New builder (generic)

[Guest chamois]

Hello,My name is Philippe, i live in France and i have just started to build my home generic cockpit.The electronic used will be IOCards.You can see pictures here : http://www.everyoneweb.fr/papacharlieMore details soon.Philippe

[Guest MikePowell]

Welcome, Phillipe. I enjoyed looking at your website and look forward to seeing your project progress.Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.comwww.mikesflightdeckbooks.com

[Guest chamois]

Thanks, Mike.Your site was a reference for me when i have decided to build a cockpit.I try to make it movable and simple.Philippe

[Guest chamois]

My new modules : magnetos and flaps.Philippe

[Guest chamois]

New modules of the day :Philippe

[Guest chamois]

My landing gear lever :Philippe

[Guest chamois]

New pictures of my cockpit :Philippe

[Guest Trevor Hale]

WOW! Fantastic Job. Looks like you have put in a lot of time and effort.Best regards,Trev

[Guest chamois]

Thanks Trev.I spend a few hours on my cockpit every evening.Look at my new module : it can start engine, and regulate mixture and propeller.Philippe

[Guest Trevor Hale]

Thanks Trev.I spend a few hours on my cockpit every evening.Look at my new module : it can start engine, and regulate mixture and propeller.Philippe

Great Stuff, Looks like you are doing quite well. It's hard work, but it will all pay off.

[mjw25]

Great Stuff, Looks like you are doing quite well. It's hard work, but it will all pay off.

Great job!! This pushes me too ,get going again....Michael

[Guest chamois]

Update !My new modules :1

[Guest MikePowell]

Very nice!

[Guest chamois]

Hello, my 2 new modules :- Autopilot :Front :Back :- Sim control :Philippe

[Guest Ronson2k9]

Those modules look very professional. I love the lighted gear knob, cool idea. I've been to your site as well. The only difficulty I had with that is the text and the back round are quite close to each other in color. It makes it a bit hard to read (not to much contrast). You may want to change your text color or lighten the back round a bit more. Just a thought.Your pit is looking marvelous though. I don't know if your interested in many different types of aircraft or from the looks of it Amphibious float plane operation. As you have both Gear and Water Rudder controls will let you fly anything with retractable gear or water rudders. It is a cool addition. I'm planning a Cessna TU206G Sim with Wipline floats and hadn't thought of the water rudder controls so I'm glad I saw yours. Like you I plan on using a LCD monitor for my MIP gauges. Carenado worked long and hard on the panel and I thought it a waste to not use it. Plus it cuts way down on the cost of gauges for the sim. I may some day go with the Garmin 1000 EFIS so that will be an easier transition should I go there. I'm designing a modular panel for that reason so that if I do go to Garmin I just have to remove the template that shows the analog gauges and replace with the Garmin template. I'm thinking that masonite will be the way to go with the MIP too. I like the 'Cups' you made for the MIP but I'm thinking they are perhaps a bit deep. Unlike real instruments you are looking at the LCD so to see the gauges you will need to duck down a bit on some of them. So ideally you want to be as close to the panel (LCD Screen) as possible.On my Cessna the depth is about 5/16". The hood 'I call it' is also beveled. To do that in plastic I would need perhaps two layers. Then chamfered in a router. On yours you could get away without the chamfering and just give the hint that the gauges are plugged in to the panel. It's cool to give the gauges the real feel by having the simulated protrusion out through the panel. I would include the entire length of the 'Cup' in it's depth so if it comes out of the panel a bit you could get the LCD nearly right up against the masonsite.I haven't built my panel yet but I'm thinking a bit of protection is in order for the LCD screen. A thin piece of plexi or acetate film should do nicely and give the illusion of glass for the instruments. Don't know how thick or size of acetate I can find but thin is good in this case. The minimum Plexiglas thickness is 1/8, from a big box hardware store and perhaps that would be good enough but thinner would be nice. In this case you want to add some glare back in to the LCD. If you are using custom FS gauges. As your simulating the glass that is in the actual gauge. It should help protect LCD from damage or dust too. As the LCD is shooting light out at you the viewer the added 'Glass' will have reflection/refraction properties as well (hence the need for thinness). The thinner it is the refraction should be pretty minimal if not visible at all.. Some experimentation could be in order there.Something else you may want to consider is cooling for the LCD. When enclosed it perhaps isn't going to get much circulation of air. So a Dryer hose and a couple of fans should take care of that. One bringing cool in and one sucking warm air out. The hose would be to direct the air to the LCD. This is particularly important in my case as I plan on two for the panel. So it's going to get kind of warm back there. You could move the fans to anywhere you want away from heat to move any noise should there be any from them to a place that is better then behind the panel perhaps?Very cool build you have going on. I'm going to keep on eye on what your doing. I'm sure there is lots I can learn from what your doing. Maybe I can help you at times too. :)