A Must read for all Builders!

[Trevor Hale]

Gents,

As this may be a review for most of you, I feel that I must place the content here for all the new builders to see. 

One of the biggest questions when it comes to people starting in this hobby is "Where do I Begin?"  Or "How do I Start?"  Well there is no simple answer to this question, and as much as forums can provide answers to issues you run into as you go along your cockpit building journey, it is hard to put the cart before the horse and get answers to your questions when you may not even know what the question is. 

Taking all that information in, I just think that the best step is to steer any newcommers into this hobby in the right direction and suggest one of the MOST important tools you can have in your home cockpit is this!

Building Recreational Flight Simulators (By Mike Powell)

Please make the effort and get your hands on this Book!  By reading through it, you will be able to better understand the concept of "the Home Cockpit Experience" and you will be getting your hands on years of research from one simple easy to read Library.

Mike is a fantastic contributor to this community and if it wasn't for his help, we would all be a lot further behind in our projects then we are now.

CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE OF HIS WORK

Best regards,

Trev

[Bob Reed]

I too have Mike's book and all I can say is wow. You realy need this in your library! Ordering his old one next!

[geneb]

For those that are going to build the stick gimbal project in the free chapter, I've put together a set of printable templates that you can use to cut out the parts:

http://www.geneb.org/brfs/gimbal_templates.zip

The zip file has PDF files that will print full size to a standard 8.5"x11" sheet of paper.

g.

[Bob Reed]

For those that are going to build the stick gimbal project in the free chapter, I've put together a set of printable templates that you can use to cut out the parts:

http://www.geneb.org/brfs/gimbal_templates.zip

The zip file has PDF files that will print full size to a standard 8.5"x11" sheet of paper.

g.

Hello Gene and welcome. I just want to say thank you for this! Please feel free to post anything you like and please use our news forum to post news about your DYI cockpit!

[geneb]

Thanks for the welcome, Bob. 

There isn't much news to post about the DIY pit series right now, although I did get it all painted up.

I'm currently in the process of finishing off the design for my variation on the throttle quadrant presented in BRFS.  Mine will be a bit smaller and a little wider.  When I'm done with it and if Mike okays it, I'll post the drawings up for it.

g.

[warvet]

Hi geneb,
Can I get you to please jump on over to the Intro section and briefly introduce yourself before further posting,http://www.cockpitbuilders.com/community/index.php?board=10.0 just so everyone has a chance to welcome you properly. Its a forum policy we ask of everyone, so that way noones is missed thanks in advance, and welcome.
Tim
A340

Thanks for the welcome, Bob. 

There isn't much news to post about the DIY pit series right now, although I did get it all painted up.

I'm currently in the process of finishing off the design for my variation on the throttle quadrant presented in BRFS.  Mine will be a bit smaller and a little wider.  When I'm done with it and if Mike okays it, I'll post the drawings up for it.

g.

[Aerosim Solutions]

I got Mike's book for Christmas - awesome!

Gwyn

[Bob Reed]

It is a great book! Mine has that "really" read look to it....

[Thralni]

My god... I think "wow" might even be an understatement. I don't have it yet, but seeing the introduction on the order page the OP links to, all I can say is that I probably need this book if I want to make my throttle quadrant idea a success. Pity it's so darn expensive though...

[Trevor Hale]

It is worth every penny, and to be honest, he could easily charge $100.00 for this book.

[Thralni]

Just one question: he talks about FSX and smconnect. Does he also devote some pages to FS2004 and FSUIPC? For as far as I understood, FSUIPC is the way to connect to FS2004.

[Bob Reed]

Just one question: he talks about FSX and smconnect. Does he also devote some pages to FS2004 and FSUIPC? For as far as I understood, FSUIPC is the way to connect to FS2004.

Most if not all the book will work in FS2004.

[Trevor Hale]

FSUPIC can be used to connect to FSX and FS2004.  In either case, there is reference to FSUIPC or Offsets.  Regardless this is a very small section of the book.  Everything you read about can be attributed to either software.

Trev

[Thralni]

Okay, thanks Seems like a worthwhile purchase.

[NeoMorph]

Anyone know if there is there anywhere in the UK that is selling this book?

[DaveK]

Ordered my book and received it within 3 weeks which is great for surface mail to Oz.

Great book but now I definately realise how much I dont know...lol

Only one complaint... no autograph... cheers Mike its going to be a great read and learning curve.

[NeoMorph]

Been putting off ordering this book for too long so I've finally ordered it.  Been trying to make do without it and making too many mistakes I think.

[Trevor Hale]

Thats the beauty of the Book.  Mike Powell has really tried it all, and he describes what works and what doesn;t and the best part is there is Humor throughout the entire thing.  Easy to read, and easy to follow.

You will not be dissappointed.

[NeoMorph]

Well my copy arrived today... Packaging was battered to hell but the book was mint.

Scared the life out of me when it hit the hall floor. It's a lot thicker than I thought it would be.

One thing that I mentioned recently (ie the light bleed on my backlighting) has the fix that I eventually figured out after trial and error. I really should have bought this book back in January hehe.

I give this book 10/10 as it goes into the right amount of detail for both novices and advanced builders alike.

Only complaint I have is it doesn't list cockpitbuilders.com heh.

[NeoMorph]

OK so I have been reading this book a lot since I got it and the one thing that it makes you think is "Look at all the various skills you need to have... or if you haven't you can just buy them". It basically points out that there are more than one ways to skin a cat (if you are into skinning cats that is and haven't been reported to the RSPCA for skinning next doors tabby for yowling at nighttime and keeping you awake).

Lets face it... You need to be able to do this if you want to go it alone...

Loads of Internet and Book Research
Designing
Woodwork
Metalwork
Electronics Design
Soldering
Engineering (inc welding)
Fibreglass Panel Building
Injection Moulding (for things such as knobs)
Laser and Waterjet cutting
CAD/CAM
CNC Milling and Lathe Work
Painting
Swearing
Locating Hard To Find Parts
Optics Work
Understanding Multiple Operating Systems
Software Design
Adv. Swearing (inc cussing)
Debugging
Final Integration (using Adv Swearing)
Ignoring People Who Don't Understand You
etc
etc

... and only when it all works do you have a simulator ready to fly... then a new software package comes out and you end up starting again heh.

We must be MAD! 

Friend came around this afternoon and I showed him the book and he saw the pile of parts that I've amassed for my sim left him with his jaw on the floor. When I told him I was waiting on another package from Farnell he basically said what I listed above. I added the swearing bits though heh.

[johanm1965]

Is this book covering also general aviations or just airliners such as boeing.  I want to build a siai marchetti sf 260D cockpit and just started with it so i 'm looking out for any interesting advice.
The first step is taken by cutting out the instrumentpanel. so now the real stuff start
questions like what interface(arduino, interfacing card such as leo bodnar.....) using real gauges and rebuilding them or making the gauges from scratch
so lot of things to think of

[Trevor Hale]

That book gives a good start for General "Simulator construction" Although it may be geared towards an airliner, the principals are the same.

If you can do Arduino....  That's the way to go. for Steam Gauges.

If you want just switch inputs, leo bodnar cards are real easy.

Trev

[johanm1965]

thx for the advice

grt

johan