Hi, My name is steve and I want to build a cockpit........

[Guest]

Dear All,This is an admission, as I have wrestled with the sheer stupidity of building a cockpit, not to mention the cost, and yes despite this I am now in the planning stage for a 737/757 sim, well probably the latter. I am a UK PPL and stockbroker and IT addict.I have surfed the web, loitered on this NG, but the time has come to fess up and admit that as much as I try to resist -it is futile.So here I am, I dont know a pot from a transisitor, and epic from a saga. I would like to run my game plan past you, and I would welcome any comments.Stage OneBuild a loft conversion (we need the space as well honest):-)AssetsP4 2Gig with 1024mb Rambus Ram and 64mb Geo3 card P3 750 with 512 mb ram and a 64mb Elsa Gladiac cardThese two PC's are networked and together fly online very well with the older PC handling all the non FS2002 function.CH Pro Pedals and YokePlanned shrewd InvestmentsAerowings MCPProject Magenta - full kit.My phase one game plan involves dedicating the faster PC and monitor to the outside view - easy.PC 2 will provide the PFD and ND on its screen.PC 3 (A cheapy to be purchased) for EicasPC 4 (A cheapy to be purchased) for MCP - although I might have a go at building this using a kit.My aim is to get a setup I can fly ASAP so as to maintain momentum. I was wondering whether my P3 750mhz PC could run two screens for project magenta (PFD, ND and Eicas?), so as to eliminate the need to purchase another cheapy PC? If so is it tricky?Once all that is up and running I will start incorporating hardware such as a Gear lever, one stage at a time, no doubt bugging this NG every day. In the mean time, what is best EPIC, Hagstrom key encoder or Blueside up kit? How can I start to read up on this?Anyway, Building on the loft should start in December, I am crammed in the small bedroom at present so a third PC will be a bit of a squeeze......so any help in the planning is welcome.Here goes nothing! (well apart from time and money)SteveBAW166PS lets keep this between ourselves shall we?

[Guest MikePowell]

Hi Steve,The fact that you're able to talk about it indicates that you aren't too far gone yet. That you actually put working on the loft at the head of the list also speaks to your remaining grasp on reality. Don't worry. With a little concentration even that will fade and you'll join us as a full fledged member. The good news is that the simpit hobby is rarely contagious. It's infrequent that family members catch it.What you've listed seems reasonable to me, but perhaps some others with similar set ups can give you feedback as well.As far as epic versus Hagstrom, it might be best to do more planning before deciding. They share many functions but are different. You might also take a look at FSBUS www.fsbus.de If you haven't already, browsing as many simpit sites as possible may help. There's a reasonable list of such on my site.Best Regards,Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.comInfo for simpit builders.

[Guest Salbado]

Hi Steve,I started just 1 year ago and have more or less taken the road you are staring at. I must tell you that I now have nearly 80% of my Airbus done..need Throttles and FCU and I am finished if that ever means anything. I just hooked up some brushless fans for sting lights cooling in the Overhead Panel. There is always something more to do... The following companies are respresented in the Bus but I must tell you that research and surfing time was the most consuming. In the end, the following sites and companies were the critical path in developing the simulator. Flight Deck Solutions - Peter Cos GoFlight - Doyle Nickless Project Magenta - Enrico Schiratti Advanced Graphics - John Finger Mouser Electronics - ??? Radio Shack - ??? CH Products - ??? Hagstrom Key Encoders -- StanAs you can see, I went the Hagstrom route...it was the only way I could fly within 6 months since there was no programming for the panels except some minor config stuff for Flaps and Speedbrake with FSUIPC. Hagstrom set-ups are very simple to do. You'll get good at wiring and soldering but you will never find the right glue to stick things together. The computers are: P4 - 3.06 1012 Rambus Main FS P3 - PM PFD & ND P2 - ECAM P1 - FCU P1 - MCDU SHARP - ProjectorThe project is a real joy but it is mind numbing and consuming...you really eat and sleep the simulator for a long while. You need a good partner to allow you to engage in this and the loft sounds like a good idea. I use the old nursery. Baby is now 4. One last thought, Last Sunday night, I shot the ILS 13 into LGA at 200 and 1/2, and fog courtesy of on-line wxRE weather. The runways changed 3 times from Robbinsville. At minimums, the timer went off and the rabbits appeared out of the fog...and I greased the most perfect 0/0 I have ever seen...flight attendants (FD Companion) then told everyone to remain seated until we got to the gate at which point I shut down and reached for a glass of cabernet. It's worth it if you really enjoy flight and aviation...Good luck.PS You can see my rig on Project MagentaSalvatore Franco...

[Guest]

It's sites like yours mike which are to blame for this hideous afflication in the first place!!Seriously its a great resource, and Patric's cockpit page are on my favourites.I am hoping that treatment and modern science can provide a cure?I have found that the family show a natural resitance to infection.Steve

[Guest]

SalvatorePlease dont encourage me..............God this must be as bad as coming out of the closet!Only 12 months!!Go - on post a pici here for me will you?StevePs I have printed your post off for future reference - taSteve

[Guest]

...........actually the wife has proven immune!!!Steve

[Guest MikePowell]

Steve,There is no cure. One can only treat the symptoms with theraputic hands-on construction activities and flights of fantasy.Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.comInfo for simpit builders.

[Guest Salbado]

Steve...for some reason I can't get pics on here...go to Project Magenta - References - Page 4 and look at Salvatore Franco..,NY, this is the sim at 6 months devekopment - overhead wasainstalled shortly thereafter. You'll see a keyboard in place of a throttle which serves as my input to the FCU. I'll try and get you some other pics direct.Regards...

[tigert 0]

>Only 12 months!!One good advice is to 1) plan well2) plan some more3) dont rush it4) plan some more5) read others' stories and look at photos, they are inspiring6) plan even more..Start planning the stuff, maybe make cardboard models of the construction etc.The bad thing in this hobby is that once you have built something you realize a better way to do it. Planning and "mental rehearsal" of the building and thinking of the actual construction details in advance does help.Also, try to get it "flying" as soon as you can, there is no point in tearing down a working sim setup for a year or more - it gets tiring and demotivating if you never get to fly.Also, you might want to build something generic as well, it all depends on what you want. I am a PPL student and I built my "console" for training and to have a similar setup at home in terms of muscular memory and control placement as in the real plane.Building something as 1:1 replica of a real aircraft consumes a lot more money and time if you need to hunt down exactly right looking knobs and switches - not the thing for me. I'm more of a GA/small plane guy anyway. Although the next upgrade to this console will be a twin prop throttle which makes it suitable for some IFR fun as well.I am not really interested in the big aluminium tubes, so my goal was to have the instruments in the instrument panel, and knobs and switches on the real places. It's very satisfying in use and I am happy I started the thing. It's been a year as well, the construction of this console started around christmas, but I still have pedals and yoke to make etc.. so it's not "finished" in that sense, but it is flyable and I do VATSIM with it quite a lot. Fun? Yes. Worth it? Yes. Nuts? Yes :-)A bad quality pic of the thing - my digicam is broken so excuse me for the quality..http://tigert.gimp.org/vatsim/cockpit-stuff/simpit4.jpegGood luck!Tuomas

[Guest SlimDady]

very nice little setup there