You will know that the image on the screen is flat. After all, you will have built it. But if you minimize the clues, like angular disparity, that confirm that it's flat, and add other items like a realistic cockpit to fill your awareness, the knowledge that the screen is flat should fade into background.I think you've hit on one of the keys to building a better illusion of flight: removing distractions that remind us it's not real. We put a great deal of effort into adding to the illusion, like accurate panels and flight controls with realistic feel. It's equally important to remove things that yank us back to reality.Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.com

Hi TuomasDo you have any drawings of your visual setup? If so would you like to share them with us?Your setup looks very intersting to me as I have 'limited' space around the sides of my cockpit.Best regardsPeter

Me too... I have a parhelia card (256MB) and two projectors... can add a third eventually. I am trying to get enough of a field of view to be able to see the airport in a left ttraffic pattern.Can this achieved with the Parhelia? My cockpit is 48" across, and will be something more than that when I build the shell.

>I think you've hit on one of the keys to building a better>illusion of flight: removing distractions that remind us it's>not real. We put a great deal of effort into adding to the>illusion, like accurate panels and flight controls with>realistic feel. It's equally important to remove things that>yank us back to reality.Exactly. Thanks Mike for your so good explanations, its good to see someone sum up things so well :)If you take a multi-million airliner simulator with super advanced motion system and panels, and remove the cockpit shell from it so you can see outside, you _totally_ ruin the effect. It's not a matter of getting the perfect "feature X" to your sim - what counts is the combination of everything. I'm very sceptical about those "home" motion systems some people are marketing.I think pretty much the only thing you can completely remove and still get a feeling of immersion and motion is (heh) the motion system. A good visual with fully enclosed cockpit, realistic panels and flight controls and good sound system do a LOT. Aural environment is important too - rumble noises and "shakers" on the seats and panels do a pretty good job of a motion system when done right. Everything needs to be right. The effect of doing everything together and right is far greater than the sum of each thing alone. It's exactly about making you forget you sit on a simulator.For the people asking about Parhelia: we zoom all the way out. It's a stretched window accross 3 monitors. You cannot see directly to the side. For that you need WideView, unfortunately.But its still better - when you are turning downwind, you can see the airport so it helps your situational awareness. Also you usually can see the field when you turn base, thouhg at the end of base leg it disappears. But it still helps.But what is more important is the peripheral vision cues - the cues of roll and pitch motion to your brain. (your eyes are a very important part of your motion sense - stand on one foot, hands spread out - doable. Try it with your eyes closed to understand what I mean)The wide visual adds a LOT to the feel of immersion and makes controlling the plane easier, since you get a better idea of how it is moving when you maneuver it.Here are some pics about the display frame structure. Mikes site has a good diagram about how collimated mirrors work. But its probably easier to get projectors if you wish to create a visual system yourself - or the TV screens indeed, not bad ideas either. Rory Gilles has a good one with multile monitors and computers.http://dev.mik.fi/gallery/simu-telineet//Tuomas

Thank you for all your advice, help and personal testimonials!So the conclusion is that a good display is one of the major parts of the projects (projectors seem to be the best for hobbyists). This hobby requires a lot of patience but it's exciting me more than ever!:-) David

Yeah. But then again - even something simple like a radio stack or autopilot panel with working knobs and switches for those enjoying "big iron" - even that can enhance the simulation a lot. One should first try to define what is the goal, then plan and build it.It's when you want to achieve complete "immersion" that all the components need to work together to create the illusion. But it doesnt mean something simple that eliminates mouse and keyboard couldnt do wonders also. Or good flight controls, those can add lots.//Tuomas

So did you build this contraption or buy it? Looks like some pretty amazing engineering for home built. Here's a question off-topic... where did you get the little compact ventilation fan? That is something I have been looking for as well.Thanks!

Hello guys,If you have a Parhelia graphics card you CAN have side views !I recently did this on a setup of a friend.1 When starting Fs you go into Windowed mode.2 Then you make your outside view as wide as just one screen.3 With the [ key you then can create extra views. One for the left side and one for the right side.4 In the View Options menue you can choose each seperate window ; window 0 , windows 1 and window 2. At the right side you can change zoom settings ( 1.25 for 45 degree angle between each view )and direction of the views.5 Now you will have three seperate views.You also can make views that are less than 45 degrees between each monitor.For that see the Wideview Forum ( www.wideview.it )And for those who would like to taste a bit of the collimated configuration : either use multiple Fresnel lenses instead of mirrors or use multiple projectors.The DIY projectors made of lcd display on top of a overhead projector do a fine job, so for not to much money you should have a fine working visual system. I made one and we used it in our Fs club.Good luck,

>5 Now you will have three seperate views.How's the framerate? Sure you can do it, but it seems to be that multiple projections (separate windows, meaning the CPU has the "recreate" the world projection three times) are too much for one CPU.Our collimated display units are manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, they are from a decommissioned DC-10 simulator and our general aviation club got them as donation from Finnair flight training center. The big sim had a total of 6 of them. We have 3 units, one is being used in a motorglider/sailplane sim in a fellow club, and the remaining two are being used in a 757 home cockpit project in Finland. The 757 project has just two mirrored front views, which doesnt have the perspective problem - though no side views. But hey, when you fly IFR, you dont need them ;^)//Tuomas

Framerates are the same compared to one wide front view.but the pc running that is a 3200 mhz.Keep in mind that one wide front view also shows a bit left front and right front.Not exactly -45 degrees and +45 degrees , but around -22,5 degrees and +22,5 degrees.When using a Parhelia icw TFT monitors you often need to uses 3 seperate views as those monitors do not let you stretch the views in a way that they virtually touch eachother behind the monitor bars.With CRT monitors you always have this option. Happy flying,