A few shots from LSZA

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Lugano, LSZA. Very small strip. I didn't have any qualms about getting in, but getting out was about like getting out of Key West with altitude. Still, at 20 flaps until 400'AGL it flew out like it was leaving Müchen or any place else with 8000' or better. No margin for error and no one would ever take a 727 into a field that short, but it can be done successfully. It's about 4400'

The area is very beautiful and I hadn't been in over two years. I've been flying round robins between Lugano, Geneva, Innsbruck, and Bern for the last couple of days. Up & down, up & down, weaving in & out of, and topping the Alps. Sometimes having to take the long way around for a field that's 80 miles away. Up to FL260 in spots only to start right down after clearing the Alps or descending into a valley for a few turns around a hold while descending.

An 80 mile flight can easily turn into an hour.

[XOrionFE]

Very cool Michael.  I always love looking at pictures of your cockpit also.   I dont know what it is (must be the steam guages, older indicators, and the soft lighting) but to this day I think you have one of the best looking cockpits and always enjoy seeing new pictures.    I really hope to make it down south and see it in person someday if you are willing.   Out of curiousity, just how much of your pit is functional.    I would love it if you could do a youtube video of startup procedures and maybe a takeoff.  That would be awesome to see.

Thank you again for sharing the new pics!

Scott

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Thanks.

Well, the original Collins and Gables radios don't work. We've been down that road this weekend already.

The CVR, passenger address, SELCAL, flight recorder control, WX radar, duct temp, trim wheels, window doesn't open, and O2 doesn't work. A lot of my indicators that I need an output card for don't work yet. Some may never if the DF727 is not using recognized off-sets.

Everything else pretty much works. Oh, and the stall warning test is out.

[727737Nut]

Great pics of the very cool 727 pit!  Love tht plane and all the gauges.

"Some may never if the DF727 is not using recognized off-sets."   

I used the DF727 and it is fully interfaceable using FSUIPC and LUA, and SIOC.    Even the rate turn and climb knob on the AP.   LUA was the main reason this became possible.

[ETomlin]

Very cool Michael.  I always love looking at pictures of your cockpit also.   I dont know what it is (must be the steam guages, older indicators, and the soft lighting) but to this day I think you have one of the best looking cockpits and always enjoy seeing new pictures.    I really hope to make it down south and see it in person someday if you are willing.   Out of curiousity, just how much of your pit is functional.    I would love it if you could do a youtube video of startup procedures and maybe a takeoff.  That would be awesome to see.

Thank you again for sharing the new pics!

Scott

I was just thinking what Scott said- and it proves that even a well-done "Half-Sim" can work well if it's really done to its full potential. Mike, I'd like to make a friendly suggestion that I think will dramatically improve your sim. Consider going to Wal Mart or some other place and buying a large panel of black fabric, aka, black bedsheet, for about $13. Create a frame and drape that sheet behind your monitors to black out all that is not part of your sim environment. The main thing is to get rid of that paneling in the background behind your visual screen monitors. I can guarantee you a cold Coca Cola that you will have a much great sense of realism and it will make your already incredible photos (and sim) look 100% better. Promise.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

"... LUA was the main reason this became possible.

What is that? I have all of the various controls working in the sim. What I don't have working are indicators for wind shear, oil pressure low or filter by-pass, flap load relief, stab out of trim, etc, etc, etc.

Does that have anything to do with indicators?

Eric, I've really been meaning to do that, but have never gotten around to it. The downside is that is eleminates a lot of ambient light in the cockpit for daytime flights. Works great at night though.

[ETomlin]

Yes, it does eliminate some ambient light, but consider maybe picking up a rope light since all the Christmas stuff is out on display now. Stick the rope light behind your head up at the back of your flightdeck ceiling. It warms up the flightdeck just so mildly, and you can even find a way to hide it or recess it a bit if you need to.

LUA is a programming language that works with FSUIPC and allows you to script things to work even when they are not supposed to. Ive not used it, but there are some examples out there. See here for a much better explanation: http://forum.simflight.com/topic/58711-lua-plug-in-facilities-in-fsuipc-15th-june-2010/

[Boeing Skunk Works]

That's very interesting. Thanks for the info.

[JWS]

Yes, it does eliminate some ambient light, but consider maybe picking up a rope light since all the Christmas stuff is out on display now. Stick the rope light behind your head up at the back of your flightdeck ceiling. It warms up the flightdeck just so mildly, and you can even find a way to hide it or recess it a bit if you need to.

Eric,

Did you do this yourself also and can you show a picture?

JWS

[ETomlin]

JWS,

Yes, I have done this but to be honest it was intended more as a temporary solution to the fact that I dont have an interior installed in my shell yet nor map lights. As a result, I simply have some extra black fabric (aka bedsheet) that's draped over the top of the shell on the outside and the rope light is strung over the top of the shell frame and provides that very mild, warm light. I will try to take a photo for you at lunch or tonight and add to this thread for you.

*Edit for adding photos*

I took these at lunch.

http://www.cockpitbuilders.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=19&pos=5

http://www.cockpitbuilders.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=19&pos=6

[JWS]

Thanks Eric,

I was planning on the same concept with a black "curtain". I have a rope light, once intended to use as backlighting. But this is another idea.

JWS

[ETomlin]

Yeah, no problem. I really want to emphasize though that the ropelight doesnt look nearly as bright as it does in this photo. If you guys want to continue to discussing this, we may want to start a different thread just because we kinda highjacked Mike's excellent photos of his trip from LSZA 

[MLeavy737]

Sweet! like others said, the lighting makes it look very real!

Mike Leavy

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Thanks Mike. It really is the real lighting from the real aircraft.

[MLeavy737]

Keepin it real.. that explains it

Mike Leavy

[JWS]

Yeah, no problem. I really want to emphasize though that the ropelight doesnt look nearly as bright as it does in this photo. If you guys want to continue to discussing this, we may want to start a different thread just because we kinda highjacked Mike's excellent photos of his trip from LSZA 

Oops, sorry Mike.

JWS