Open Cockpit 737 CDU v.3

[signmanbob 592]

Hello,

I'm thinking of buying Open Cockpit's 737 CDUv.3 mainly for my PMDG 737 NGX.

Does anyone have this?  Is it hard to set up to work with the NGX?  Is it a good quality unit?

Any opinions by some who have purchased it would be appreciated.

 

Thank you,

Bob

[Driver170 42]

I would consider the flightdeck solutions CDU. I've had this over a year now! Very strong piece of kit just like new and easy to work with the NGX. Peter has all the scripts and software.

[signmanbob 592]

I would consider the flightdeck solutions CDU. I've had this over a year now! Very strong piece of kit just like new and easy to work with the NGX. Peter has all the scripts and software.

 

Driver, thank you very much. I thought that there might be more of these CDUs available.

After looking at both websites, I believe that you are right.  The FDS product is quite a bit more costly, but it looks like it is really well made.  

What put me off of it at first was that I thought I HAD to also buy the SimAvionics software for an extra $1000 on top of purchasing the unit. 

I contacted Peter from FDS and he says that it will work with the PMDG 737NGX in FSX right out of the box without Sim-A software.

Do you know if it also will work with the P3D version of the NGX? That would be great if it does.

I've put in an order for the FDS Pro CDU, so I should be hearing from them soon. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I'm not so much into having a cockpit that is dedicated to one aircraft because I like flying so many different types including GA, but the PMDG 737NGX is my favorite, so I've bought the PFC 737 yoke and rudder pedals and the JetMax 737 throttle quadrant.  Now with the 737 CDU, that should be enough.

 

Thank you,

Bob

[Driver170 42]

Also get the CDU bay for the CDU from FDS will go great with your TQ

 

I have also got PFC 737 yoke, Jetmax 737 TQ and a 737 Boeing chair

 

Have you got real 737 replica rudder pedals?

 

Also how do you find the PFC? a bit sticky?

[signmanbob 592]

What is the "CDU Bay"?  Could you put in a link to that?

I also have the PFC 737 replica rudder pedals.  They are big and heavy, but are very smooth, just like the 737 yoke is. They're not sticky at all.

I'm using the Volair Sim cockpit with a 60" flatscreen TV as a monitor.  It is really comfortable (sometimes I fall a sleep in it) but it doesn't look like a 737 at all.  My approach is as long as I can touch and manipulate the interfaces like the yoke, pedals, thrust levers and CDU that give the feel of a 737, that will be good enough for me because I can still use TrackIR with PMDG's beautiful VC.  Then I also have my throttles from PFC that are interchangeable for turboprops and GA (I even have a four lever set for the Queen) when I feel like going that route.

Sometimes I am tempted to buy the FSX 737 panel, but I would feel silly flying A2A's Cessna 182 in it.  The way I am set up it feels right no matter what I fly.

[Driver170 42]

Cdu bay -

 

http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/components/b737ng/b737ng-mipmain/b737ng-cdu-bay/

I'm starting to head over to a full cockpit setup with Flightdeck solutions after the year you have a good setup but i won't to turn knobs and flick switches instead of using a mouse lol

[roarkr 104]

Hi,

 

I just wanted to respond to this topic, even if you have chosen to go for FlightDeck's fine CDU.

 

Yes, I have a long experience using the Opencockpits CDU and also other hardware modules from Opencockpits.

 

They are all of high quality and relatively cheap compared to other manufactures.

 

The CDU v3 can be used for both the PMDG B737 NGX and the PMDG B777X and soon the PMDG B747 V2 ( when it is release)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Driver170 42]

Just realised i use the ACE yoke not the PFC

[signmanbob 592]

Cdu bay -

 

http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/components/b737ng/b737ng-mipmain/b737ng-cdu-bay/

I'm starting to head over to a full cockpit setup with Flightdeck solutions after the year you have a good setup but i won't to turn knobs and flick switches instead of using a mouse lol

 

 

I agree that what I have is not the most ideal setup, but it gives me diversity to fly any aircraft.  I would feel strange with a complete 737NG cockpit flying a Cessna 172 Skyhawk.  With my setup, it still "feels" ok.

I am very tempted to get the beautiful JetMax cockpit setup, but it would lock me down to just flying the 737.

 

Hi,

 

I just wanted to respond to this topic, even if you have chosen to go for FlightDeck's fine CDU.

 

Yes, I have a long experience using the Opencockpits CDU and also other hardware modules from Opencockpits.

 

They are all of high quality and relatively cheap compared to other manufactures.

 

The CDU v3 can be used for both the PMDG B737 NGX and the PMDG B777X and soon the PMDG B747 V2 ( when it is release)

 

Wow! I did just order the FlightDeck Pro CDU, but now, after reading your post, I'm wondering if I did the right thing.  I would love to have a CDU that would work with more than one aircraft.

I think the FDS Pro CDU will work with many of the aircraft if I purchase the Sim-Avionics software...but..$...ouch!

 

Cdu bay -

 

http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/components/b737ng/b737ng-mipmain/b737ng-cdu-bay/

 

 

I'm going to look into this stand.  It may be what I need if I can get it to fit.

 

Thank you to everyone who have jumped in hear with all this great advise.  I feel that I am much more aware of what I'm getting into now.

Just realised i use the ACE yoke not the PFC

 

That ACE yoke looks real good, I just didn't want a floor mount because it wouldn't work with my Volair Sim cockpit.

How does it work?  Does it really have the good quality that it looks like on the website?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

I agree that what I have is not the most ideal setup, but it gives me diversity to fly any aircraft.  I would feel strange with a complete 737NG cockpit flying a Cessna 172 Skyhawk.  With my setup, it still "feels" ok.

 

Yeah, that would definitely get me, too. That's one of the reasons I've kept my equipment pretty generic.

 

Is that a new avatar picture, too?

[Driver170 42]

Well i'll always will stick with the NG gone too far now with all the equipment and i have a specific UK operators SOPs and alot more documents allowing me to fly the NGX as real as possible like the professionals. I'm not claiming i can fly the real thing but with everything i have i can follow a UK operators SOPs to the letter and do everything that they do like all the procedures but without the actuall experience of flying the real thing.

 

ACE yoke is worth every penny. But i did have to make a few dead spots for the centre part, that out the way its perfect even banking and keeping her in the glide is alot more precise and close to the real thing and in the flare its soo much better than the saitek.

[MistyBlue 8]

I've been using the FDS CDU for over a year and I'm very happy with it.  I use it with ProSim and my FDS MIP and throttle, but I have also used it with the NGX and it wasn't an issue.  Should work just fine with P3D.

 

You don't need the CDU bay if you're not ready for that yet as the CDU itself is designed so it can easily sit on a desktop. 

 

FDS support is excellent.  They stand behind their products so I think you made a good choice!

[signmanbob 592]

Yeah, that would definitely get me, too. That's one of the reasons I've kept my equipment pretty generic.

 

Is that a new avatar picture, too?

 

I talked to Peter from FDS today on the phone and he said that once I have a JetMax 737 cockpit that I wouldn't want to fly anything else.  I can imagine that it would make you want to fly the 737 a lot more, but I can't imagine not wanting to fly my A2A Cessna 182 out of a little Orbx airport with a grass runway.  Sometimes that is so relaxing, but it would seem strange with a full NG cockpit.

Now, I might keep my existing setup and go ahead and get the full JetMax cockpit just to fly the 737NG, but I would have to buy new monitors and at least one new computer. It would be fun.

 

Yes, I changed my photo.  I haven't worn those thick glasses for quite a few years, so I figured I should put on a newer photo.

I had this photograph taken in front of a Cessna Citation Excel that belongs to one of my customers. It's a beautiful aircraft that I got to put his logo on.  The pilot let me sit in the cockpit. It felt good.  You can see that I was all smiles.

 

Well i'll always will stick with the NG gone too far now with all the equipment and i have a specific UK operators SOPs and alot more documents allowing me to fly the NGX as real as possible like the professionals. I'm not claiming i can fly the real thing but with everything i have i can follow a UK operators SOPs to the letter and do everything that they do like all the procedures but without the actuall experience of flying the real thing.

 

ACE yoke is worth every penny. But i did have to make a few dead spots for the centre part, that out the way its perfect even banking and keeping her in the glide is alot more precise and close to the real thing and in the flare its soo much better than the saitek.

 

Even if I end up getting the JetMax cockpit, I will still keep the Volair Sim cockpit that I have for flying everything else. I just have too much fun flying the small aircraft too.  I also like the Beechcraft Kingair and the old aircraft like the 727 and 707.  Also I enjoy flying the A2A Boeing 377.

That ACE yoke does look good and the price seems right too.  I got on their website and tried to buy that clipboard for the 737 yoke, but there purchasing feature wasn't working.

What do you mean by making "deadspots".  Did you just do that in FSUIPC?

[Driver170 42]

Yeh peter is great once i'm ready for the FDS full setup i just have to give him a message. Also i'm limited with space so i wont be getting the FDS shell because it can't be modified, but be going to flybycockpits for there shell as they are modifying it for my space!

 

Yeh through FSUIPC. Just when you return the ACE yoke to the centre sometimes doesn't match the NGX, so creating a bigger centre spot on the ACE yoke gives a better match with the NGX yoke back to centre (ailerons)