Attention All Members and Guests

[goof2092]

Hello all,
Been around for a few months here.
I am building a B737-800 in my garage in Lusaka, Zambia (leave google maps alone ). I just turned 41 other week. My build is still in its infancy with FDS shell and MIP. I will be moving house in two years time so I try to think ahead to accommodate the need to pull the thing apart without too much collateral damage. I keep a log at http://meditrak.me/zac

Thanks
Anthony Musaluke


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[Trevor Hale]

Welcome Anthony.  Glad you could make it here, and I hope that you enjoy your time with us.

Best regards,

Trev.

[KyleH]

Hello Everyone,

I've been lurking for about a year now and though it's probably about time to introduce myself.
I'm from Ontario, Canada, and my brother and I are building a 767 sim in my basement. We're also building a PA30 - Piper Twin Comanchee at my brother's house out of an old fuselage.
I work in electronics designing and codeing microcontroller circuits for power supplies, so much of my interfacing I'm doing myself.

I started off with a basic setup using, 3 monitors for the main panel, a CP Flight MCP,  two Saitek yokes and throttle and an old A320 CDU training device that I converted for use with the LevelD 763.


IMG_4798 by m_disco, on Flickr

I'm now in the process of taking this setup down and assembling and modifying an old 762 flight training device I was fortunate enough to aquire.

Kyle

[goof2092]

Thanks Trevor. Learnt so much already from the great team here. Glad to be here.


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[osage]

Doug here from the state of Washington. A decade ago---yes---I was heavily into using the PS1.3/Aerowinx 747 platform. Then, it was Squawkbox, Roger wilco and other accessory addons 
to provide 'scenery' as the platform was 99% instrument oriented in its presentation.

Looking to learn a lot, but not intending to go all out on a cockpit. so far:

(3) PCs/XP with expanded video cards
(3) 20" HP monitors
(3) 15" instrument monitors
(1) HP laptop with extended video card
(1) gateway laptop for using SkyVector and VatSpy

Avionics package from Aerosoft 737
GoFlight MCP Pro, just purchased from this forum (thanks)
(1) Big  Fan to 'cool' the PCs:  :)

Photo without full setup yet:

[bulldog145]

Hello, I am Paul Jump and I live in Tulsa Oklahoma.  I have been flight simming since FS 2000, 2004 and now FSX.  I attempt to fly is more like it and I do ok but, I guess I could do better.  I am retired, retired.  I retired from the Air Force in 1987 and from my working life in 2010 because of a physical problem.  I have not built any simulators yet, and I just have to figure out what I want.  First I want to do a Lear 45, then a CRJ, then a 767, then..............??  It will all get down to that age old question of how much I can afford and what I want to simulate.  I don't really want the 737 thing as I am not that interested in that.

I'll be here in and out as you say and will let you know what I figure out and start to build.

Paul J

[speedbird46184]

Hello, I am Tim and I live in Whiteland, IN which is south of Indianapolis. Been flight simming since 1985. I fly a C172 in the real world. Always wanted to make the transition from computer to a cockpit build just never had the time or space. Will do a B737 NG. Look forward to interacting with fellow builders in this great hobby

[Mach7]

Hello, my name is James and I am new to this site. I am building a BAe146 simpit in my basement using as many real aircraft gauges as possible. As most of you know there is not operational platform for this type of aircraft, therefore I have to design an interface as I go. I will post pictures as the build continues.

[Trevor Hale]

Great job James, I saw your pics and I am impressed.  Nicely done.

[Gary Zink]

Hi Everybody,
Thanks for the welcome mat. Real nice Simulator forum...and boy will I need you.

I'm Gary Zink, 2001 retired Boeing software engineer, age 69, living in Kent near Seattle, Washington, USA. While I've never had the time and circumstance to earn a pilot's license, I've always wanted to know how to fly. Life is too short for all that I wanted to do!

For about a year now, I've been constructing a 2-seat B-727 flight simulator in my garage. I have three scenery wide display monitors operated by a TripleHead2Go. I bought some CH yokes and rudder pedals, and Saitek stuff for the flight deck. I bought and installed B-727 overhead panel out of Arizona and plan to incorporate as much of it as possible in the simulator.

I'm overwhelmed with all that I need to know, all that I need to do, all mistakes I need to correct and all that I still need to discover. So I'll take it one small step at a time during the on-going and never-ending construction phase.
If I can tap you experts for a little design, construction and hookup advice now and then, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks again, Gary

[Bob Reed]

Hi Gary, welcome and all I can ask is, Where are the pics? lol Never enough pics! There is another sim nut over in Ballard... I am sure he will chime in here.

[47Navion]

Hello everyone :

I am a total newbie to this area, my name is Sam,I am somehow closer to 50 than 40 and live in the great state of Michigan ,pilot,retired Coast Guard . I recently completed a wings off restoration of a 1947 North American Navion . It was so much fun I decided I would like to build a simulator in a room we are including in the basement of our new home . I will be using a Navion firewall forward . My two step  adult step kids work in the computer industry so we feel confident about out abilities .

The Navion is a High performance complex aircraft and the simulator need to reflect its abilities . All switches will be placed identical to my real aircraft.

I will be transparent about my knowledge level and will gladly accept advise advise however I have little tolerance  for those who look to unfairly profit off someone else's inexperience .

This looks like a great format to become knowledge about this exciting corner of aviation.

What do I need to get this project rolling?
The structural parts are no problem , how do I get a 1947 landing gear lever to talk to the computer program etc

Thanks for helping the newbie  :-)

Sam

[fsaviator]

Hi Sam.  Welcome.

The first suggestion is to start searching the forum and figuring out what is here.  Very few questions haven't been answered before.

I'll try to break it down quickly so you understand the main parts of what you are trying to do.

1. What simulator are you running?  FS9, FSX, X-Plane, P3D, etc
2.  What Navion package are you using in your Simulator?

3.  Take out all the complicated stuff and what is left:

-Inputs (switches, yokes, throttles, landing gear lever etc)
-Outputs (feedback, motion, automation etc)
-Displays (LED's, other lights, 7-segment displays etc)

4.  Inputs, Outputs, and Displays must be connected to the simulator through hardware and software.

HARDWARE: Landing Gear lever is connected to an interface card which is connected to the computer
SOFTWARE: input from the switches in the landing gear lever is translated and passed to the simulator via software such as FSUIPC, Simconnect, Prosim, Sim-A, Project Magenta, etc

The same concept in reverse for Outputs and Displays

Simulator (FSX for example) passes the signal to the interface card which then lights up an LED or shows a number.

I would recommend the following:

-Pick a simulator
-Pick a Navion package
-buy a Pokeys card or similar interface
-buy some switches, LEDs, and 7-segment displays
-purchase FSUIPC or similar

Experiment in small scale with getting lights to light up, switches to work, asking specific questions as you need.

Once you can get this working, you are on your way to building your cockpit.  I am afraid that is really the only way you'll figure it out.

Don't be discouraged.  This is a great hobby but there are basics that need to be tackled before you can build a cockpit from scratch.

[Sam Franklin]

Hi Sam.  Welcome.

The first suggestion is to start searching the forum and figuring out what is here.  Very few questions haven't been answered before.

I'll try to break it down quickly so you understand the main parts of what you are trying to do.

1. What simulator are you running?  FS9, FSX, X-Plane, P3D, etc
2.  What Navion package are you using in your Simulator?

3.  Take out all the complicated stuff and what is left:

-Inputs (switches, yokes, throttles, landing gear lever etc)
-Outputs (feedback, motion, automation etc)
-Displays (LED's, other lights, 7-segment displays etc)

4.  Inputs, Outputs, and Displays must be connected to the simulator through hardware and software.

HARDWARE: Landing Gear lever is connected to an interface card which is connected to the computer
SOFTWARE: input from the switches in the landing gear lever is translated and passed to the simulator via software such as FSUIPC, Simconnect, Prosim, Sim-A, Project Magenta, etc

The same concept in reverse for Outputs and Displays

Simulator (FSX for example) passes the signal to the interface card which then lights up an LED or shows a number.

I would recommend the following:

-Pick a simulator
-Pick a Navion package
-buy a Pokeys card or similar interface
-buy some switches, LEDs, and 7-segment displays
-purchase FSUIPC or similar

Experiment in small scale with getting lights to light up, switches to work, asking specific questions as you need.

Once you can get this working, you are on your way to building your cockpit.  I am afraid that is really the only way you'll figure it out.

Don't be discouraged.  This is a great hobby but there are basics that need to be tackled before you can build a cockpit from scratch.

Take note of this post Sam, it will be very helpful in your future life as a sim builder! I'm an amateur too and this forum has been invaluable. Good luck, I'm on a 737-800 building path. Share what you do with us!

[gattg]

Hi all

Rob here from Norwich UK. Been into aviation all my life with a BCPL and instructor rating (sadly lapsed) and been into flight sim since its inception!

Interested in building TQs, rudder pedals etc and associated hardware and electronics, and currently working on a new Dash 8 TQ and rudder trim module!

Good to be here!!!

[pilottim2]

Hi,  I am Tim from Stockbridge, Ga.  real world pilot.  I want to build a Instrument flight trainer as realistic as posible.  Thinking of using a C-172 cockpit but I don't know how to go about doing so.  Any help to where I should start would be appreciated!  Thanks,

[leghorn]

Greetings from Bulgaria!

My name is Victor. 26yr old. PPL holder. Simmer for more than 15 years but got interested in building my home cockpit just this year. I know about this community for a long time but always thought it's way too time- consuming for me. Now that i'm dedicated more than ever, I would like to build a 737-like control column for starters. Something not that fancy as i would like to see some progress in the near future. That would help me to keep going afterwards

Best Regards,
Vic

[CaptainGeorge]

Greetings,

My name is George, I live in Sydney, Australia. 14 years old. I have had around 1 hour in a real Cessna 172 and an hour and a half in a full 737-800 simulator at Darling Harbour. I have been flight Simming for 5 years and have destroyed about 2 computers by looking for add ons for FSX and they turned out to contain viruses. Yeah. I hope to build a 777 simulator over the next 6 or so years. I am young so I dont have a credit card which means I cant get a 1000$ CDU from FDS, however I will be getting a job at the end of this year to slowly save up to buy maybe an overhead panel or yoke for the sim. Also, I really want to join the RAAF and become either a KC-130 pilot or a F-35 pilot. Also, I am going to be taking woodworking classes at my school which will hopefully allow my dad to give me a jigsaw instead of using the old fashioned saw! Well thats all i can think of. P.S ( Any kind donations , like maybe a complimentary MIP would be amazing. Just kidding, but seriously.)

Thanks,

George

[Joakimmoe]

Hi there,

My name is Joakim, i'm 36 and from Roskilde, Denmark. I have been simming for around 10 years now, mainly MSFS series - and are currently still "flying my desk" - a life long dream is to change that and build a full 737 cockpit over the next few years.  I have joined here to get inspired and to seek help and advise from fellow sim geeks 

great to be here!

kind regards Joakim

I'm currently flying FSX -PMDG NGX
i7 quad core 2600k @ 4,2 GHz, 16 gigs of RAM, GTX 590 - visuals: 3 x 22" screens on a TH2Go, CH products Yoke and pedals, Cockpitsonic motorized TQ

[fewtrils]

Hi everyone,

My name is Jim, I am 47 years old from Winnipeg, Canada.  Although I still love flying FSX, like most people on this forum, I decided I wanted a more realistic experience, that is, hardware.

My dream would be to have a full scale 737NG sim in my home, but for now I am starting small.  To date, I have built a small Baron B58 Panel using cards from Desktop Aviator.

As this is all about learning for me, my next step is to learn how to set up FSUIPC to work with the PMDG 737NGX.  I have built a pressurization Panel from the overhead and am using the 2125 card from Desktop aviator as my test platform.

Thus the reason for joining, to learn more about the art of cockpit building.

I look forward to talking to many of the people here and learning, in time, hopefully even sharing

Thanks,
Jim

[gapleb]

I'm Gilbert. 21 years old, and interested in building a cockpit. I'm in New Jersey, USA. I'm studying to be an electrical engineer, and this is just a hobby. Zero years building, and low budget of course. If you have any questions about electronics, I can try my best to answer them. I have little experience in coding however.

My plan is to build a very simple 737-NG cockpit, and slowly upgrade it. I joined because I need some advice for people with more experience.

-Gilbert

[Trevor Hale]

Welcome to the group Gilbert.

[LORENZO]

Hello Boys and Girls
My name is Laurence and i live in north west london England.
I am 49 years old and have been playing with flight sims for as long as i can remember.
I decided to bite the bullet about 6 months ago and build a small flight sim in the utility room of the house,My chosen aircraft is the Beechcraft baron and i went for a slightly different layout than the usual flat panel in the cockpit.Its more a wrap round thing going on like a car with all the dials and radio's within easy reach.
Any way good to be here and thanks for having me,
hope you like my efforts

[Trevor Hale]

Nice pic and welcome.

[johanm1965]

Hi to all,

my name is Johan, age 51 and member of the 27 sqn flightsimclub.  I live in Belgium, know a litlle about computer, programs and electric stuff  but i 'm a fast learner. I want to build a cockpit of an
siai marchetti SF260D, used at Belgian army.

greatings

Johan