Hi everyone!I'm new to AvSim forum and new to forums in general, so feel free to give any tips! :-hahI'm interested in building a few things for a home cockpit, basic stuff like light controls etc. What do I need to know when it comes to making the stuff. Where can I get the basic knowledge. I would appreciate any advice.Thanx in advance

Welcome!Here is some suggested reading:Roland Van Roy wrote a very informative article on cockpit construction. You can get it here at Avsim's file library. Simply use "Roland Van Roy" as the search criterion. The file is called "DIY Cockpit Controls Version 1.0".Kev Saker has also done a bit of interesting writing, but you'll have to go over to FlightSim.com for it. Go to the main menu, click on the How-To section and scroll down to "How To... Build Kev's Cockpit".I too have felt the urge to add my views about home simulator construction. They are documented on my web site, URL below.Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.com

I'll be right on it. By the way great homepage! :-)Thanks a lot Mike!

PeterK Well the first thing is When it starts to hurt stop!A cockpit can be a car seat and a joy stick all the way to cuttingup a salvage yard aircraft and forcing it in your house...Its notwho's cockpit is better its what fits you needs or desires..You learn by doing...Dont know what an airplane feels likego to the airport and ask sombody at an FBO "Can I sit in one"...Ask questions and try things..Your first cockpit always getsripped apart and modified when it does not feel right..Enjoy the experience and learn as you go..Petehttp://home.attbi.com/~cockpitsimulator

Thanks for the responses guys, i checked out the cockpit building "how tos" and they helped! I'm actually only intrested in making the basic stuff, light controls, gear lever and radio freq settings, not recreating an entire aircraft cockpit. And I'm wondering has anyone ever damaged their computer by connecting this stuff to it. Does anyone have bad experience with these things?Thanx in advance

PeterKYeeep! playing with an analog joy stick and tooling with thewires i made a short across a pot which shorted the +5voltregulator on the sound card...seeing the 7805 regulator was rated for 5 amps it did not pop but proceeded to burn the copper traces on the sound card,,,the smell of burning fiber glass and smoke came outof the side of the computer...after pulling apart the computeri basically fixed the burns on the pc board with wire and a solderingiron and i was back up flying...Iv poped a hard drive by not grounding myself when working on the computer...ststic really does kill things...and smoked anoth soundcard by putting the cd rom connector on backwards...I had a friend pop the input to the key board with static..basically the mother board was usless after that..pete