I have to share this with you :)

[Guest MattOlieman]

I can't begin to tell everybody how excited I am about this panel, I just have to share my experience with you.The Airbus Flap Panel / Mechanism is not something that is available to buy, let alone any other panels from newer Airbus versions. There's only one panel manufacturer (for our hobby), who produces most of the panels. The sets are not complete and mostly without mechanisms. Airbus parts are just hard to come by :(About 6 months ago I had the opportunity, to have in my hand, a sample Boeing EFIS panel, made by Ken Weiland of www.Dakenskys.com I was absolutely amazed at its accuracy, compared to the real panel, in every way. Of course my wheels started to turn, I've been struggling to make my Flap, Spoiler and Brake panels, an intricate part of the sim experience. These are items many of my fellow Airbus Sim Builders, dream of getting their hands on :)I asked Ken if he would be interested in providing these precious items to the "Airbus Sim Builders." The answer came within 24 hours, Ken shared with me a preliminary drawing of the Flap Panel/Mechanism. That to me, meant he'll do it :) Over the next several months Ken shared with me drawings and pictures of his progress. I was utterly amazed at the painstaking time Ken committed to make this product perfect.Last week the Beta Flap Panel/Mechanism arrived, look for yourself........This "baby" came complete with lighting. All you have to do is supply 5Vdc and a Potentiometer that is ready to be wired into your interface. The mechanism action is identical to the real thing.It gets better yet...... Ken asked me what I thought the selling price of this item should be. This was difficult for me to come up with, since I know how much time he's spent on this panel. I know how HARD this item is to come by. I've asked some of my fellow builders how much they would be willing to pay for this panel. All said between $400 and $600.Ken has not publicly priced this item yet; you will be "DELIGHTFULLY AMAZED." A far cry from the price those builders suggested they would be willing to pay.I'm looking forward to Ken's development of the "Spoiler" and "Brake" Panel/mechanisms.

[Guest twabi2]

That's fantastic! Ken's products all seem of great quality and price.I've also communicated with him for a while, and he's great to work with. Fast replies and always ready to answer your questions.One thing I do have to say:you mention that "Airbus parts are just hard to come by :("... Well try to build a Fokker50, a Space Shuttle or anything else that's not Boeing, Airbus or Cessna. Now what did you say again? ;)

[Guest MattOlieman]

"Now what did you say again? ;)"I should of build a Boeing? ;) Although the Space Shuttle sounds like a fun challange.... :) Lot's of challenges out there....

[Guest Alkit]

This is awesome! Although I am not an Airbus builder. My mouth still water for that.I am considering to use this as my cockpit's flap lever since my pedestal lack of one.www.alkit.net

[Guest PoRrEkE]

There is only a handfull of options for us "none boeing" builders.1) stimulate more people to build Fokker / Shuttle / (airbus) => plenty of german people building airbus though2) wait untill some producent wants to make a set of panels/parts3) gather as much detailed information about panels/parts to try to convince the producents with that data4) wait5) be patient6) wait some more7) get frustrated8) build it yourself

[Guest MattOlieman]

Philippe, "patience"...... I think I ran out of that..... "Get frustrated"..... I'm there. "Build it yourself".... ####, I wish I had the talent :)Do it yourselfers.... I envy the talent you guys have, I'm so impressed with what some of our fellow builders can do:)

[Guest PoRrEkE]

Captain Matt,You can not possible be serious when saying you are frustrated !! Not with a sim like that :(Compare to me: my sim is in boxes in the attic untill further notice. (which should be in a couple of years when I move away from home .. and even then it'll depend on which size house I can afford/find)As far as DIY goos .. there is a huge difference in levels of DIY people are reaching (i think). Some are able to purchase CNC or make one of their own .. The panels they make themselves are something different compared to some other options.But that's nothing new, innit ;)

[LawnDart 19]

That's just beautiful!Along the lines of G/A panels and parts... I wonder how much Ken would charge for a prototype Avidyne PFD/MFD front-panel bezel...Or better yet... ask me how much I would pay! ;-)

[tigert 0]

>That's just beautiful!>>Along the lines of G/A panels and parts... I wonder how much>Ken would charge for a prototype Avidyne PFD/MFD front-panel>bezel...>>Or better yet... ask me how much I would pay! ;-)>>FrontDesign sounds like a viable alternative, though it might be quite costy due to the large rectangular hole. Might be worth considering doing it in 4 parts even.//Tuomas

[LawnDart 19]

Thanks for the info...As it stands, I am working with an as-yet-unnamed source on this project. My hope for the future is that this hobby sees a sort of micro-explosion of G/A sim interest. I built a beautiful 777 sim as some of you know. The problem is that, once the preflight is complete, the fuel flowing, the engines started and the gear safely tucked in the bays, not much happens if you truly fly a 4 or 7 hour flight. Then you come in for a landing using instruments, and perhaps the only interaction the captain has is pulling the nose up for the flare and braking... and even that is automagic.There's a certain excitement in hopping in, say, a nice EaglesoftDG SR22, planning a flight, calculating fuel, distance, track, time aloft, selecting the inbound runway, getting clearance from the destination tower, picking up the VOR, performing a DME approach to minimums, then finally seeing the runway numbers underneath your landing lights and taxiing to the GA Transient ramp... all in a few hours.Maybe as I get closer to retirement will I put in more 777 hours, but for now, shorter GA flights in weather are just fine :-)

[tigert 0]

>My hope for the future is that this hobby sees a sort of>micro-explosion of G/A sim interest. I built a beautiful 777>sim as some of you know. The problem is that, once the>preflight is complete, the fuel flowing, the engines started>and the gear safely tucked in the bays, not much happens if>you truly fly a 4 or 7 hour flight. Then you come in for a>landing using instruments, and perhaps the only interaction>the captain has is pulling the nose up for the flare and>braking... and even that is automagic.>>There's a certain excitement in hopping in, say, a nice>EaglesoftDG SR22, planning a flight, calculating fuel,>distance, track, time aloft, selecting the inbound runway,>getting clearance from the destination tower, picking up the>VOR, performing a DME approach to minimums, then finally>seeing the runway numbers underneath your landing lights and>taxiing to the GA Transient ramp... all in a few hours.I hear you loud and clear :-)That's why my sim has steam gauges and very bad cockpit ergonomics to keep me busy :) Even a G1000 or Avidyne equipped plane really wants to be flown with the autopilot, otherwise its a waste of money in my opinion. It's a traveling machine. For a hobby flying I want to fly it myself, by hand. It would be awesome to make a really nice Piper Cub sim - just the bare minimum gauges, very good stick and rudder and throttle, and a very good 4-6 projector visual for a full 360 degree view. And just a map, compass and your watch.. That'd rock.//Tuomas

[Guest MikePowell]

I agree with both of you. I am very slowly building a Jet Ranger 206B sim in part because of the challenge of "flying" one. Years ago I got a little dual time in a small helicopter. I could handle it away from the ground, but never mastered hovering. Guess I'm revisiting old times.A close second is an A-10 Warthog. Why?... Heavy duty, hands on flying close to the ground. Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.comwww.mikesflightdeckbooks.com

[tigert 0]

>I agree with both of you. I am very slowly building a Jet>Ranger 206B sim in part because of the challenge of "flying">one. Years ago I got a little dual time in a small helicopter.>I could handle it away from the ground, but never mastered>hovering. Guess I'm revisiting old times.A pic from today for you guys.. Got to ride on the back seat of a RV-8 a friend built for 9 years... This must be the ultimate aviation dream - to fly the plane you built with your own hands..http://tigert.1g.fi/avsim/DSC_3480.jpgIt was _lovely_ - so responsive, pretty and smooth. He's got a 6 cylinder Subaru auto-engine conversion in it. 150 knots with very modest power setting.http://tigert.1g.fi/avsim/DSC_2806.jpgThere is a lot in common between cockpit building and experimental aircraft building. The construction work that predates the first flight is a least as important as the flying itself. But we must not forget why we are building the stuff we do..//Tuomas

[Guest MattOlieman]

Just an update.....Ken @ Dakenskys just posted the price of the fully assembled flap unit. WOW!!!!!! $185.00 What a bargain :) Can't wait for the other panels :))BTW, I've beat the heck out of the panel/mechanism, I've got about 50 short flights, it hasn't failed in any way... I'm HAPPY :)

[tigert 0]

>BTW, I've beat the heck out of the panel/mechanism, I've got>about 50 short flights, it hasn't failed in any way... I'm>HAPPY :)We have discovered a cheapo potentiometer on elevator axis does last betwen 300 and 500 flying hours in a sim :) Good reasons to keep a airplane logbook for a sim too.. we can do pre-emptive mainteinance.We'll soon break the first 1000 hours on our C172 sim.. :)//Tuomas