New 737?

[phil744]

Looks like Jack was onto something with the 787 style throttle for his 737, future of the business end of the 737?

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flightblogger/2010/11/after-the-sky-interior-boeing.html

Im no expert but looks like an FDS setup to me

[blueskydriver]

edit

[727737Nut]

Thats what i am building minus the engine display, (using real gauges) and the side sticks.  They call it the 737GEX.  The original prototype was a -300 which had the steam engine gauges hence the reason i'm modeling that version.  I'll post some pics this weekend.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I think FDS would have done a better job than that. It looks like they placed the side stick controller as an afterthought along with the screen on the right.

In their current position, both would be punching through the outer hull. They're going to have to come up with a different design arrangement for this to work. As one poster wrote, they may have to eliminate the sliding windows. In addition, they might have to relocate the steering tiller.

[ETomlin]

If you read the article closely it states that the side sticks were placed there knowing that Boeing will likely retain the control wheel vs. adopting side sticks. I say this more out of frustration for those that commented over at flight global because so many folks were complaining about it.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I read that they have no plans to use a sidestick. Still, the mock-up placement is impractical if not impossible.

[jskibo]

That thing is floating around here (GE Aviation).  Seen it pushed around the floor a bit.

[jackpilot]

Definitely FDS , I saw one of these  at the latest Paris Airshow.

You know Guys, I learned to fly with steam  gauges and even if I like the GC I have a soft spot for Michael 72.
The paradox is that  it will not be long before we see touchscreens in Airliners.
And new airplanes panels will end up looking like a old desktop sim pretty soon.
Interfacing will be a breeze!!

Bad dream.....

[jskibo]

It is FDS, I was asking Peter about seeing it at our facility here, his response was "Ours is a mix.. NG MIP.. A320 Sidesticks.. B787 Throttle"

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Even though my instruments are represented on computer monitors, I'd have a tough time giving up this illusion.




Like Jack says, pretty soon everyone will just be using monitors again to build a desktop. Sure will be easy cutting your own MIP.

[jskibo]

Nice Cockpit!!!

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Thanks. Nothing beats real.

[XOrionFE]

Love it love it love it!

Thanks Mike

[Maurice]

Even though my instruments are represented on computer monitors, I'd have a tough time giving up this illusion.

And why would you ever want to change something that looks so good anyway? No GC can beat the 'cool factor' of steam gauges. GC=Good Complexion .... Steam=Sexy and Sexy beats Good Complexion any day in my books 

Maurice

[jackpilot]

Yep!!

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Well I wouldn't. You guys know me better than that.

I'm just saying cockpits aren't going to look much like we remember them looking in a decade or less. Would be sort of neat if they did what I and others have done. The reliability and low maintenance of LCD (or LED) display with the analog instrument panel.

Wouldn't that be a hoot to board an -800 one day and see a -200 instrument panel with displayed guages?

[Maurice]

I vividly remember when I first started flying on airliners & looking inside the cockpit and being amazed by what seemed like an amazingly complex instrument panel and being in awe at the pilots who could understand & use all these instruments. To me, they were like Gods.

Many, many years later, I peeked inside a cockpit again and I was stunned to see how 'simple' things had become. I no longer felt that airline pilots were 'Gods' as it looked like anyone could fly them now. Of course, I was wrong but I do vividly remember my disappointment about what the cockpit had become. I had long fantasized about having the ability to understand and maybe even someday become one of the supermen in their magnificent flying machines, but after seeing a glass cockpit, I felt almost betrayed that they hadn't waited for me before destroying my dream.

Sounds very silly I know, but I'm not making this up. My first peek at a glass cockpit left me bitterly disappointed. I wanted it to always seem beyond reach to mere mortals so that if I were able to become one of the privileged few, I too would be admired by the passengers as they boarded the plane & also took a peek at the cockpit.

And now, I'm all grown up (understatement of the year) and I'm building a sim with a glass cockpit. How low have I stooped! 

Maurice

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I did the same thing when I started flying as a young boy of around 9 or 10. As I recall, 727's were an airline staple back then and other than the L-1011, it's about the only airplane I really remember flying on. TWA and Eastern both used plenty of these.

[matta757]

See I can't share the same sentiments because I do not remember days where there were no glass cockpits, as I am too young. My first favorite aircraft was the A320, I think partly because of how sharp the flight deck looked. Then when I was 11 years old I was flying by myself out and back to Washington D.C. and on the way home, the 757 captain invited me to board with him and help prepare the aircraft for departure. I remember plugging information into the FMC (or the McDo as many pilots call it). It was such an awesome experience and marked the turning point for when the 757 became my aircraft of choice. I still prefer the 757/767 hybrid flight deck to the newer glass cockpits, but having grown up with the glass ones I have always loved them. Now of course the older analog planes were still flying and I always thought those were awesome too.

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I flew on a 707 to Germany just to let you know about how old I am. The 727 was quite the novelty back then. No one had seen a three engined aircraft since the Ford Tri-motor.

There's one or two here I think have me beat though. They might have even flown on a Tri-motor. 

[jackpilot]

Please stop.... I have the sim in zillion parts now as I am moving it to another room to be able to work on it this winter and reading this could push me to have a brand new MIP cutout like  a Swiss cheese with bezels!!
Mike: I first flew the 707 in ....1969!
Cheers guys

[Boeing Skunk Works]

I only got two years on ya!

I didn't know your sim was in pieces!

[jackpilot]

Well I built it so that it takes  just an odd hour to disassemble it completely.
Made a last flight flight yesterday morning ( short Munich-LOWI ) in the soup,  parked it there and last night after supper took these pictures. Should be back to "Airworthiness" status in a few days.
(Redoing my network with a new master  computer)
JP

[jackpilot]

Going back to flying status....not quite 100% yet, but coming along..

[Boeing Skunk Works]

Looks great! I just noticed the difference between the two instrument panels. The 737 MIP is the same height all along the bottom edge. The 727 MIP rises in the center where the forward equipment rack meets it.

I never noticed that before after all these years of looking at MIP's.