What have you done for your simulator today?

[N4208T]

Some more progress on the sim.  3 big screens are up and sort of aligned.  Needs some tweaking.  Having problems with the latest G1000 software connecting over the network.  Working w Flight1 Tech support to try and resolve.
Decided to do the partial roof out of 3D printed plastic and cardboard.  So far, it seems to be working.

[jskibo]

Looking good Steve!

[RayS]

I was inspired by Trevor's "Donation Failure" platform on Twitch so decided to roll my own.

1. Currently has over 200 failures, ranked by severity
2. Works in X-Plane. (Wiring exists for P3D/FSX but isn't enabled yet)
3. Severity levels can be changed/added, without source code changes
4. Unprocessed donations are retained so restarts won't clear them
5. Failures are truly random. First failure in each flight is never the same
6. Failures can be auto-disabled below X Altitude. However they are queued so once above the 'Safe' altitude, all hell could break loose...

Severity Levels:
  1. "Just ASAP it, Jim! Damn! Do I have to tell you everything?"
  2. "Where's the QRH, Jim?"
  3. "We better land, Jim..."
  4. "Well Jim, we had a good run."

It's currently "Functional", but needs some code cleanup and interface cleanup.

The workflow:
1. Donation Event: Streamlabs Chatbot sees, and inserts the donation record into a backend database via a Python script

2. My App, "Beech House Buster" sees the new donation and randomizes a new failure from the database based on donation amount. (Queue screaming in the background...)

3. Once the failure is processed, it is marked as "Processed" so it doesn't repeat.

4. The Donor record is also marked as "Processed"

5. A Twitch Chat message is sent to the chat window with what is about to fail.

6. Hilarity ensues.

Here's the app. It's crude but will look better as I clean it up and add more elements over the next couple of days.Not a valid attachment ID.

[RayS]

Still working out some minor kinks with the code, and a few minor facelifts on the UI.

Time for an ACARS printer!

[blueskydriver]

Glad to see folks are still getting things done during the summertime, where normally it's vacation time.

My good news for the sim is Karen and I pulled out all the electrical wiring from the garage ceiling. 300 feet of flexible metal conduit (FMC) all screwed down at every 18 inches, so a lot of screws to remove, and mixed it in with insulation that I am allergic too. WOO HOO!

Still, it's worth all the effort because this is the 12 circuits at 20amp each dedicated for the sim and my computer room items that are now in the hangar/shed. We also pulled all 12 AFCI Breakers to move them into the new circuit breaker box in the hangar...

Lastly, it's not for the sim per se, but it's what we learned from installing the Mr Cool 3-ton mini-split Air Conditioner unit in the hangar. The knowledge we gained led to us installing the same exact unit type in our house in the lower level (bi-level). These units are just amazing!

If you're thinking about heating/cooling take a look at a DIY mini-split unit (no matter the brand name). It's night and day over standard HVAC, plus the big bonus is no dusty piping system blowing dirt around or onto your simulator....

John

[mickc]

Got the CNC machined parts for the ACARS printer in, test fitting looks good

[bernard S]

rather tasty   printer is a pain

[kattz]

Looks good!

[RayS]

I've had this thing laying around for about 5 years. Figured it was high time to get it interfaced. It doesn't do much, other than some common commands in X-Plane that I usually do on a keyboard.

Found a great API interface using C#. I've interfaced both FSX/P3D and now X-Plane and I have to say, working with X-Plane datarefs and commands is SO much easier than FSUIPC....

[N4208T]

A few pics of the updates to my sim as of this morning.  Windscreen has been completed.  Not spectacular but better than I could have done in wood.  New gauges have been mounted and are working in the throttle quadrant panel and the left co-pilots panel.  Big shout out to Custom Sim Parts who worked with me to design and build these gauges for an incredible reasonable price.  Tom Kaminski has been great and I am ordering three other things from him.

Trying to figure out how to mount the partial roof/headliner and still scratching my head on the glareshield but it is starting to come together.  Using an arduino and Mobiflight for the new gauges and took me a bit to get the hang of how to program them but I think I got it down now.

Wish I was being paid for all of the mistakes I have made.  :-)

Steve

[FredK]

Trying to figure out how to mount the partial roof/headliner and still scratching my head on the glareshield but it is starting to come together.

Consider framing an exo-skeleton "box" around your cockpit and fasten your interior liners and overhead etc. to it.  That is pretty much the way I did mine.  Very simple to construct. My 737 OH panel probably weighs about 50 pounds, so I needed something sturdy enough to support it all.

Of course it looks like a box from the outside,  but it does resemble the real 737 interior on the inside.  Most commercial simulators are essentially just that.

Fred K

[jackpilot]

Agreed, and with the Box Concept I've been able to add a galley !

[N4208T]

Thanks guys.  Had not thought of that. 

[jackpilot]

Use Aluminum if possible. No welding just bolts.

[bernard S]

learn to weld   it will be your best friend

[jackpilot]

On a monster like your 74 ....maybe right!
 

[sagrada737]

Very nice work Steve!  The cockpit detail around the MIP area is excellent.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of your progress.  Your GA Sim is truly an inspiration!

As a side note...  Someday (after I complete my 737 Sim), I would like to build a full-scale KingAir or perhaps a AS350 Eurocopter helicopter.  I flew the AS350 for a time in Japan, so having a helicopter Sim would be a lot of fun.

Jack...  Your 737 Sim is amazing.  I really like the Galley addition.   Very realistic!  Any photos of the cockpit detail?

Keep up the good work guys!

Mike

[Trevor Hale]

In 20 Minutes Last night, I successfully converted the KingAir over to MSFS 2020, Unfortunately because of the Big BOBO Microsoft and ASOBO Made, any software that makes interaction with Simconnect causes a massive Framerate Drop (60 to 12 Frames).  This is supposed to be fixed in short order, but the long and short of it is at the end of the day (Very few things weren't working properly at the end of the transition)  FSUIPC7 works a treat, if it would only play nice with Simconnect.

Check my Twitch VOD for instructions and to see how I accomplished this.

https://www.twitch.tv/cockpitbuilders

[blueskydriver]

Thanks everyone for keeping this thread alive! Crazy this is the 968th post! You all make my day everyday here...

As for my Sim, I got my old Fly Engravity v1 CDU and old FDS CDU (keyboard emulator and composite video input version) working with ProSim737 v2 CDU. Took a bit, but both are on a single client PC. Made a step-by-step video on how to do this as well.

Speaking of step-by-step videos, it'd be nice if we had a place to put them for everyone to view. Then, if anyone wants to make a video on a sim setup subject, they could, but we'd all have to agree on a standard format to follow.

Like, having an intro, the main point(s), and a conclusion, as well as time lengths (say 15mins long, and if it requires to be done in parts, those parts can only be 15min each).

What do you think; anyone interested in doing this?

Next up for me, going to get vPilot working again. As a footnote, I am still running FSX, but plan to finally install P3D v4 that I purchased when it first came out, but didn't install. Might even get P3D v5 yet...why? Uh...I guess it's my good old OCD INSANITY! LOL!

Afterwards, going to purchase a whole new system unit (PC) and get MSFS 2020 running. I see no reason to use anything from my current PC; instead, going to leave it alone and have two complete setups running. That way I can still fly one while going through the MSFS 2020 setups on the other.

Happy Flying Everyone!

John

[jackpilot]

John..IMHO you are making your life very complicated 

[blueskydriver]

Hey Jack, just means never a dull moment...lol!

John

[Joe Lavery]

You also must have very deep pockets....  

[blueskydriver]

Well, they're never deep enough Joe, just never deep enough...lol!

[Jason L]

Switched from using iFly CBE to Prosim today.  Got tired of trying to script and force things to work...that and iFly is planning a re-purchase option if you want to upgrade to P3D v5, and no upgrade path to MSFS 2020...so instead of throwing more money to them, going to go with what everyone else is using...quite the investment!!

[jackpilot]

Not done today but has been a work in progress for quite a while.
Interfacing a real Fire Panel as SimA (and Prosim) model all the functions and controls.
First a good clean up and repaint of the backlit panel. Then, all 28v bulbs go and are replaced by 4.5v "led bulbs".
All will be plugged into an FDS IO Sysboard card
Some annunciators (circuit type1) require inverted leds as they have diodes the opposite way from circuit type 2.
To make it short, a hell of a project...but fun.
(John knows that crazy module  )
PS the push to lit function could be emulated, I'll pass that one though!