My Generic GA Build

[fsaviator]

Hello everyone,

I am happy to announce my newest project, my generic general aviation build. 

No, I haven't lost my mind, and I didn't score on the lottery.  I'm just extremely frustrated that my 737NG sits packed in boxes in the garage with no real time or space to assemble it (at least until February when I find out what my future holds for moves in the next two years).

I've been flying GA on my laptop while deployed so I've decided to throw together a generic GA build to get me through.

You might all recall that my last deployment I ended up buying a ton of Saitek stuff which I ended up selling to Mau as I was full in on the 737.  Now I regret that decision but it is an opportunity to try something new.

As I get close to heading home from Iraq I have been busy on eBay and bought more stuff than I need to get started.

So I bought these with hopes to get them both running under Win10 FSX and P3D.  I guess it is time to learn how to arduino so I can update the interface!






Then I got a good deal on these, and decided to buy them:







That will all be waiting when I get home.

Then I went searching for a solution to Avionics...  I almost went all out on a G1000 but just couldn't get it into my sweet spot and quite frankly I want steam gauges.  For the time being I'll stick with monitor to display them.  So what do I do.  Simkits are way too expensive...  the friggin radiostack I "gave away" for peanuts years ago costs almost $4K now.  I have some thoughts which I'll put into the next post.

So, what do you all think?

[fsaviator]

Has anyone used CustomsSims?  I like the look of thier stuff and the prices are very reasonable.

I'm torn between forgoing the COM/NAVs and buying a GNS530/430 combo along with the AP, XPDR, ATC and Audio Panel.  It uses the Mindstar 530/430 package.

http://www.customsims.com/home-simulator-gns-530-430-stack


Do I really gain anything with the two GNS though?  You do lose the steamgauges type experience without COM/NAV panels coupled with a single GNS530.  The price is about the same either way if I just got the package

http://www.customsims.com/home-simulator-avionics-panel

Thoughts?

[Trevor Hale]

Wow I didn't see they before today. Those are some nice finds.

It's a very hard decision. I can picture g1000's for sure but then on the other hand there is the nice look of the actual standby's.

What about a mixture of both.

Left seat g1000 and right seat old 6-pack

I know that's odd. But almost the best of both worlds.

Or. Go with a glass Pfd horizon and glass HSI and do flight illusion for the rest.

I know I am not helping but man I wouldn't know what to do either.

Now you could also do the g1000 with the option of just loading the 6-pack on the g1000 monitor if you wanted to go old school.

Confused?? Me too. Sorry I wasn't much help.

Trev

[fsaviator]

I'm the same way.  I'm still torn on the 530/430 vs. 530/COM/NAV

As for the rest, I'm thinking 22-25" monitor with a mask for the instruments, and switch panel along the bottom.

I think a Piper modern layout that will also work for single engine with the ability to swap out the TQ for single and twin (Piper 24 Comanche/Piper 44 Seminole).

I'm excited.  This is my welcome back in time for Christmas present to myself.  I will have a ton of stuff left over but I plan to get all working.

[XOrionFE]

This is my setup Warren (see pics below). I use similiar PFC yoke and tq but I use Elite radio stacks (though in these pictures i was still using goflight).  Coupled with a 40 in monitor it is the best setup.  I can fly anything from a bush hopping beaver to a 737.  I like using with pmdg, carenado, and flyjsim planes in both x-plane and prepar3d and because i depend on the 40" monitor for virtual cockpit rather than locking myself into a specific mip I can fly whatever tickles my fancy.   I have a youtube video about this as well if you havent seen it here but make sure to watch around a third of the way through it where I start talking about my ga/desktop sim.
https://youtu.be/ayl30ZvnS5Y

Best regards,
Scott

[fsaviator]

Nice setup, Scott.

That will be what mine looks like, at least initially.  If I can get my CNC up and running I plan to make a mask for the monitor.  Visuals will be an HDTV I have laying around now that my oldest went off into the Army.

Still haven't decided on what to use for Avionics.  I'm pretty sold on the custom sims.  Great price point.  Just don't know if i want to go all out with a GNS530/430 or the single 530.

What do you think?  I still like being able to tune COM and NAV on a dedicated unit without using the GPS.

[fsaviator]

Well, my impulse buying gene kicked in as usual and I ordered the Radio Stack package from customsims.com

http://www.customsims.com/home-simulator-avionics-panel

It includes
- Audio Panel
-  Com1 & Nav1 Panel
-  Com2 & Nav2 Panel
-  GPS 530
-  DME Panel
-  XPDR (Transponder) Panel
-  Auto Pilot Panel

It comes with a mainboard they all connect to (there is also an option for individual USB).  He wasn't very descriptive on it so I am interested to see what it is.  He tells me I can connect my yoke and TQ as well as switches to it so maybe this will solve my rewiring and interfacing the yoke, throttle, and rudders I bought (if I can't get them to work with the native interface).

Best part!  I'll be up and flying in no time after I get home (yeh, right...  said no cockpit builder, ever).  I am super excited as I've about had enough of using a gamepad for a precision approach on a laptop!

I was not able to find a single thing review or success story on this vendor.  One person on the other building site mentioned ordering last June but never posted back his experiences.  I hope this works out OK.  I'll let you guys know.

[Trevor Hale]

Nice Warren. Looks like a nice setup.

Trev

[MichaelB]

Does the PFC yoke and rudder pedals still have the serial plug or the USB?  I have acquired an entire PFC setup for turboprops, yoke, rudder pedals, nav/com, etc. All for $50 from my boss. Still need to find out if it works (find a computer with a serial port). 

[fsaviator]

They are the serial ones.  Great price on the ones you got!
I didn't get cables or anything with them but my intention is to interface them with a teensy or arduino mega for plug and play use.

[MichaelB]

IF you didnt want to go full out on the dual g1000, and since you bought the radio stck along with the 530.  You could use a g600. 1/3 of the price

http://ljcockpit.com/g600.html

[fsaviator]

That's nice but I prefer gauges as opposed to screens for virtual flying.  Keeps my RW skills up.  I just couldn't see spending the money on the G1000.  I'm happy with the route I took.  Interested in seeing what I end up with when delivered.

Thanks!

[fsaviator]

I've spent the last few days reinstalling my sim system and couldn't be happier with the results.  I'm finally getting smooth frames (on one monitor).

I've used NickNs bible to set it all up and I've installed all my Orbx scenery.  Now I'm working the bugs out.

The only issue I have with my graphics is I seem to get a tear/shimmer when I bank hard to test it, as if the refresh isn't correct.  Any ideas?  Here's a video of me just throwing myself around Eagle County in the Ultralight as a test.  You can see the ripple in the center of the screen when banking.  You can really see it at the 1:28 and 1:58 mark.  I'm flying with the keyboard so it isn't pretty.

Thoughts?  Looking for a direction to go to troubleshoot this.  I'm using a GEForce 670GTX OC with 4GB RAM. No tweaks other than the one's in the NickN Bible setup.

https://youtu.be/gIwaF7nzFPc

[Mccluress]

Did you end up buying from customsims? I can find no reviews or anything on them either. Were you pleased with their work? Everything as advertised? Their equipment looks great and I'm considering buying also.

[fsaviator]

I did.
It was a long process, but he delivered as promised and then some.  he ended up not only providing what I asked for but then resent me a newer, more realistic version afterwards.

Unfortunately the timing was bad and I have not been able to put any time to it or get the stuff up and running.

What are you shopping for?