A Sad day for the Sim last week

[James twomey]

I know that I very rarely post here. But I do read much from here.  So today I felt I finally had something to contribute.

The following your about to read are actual events that occured on 8 Apr 2018.

So it was a sad day in the sim world last week.  I was a happy Capt, taking my 178 Passengers and crew to our destination in KDFW.  We were climbing through 22k feet when all of  a sudden I started smelling something out of the ordinary.  Something electrical.  Something NOT GOOD. Then there was a flash, a POP and then the dreaded sound of all my USB's disconnecting one by one as all my lights in my MIP and overhead went out. My reflexes kicked in and hit the electrical kill switch to hopefully stop any further electrical damage. As I looked out the flight deck window, I watched in horror as my Boeing 738, slowly listed to the right and the nose began to drift down to the ground. I knew then what my passengers didn't. 

So how is your project coming along!!!!

[navymustang]

Oh I can share that sickening feeling. It can overcome you so much - you say to hell with this sim. And for days, maybe weeks you don't even look at it.

But then your love for the hobby overcomes you, and you go back, touch the sim gently as though it was a life, and you say I'm here to fix you. And back to work you go.

[FredK]

Hi James -

That event is unfortunate, but as already pointed out...just take a deep breath and give it some time.  Then return to it with a renewed vigor and a clear mind.

That said, electrical "malfunction" events like this are the dread of all cockpitbuilders.  What exactly happened in your case?  Such could be helpful to know for all of us here.

Fred K

[jr2mey]

@ NavyMustang- Oh so right you are.  And I did exactly as you just described!  In Fact, to guard against any possible future catastrophic IO board failure due to such a PSU failure power surge, I have now built a PSU to breakout box to serve as a buffer between PSU and my 738 Sim systems.  Question for you. Does your user name imply what I think it does?

@ FredK, What happened with my sim is that my PSU failed in mid flight.  When it failed, it dropped all the power to all my IO boards, HUBs and backlighting to my panels. When building my sim, I had installed a hidden kill switch in case of a electrical fire.  So when this PSU casualty occured, I hit the kill switch to be safe.
After the repairs, I started back up the sim late last night and it seems that any power surge I might have experienced did not affect any of my IO boards.....How very lucky I am!!!

[Trevor Hale]

I can't stress enough, due to circumstances like this, the reason to keep a small ABC fire extinguisher handy.

We never know what can and will go wrong.  I am glad it was only a power supply.

Trev

[navymustang]

r2mey - perhaps

A "true" Navy mustang is an enlisted person who is meritoriously promoted to officer without a college degree. Then there are some others who just happened to have served as enlisted prior to going to college and getting a commission. But they are still pretty good folks too !

[GeriatricGinger]

I can't stress enough, due to circumstances like this, the reason to keep a small ABC fire extinguisher handy.

We never know what can and will go wrong.  I am glad it was only a power supply.

Trev

Whens the last time, Trev, that you've seen the alphabet randomly burst into flames?   

[jr2mey]

@NavyMustang... The reason I ask is becuase I also once belonged; 23 years. x613 (Engineering)

[Trevor Hale]

I can't stress enough, due to circumstances like this, the reason to keep a small ABC fire extinguisher handy.

We never know what can and will go wrong.  I am glad it was only a power supply.

Trev

Whens the last time, Trev, that you've seen the alphabet randomly burst into flames?   

Lol. You have watched me fly Ginger. Ha ha. anything can happen when I am behind the Yoke. Lol


Trev

[RayS]

Whens the last time, Trev, that you've seen the alphabet randomly burst into flames?   

That happens on a regular basis in the Marine Corps.