part of a B727 cockpit ceiling, since my shell is more like that, I can turn those on and get the right temperature color. I have been meaning to try something new as I have 12"x12" Mood Light Box (made for people with Winter Depression/Blues).

My thoughts are that any light added needs to be like a soft-box light and very diffused. A couple examples would be you get some plexi and cut it too the same size as the triangle sections in the ceiling. Then, you painted or frosted the plexi in a grey tint, but only enough to diffuse light. Now, place lights behind that plexi. Have you ever seen a light table used in photography or printing & publishing; well, that is pretty much what it'd look like...

Just last night I put two soft box lights together that uses 5 each, 5600k temp Kelvin, light bulbs. The covering in the front is a thin, white, silk style material that appears like you'd see the bulbs. However, you cannot see the bulbs or their shape, you just get a nice white glow from the entire box. So, my point is, you can make a light for the cockpit with cheaper materials and get the right effect with some trial and error.

I got to ask though, does anyone know who did the lights that got brighter as you faced the sun straight on or as you went towards one side or the other (as if the sun was on your left or right, that side only would get brighter)? I read about this person in a post a while back, but I forgot which sim forum.

John

[Nat Crea]

Sorry John...but lighting that responds to magnetic variation is INSANE
I think Mau will be with me on this one.
I recently added some "daylight" lighting and I love it.
Had to balance brightness with light spill on screen,
but its nice not sitting in dark anymore.

Nat

[nicd]

Been in the sunshine for a few years   I couldn't do without it now.. makes such a difference to immersion.

Super bright leds in a U-shaped channel, which prevents light spill and means it can be directed inside accurately.

Hooked to the sim above the top window line with flexible metal (builders strapping) so its strong but can be easily twisted, bent, moved to get the lights just where you want them but well outa eyesight.

Programmed via a relay card in SIOC to switch on during the day, off at night.

Just haven't got round to programming the sun direction yet 

[blueskydriver]

Will you guys put up some pics of your lights please?

John

[jackpilot]

Hooked to the sim above the top window line

I suppose you mean outside the sim
Side windows only?
Which type of led cool/warm white?

I suppose a few dimmers can create the appropriate ambiance (dusk /full/left/right/)

Please post pictures
Interesting and helpful for all of us.
Cheers
Jack

[jonesthesoftware]

just as a matter of interest the 767 MIP has ambient light sensors built in to presumably dim/brighten the backlights and maybe dome lights as well.
Have you tried putting leds behind OPAL acrylic, as long as they are not too close to the acrylic the light will be scattered quite well?
If you want to go the whole hog why not put a dimming circuit into your lights but with a photocell in the dimmer circuit which will give auto lighting brightness in your pit?
regards
geoff

[jackpilot]

I think that dimming and slaving/programming the lighting system is only step #two and an easy one.

First step is :where should the lighting be located  so that it "daylights " the cockpit without interfering too much with the outside display ?

[Maurice]

I have used LED strips on the top of the front windows and on the inside at the top rear end in a U channel so that you do not see the LEDs directly. I also have cool white 1/8" fluorescent tubes to light up the MIP & MCP.   All of these help but I think this is not the best solution at all.

Since my sim is finished  , I'm not moving it to add anything but if I was to do it over, I would install small spotlights on the ceiling aimed at the side windows & front window just like if the sun was overhead. You would need to experiment to find the best location that does not illuminate the screen. And then, install 3 dimmer switches somewhere inside where you could adjust the brightness according to time of day.

And if wanted to be really fancy, I would install different color spotlights like orange for instance for sunrise & sunset effects. No end to how crazy you could get  . Of course, if you use TV screens instead of projectors, inside lighting would be the only viable option.

Maurice

[Nat Crea]

GDay John,

Some pics, hope it helps.

Nat

[jackpilot]

Thanks Nat

Cool white / warm white?
None on the forward  side  and front windows?
Jack

[rhysb]

Guys,

I know they are very hard to find now but I use a 100w daylight bulb which is the ones that are clear and coloured blue. Creates a real daylight feel but obviously being 100w not friendly to Mother Nature etc, I know you can readily get lower wattage now of the same bulbs though.

Also I guess referring to my other post TV's would go a long way to removing the issue!!

[Maurice]

Here are some pictures with the room in total darkness and the projectors turned off. Even like this, I can read charts very well without turning the map lights on. When the projectors are on, the interior is even brighter of course.

I used warm LEDs on top of the windshield but I should have used cool whites instead like in the back of the shell. I think cool white gives a more realistic daylight effect.

Maurice

[jackpilot]

nice....thank you

[blueskydriver]

Thanks so very much guys for the pics, as it surely gives a great set of examples to use or at least start from...

John

[nicd]

Ok, here's a couple I grabbed today. These are with all other lighting and visual system off.

[iwik]

Here is an idea guys.

http://amblone.com/guide

Les

[Nat Crea]

This do it yourself ambilight is very cool, I think I may give it a try.

Get a cockpit first!!!




Ahhaa...only joking! 

Its really cool but I kinda feel its about too fancy...thats just me

Nat

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I was using a couple of 500 watt halogen work lights on a stand outside of the cockpit. It seemed to add quite a bit to the experience, but very inconvenient because of the space available, heat generated, and cost of electricity.

My new 727 is in a room with natural sunlight in the morning and a fair amount of light throughout the rest of the day. I'm not sure how dark it will become in the cockpit as the shell nears completion. I'll have to wait and see.

I might rig up some sort of hi-intesity lighting outside of both windows near the top of the window frame to control the heat for when I want to fly during the day but it's dark outside.