Hi , What you need to start a Home Cockpit ?

[Guest Calum]

Hi all ,I am thinking of starting my own Home Built Cockpit , but i am completely new to it and dont know what i need to start.I have played Flight Sim for a while , but as for actually building a cockpit ... I am not even sure what aircraft to start with.Could anyone please tell me what they think is a good project to start with , what i need , what i should know ...Any links or tips ThanksCalum

[Guest PoRrEkE]

Absolutely ..We have recently started a Wiki. Specially for guys like you :DBut also for people with a sim in progres.You can find all info you need on http://wiki.varxec.net/FrontPageWe are still adding to this site, so keep this url bookmarked and keep visiting it in the future!As for you stating you don't know what aircraft type to start with ... I got a few suggestions.1) fly different types of aircraft and try to figure out which one is your favorit2) maybe build a generic cockpit (not based on 1 type of AC)3) look around in the urls for commercial sim parts .. you can see what is available and what you can afford which might help you on your way soon.It's all up to you! And if you got question .. this forum is the place to ask ;)Cheers,Philippe Vanagthttp://www.fokker50.be.tf

[Guest MikePowell]

Welcome to the hobby, Calum.In addition to the growing wiki, take a look at http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/getting_started.htm and at the "how-to" section on flightsim.com. Look in particular for Roland vanRoy's DIY cockpit write up and the series titled "Building Kev's Cockpit".Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.com

[Guest Calum]

Cool ,thanks all.Calum

[Guest Calum]

O.K ,I have decided what aircraft i am going to be planning on building ... the A320. I am using both The A320 Project website and MikesFlightDeck website to get help and tips from , but for now ...What is the easiest part of the sim to start planning ? What did you first start planning ? why ?ThanksCalum

[Guest PoRrEkE]

I'd say you will be buzzy planning for quite a long time to come ;) So what comes first doesn't matter that much. Just try to cover almost all aspects.I'd suggest you think first on software. Will you use PM ? If so, add it to your cost planing exell sheet ;) If not PM, figure out something else to use and make sure it will be interfacable ! Then think of an interface. EPIC, IOcards, FSbus, Photon, ... the list is long, you can find all about those on the wiki.These steps might not be the biggest to take though I don't think anyone would dissagree .. it's is THE most important thing to check: will my sim be interfaced proprely to the FS game ?!Then maybe you could start thinking of computers & displays. It shouldn't be a problem finding second hand 17" or 15" displays (now that all those people change to TFT) .. You do not need to have them already but knowing how much and how you will hang tham to which and how many pc's .. what videocards do you need etc etc ... Good idea to think all this trough !Then start thinking of a frame. Will you use ready build panels ? Try getting those first so you are sure they will fit on the frame. From that point on it's just build, build, build!If you do panels first or first the flight controls or ... that's 100% up to you !

[Guest Calum]

Hi ,thanks for replying , but what is PM , interfacing and all that other stuff ? Like i said , i have no clue where or what to begin with , but i will definatrly start planning before anything else.I will get help from the wiki website , but could you just do a rough explanation of what programs are used by simbuilders , what ones do the job best , and what they actually doThanksCalum

[Guest PoRrEkE]

Ok, simply put:PM = project magentaThose guys make software which are external programs linked to FS via fsuipc. Since they are external you can just as well run them on other computers linked to fsuipc via widefs. What is seen on the programs are the "glass cockpit gauges". Check their website. They got both airbus and boeing. should be: www.projectmagenta.comThen interfacing is quite simple. If you build a cockpit, you want it to do something, right ? Not just be a life size maquette. So you want your switches and levers and such to actually work. Well an interface like I said is the actual link between the cockpits hardware and the sim computer.Just like your joystick is actually 3 or 4 potentiometers (electrical components) which are attached to an interface (also in your joystick for the conveniance) and that one is linked to your pc via gameport or USB.I suggest you stick around this forum and read some + read almost the entire wiki + strowl around on mikes page + check the HSB registry and visit some builders pages to see what and how things are done.

[Guest Calum]

Cool ,Thanks very much :)Calum

[LawnDart 19]

...a little bit of insanity nevers hurts either...;-)