What have you done for your simulator today?

[Aerosim Solutions]

Finally started stripping the sim for rebuild.

New panels and rewiring was long overdue.



Michael

Hey Michael come up an have a fly of VOZ738 again!!

[bindook]

Will do Gwyn....mines gonna be out of action for a while.... i also need to see you about getting a panel engraved.

[RayS]

Working on a cool blue Christmas tree. (Or a Center MIP)

Hopefully soon I can get this installed... A Ton of work involved with moving everything on the MIP left one inch....

[mikeybear]

Another linear potentiometer input device, this one is destined to be the parking brake on my C208B panel.

Partly inspired by the Inertial separator  control I made recently, partly inspired by Peter's questions regarding linear pots.

I set out to make something that's generic that could be used for many different controls.

( the ends have just been put in for the photo, and were left over from my TQ ) in practice , this will be panel mounted , hence the thick end plate,
and have a t-handle fitted . total cost of parts was around $20 (excluding the ends )

[RayS]

Tonight marks the end of using FlyThisSim.com avionics software. It's a little bittersweet. The software has served the Beech 1900 well, but after integrating the Avidyne software from Ellie Avionics, it highlights several areas where FTS.com software falls short of expectations.

SO... no more of that, and no more paying hundreds a year just to have the software. On deck is a Beechcraft center MIP section that will comfortably house all my Collins radios and a nice Garmin MX-20 Moving Map system using a custom built circuit from yours truly. I'll also be able to re-purpose the genuine center Avidyne MFD for the first officer side, with working controls. (Finally!)

Here's how the end of that era was marked:

[Bob Reed]

I spent the day re doing my visuals. Pretty happy with the results. I hate doing visuals! lol

[jackpilot]

I flew Calgary to Vancouver ..over the Rockies
I used complete VNAV LNAV from runway to runway.
Nice to know it works perfectly but it is..
incredibly BORING !!
Will not repeat.

[Jason L]

Washed my pilot, co-pilot, and jump seat covers. Re-did the foam padding on the co-pilot and jump seat....word to the wise, wash covers on delicate and then let them AIR DRY.  I dried mine on extra low heat delicate and they still shrunk.  Think I almost pulled a muscle trying to get all the snaps back on!!!

Pic 1: Seat without covers..yuk.  Worn out and needs TLC
Pic 2: Using good seat cushion as a template.
Pic 3: New cushion trial.
Pic 4: An hour, a drink, and a lot of sweat later.

[crazydunc]

Busy few days at the Sim for us!

Amongst other things, I Installed new On/Off Switches for the Avionics Computers to replace the case ones, mounted in a project box, at the rear of the Sim. So that we don't have to snurgle around the front of the sim to turn them on and off. It would have taken about 90 mins less if i hadn't have had the Motherboard diagram the wrong way round and plugged the new Switch cabling into the Reset Switch headers on the Mobo, rather than the Power Switch. I may have been pulling my hair out for a while trying to figure out what I had broken this time 

I also got a chance to test fit the new 5inch Raspberry Pi screens for the MIP Clocks - little bit more adjusting needed, but they should be good to go tomorrow! Making use of some USB3 to HDMI adaptors for the visual outputs. Made more sense than putting a whole new rig in for just clocks!

Visuals are getting more tweaks on Saturday, and need to do some more work on the Rudder Pedals Link bar whilst thats happening!

[Atomic_Sheep]

Looking at what everyone is doing on a daily basis in this thread is so encouraging, it has made me more focused on what I want to do. Instead of 3 cockpits, going back to 1 and I'll be happy.

Plus, things have changed so much over the years that the hardware, software and interfacing is a lot easier. All of you posting are showing this...

John

Yes, concentrate your efforts.

What else I learned form this thread is just how good OEM parts are. Alas, I don't think I'll ever be able to get OEM panels for my plane so will have to make do with custom made pretty much everything.

[RayS]

Work continues on the Beech. The color difference between my MIP and the B1900 center MIP is going to bug me and activate my OCD.

Debating if I should try to color match the 1900 piece and spray the entire MIP that color....

Thoughts?

[jackpilot]

Much easier to paint the central part I think !
Same as main MIP or really contrasting color .
IMHO

[RayS]

It's difficult to see in the image but that center MIP is backlit with a ton of lettering. Not sure that's the way I want to go. :-)

[jackpilot]

Yep, I see it now....not much choice

[Marco ERJ]

I find the two-tone rather charming, personally. Since it is all real parts, I think it looks more "aged", as you'd expect to see in many aircraft that have been flown for hours and hours.
Then again, I'm a little biased since most of my parts have scuff marks from use and (some) tearing and storage abuse  I thought about painting center pedestal, MIP, DU frames...decided to just leave them as-is.
My feelings only...great looking sim, Ray!

Marco

[Trevor Hale]

If it were me I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing the colors were different.  May as well take it to the street if your not going to paint the other two...

Just my opinion LOL

[Bob Reed]

Hey Ray... What day is your garbage day?? I think I will be doing a drive by.....

[Jason L]

Duncan,  can you share the details of how you did the clocks and what you used?  You can PM me about it if you don't want to post here.  Very interested.

Thanks.

[jackpilot]

Added a "back"kicker in my seat...convincing effects

[RayS]

Hey Ray... What day is your garbage day?? I think I will be doing a drive by.....

You just missed it. I carted the entire sim to the curb, too!

Seriously though.. I am warming up to the idea of having different tones. I am going to re-spray the entire MIP though to a color just slightly darker than what it is now. It won't be a perfect match, but the color difference won't be as severe..

[GyverX]

Added Stronger rubber band.. eer Stretchy things to the inside of my yoke.
No more indents and smoother than default.

[RayS]

After months of hard work, the MIP is finally upgraded!

1. NOS Beech 1900 Center MIP section with backlighting
2. Garmin MX-20 Moving Map Display, with home-brew interface to X-Plane
3. Added Fire extinguisher handles and left/right Caution Silencers
4. Color change on the rest of the MIP. I couldn't get an exact match for the B1900 center MIP but I think it's close.
5. Removed a few miles of wiring.
6. Moved the old OEM Avidyne MFD unit to now function as the F/O PFD

[jeffreyk]

Looking really beautiful Ray! Nice work

[blueskydriver]

OMG! Look at all the amazing things you guys do! Ray is totally making it happen, glad to see he got his " non-color blindness" worked out...lol! Just like Bob hates doing visuals, it sometimes has too be done; otherwise, it drives you crazy.

Then, there is Jason and Jason...lol! You both would make Karen proud. By redoing the seat cushions, like her making some, it shows true desire for a comfortable seat. Plus, with using those hair bands for centering shows how simple things can be used to fix some complex issues with sim building....

Speaking of simple, Jack says his flight was boring and it may have been a simple one, but he is flying his sim none the less and that is the most important thing about sim building...keep flying no matter what! Although, Jack with that new back massager, you won't be bored anymore that's for sure...lol!

Duncan regarding your MIP clocks and the screens, where did you buy them? Also, what program are you using to generate the image? Nice to see this being done...

And, for all the other builders, thank you for posting in this thread. I cannot tell you how many days I just want to quit simulators, but I look at this thread 4-5 times a day to keep reminding me that there are reasons not to give up. 99% of them comes from you, my fellow builders/members, so thank you and please keep posting updates here...

John 

[RayS]

I cannot tell you how many days I just want to quit simulators...

I've been in that mindset many, many times. Early on in this hobby that minsdset usually resulted in me making rash decisions and selling off gear. Later I would discover this to be a huge mistake.

Nowadays when this hobby exhausts me I simply shut it down, lock the door and walk away for a few days/weeks. Inevitably the bug strikes and I'm back in, with renewed vigor, new ideas and new enthusiasm. This hobby can be immensely satisfying but also incredibly, mind-bogglingly frustrating.

Over the years I've learned to ride the waves with grace.