Home cockpit VS VR

[jt233 12]

Hello, so I have always dreamed of building a home cockpit either for the 747 or the F/A-18. However, from what I have read online people say that VR is so much more immersive compared to a home cockpit, and I am wondering how that can be true. I have seen people with fully detailed cockpit with every button and I think have the physical touch of pressing buttons would be better, and I've seen screen which warp the cockpit to give the 360 look.

So is Cr really more immersive even though you aren't touching physical buttons?

[hs118 733]

Check out Russ Barlow on youtube. 

Russ Barlow - YouTube

Edited January 1 by hs118

[Ident 205]

I have both and use both and it really comes down to a few things. Will the flight be IFR or VFR, how complex is the plane you are flying? I find a nice simpit is great for IFR and a more complex plane. Especially if you want to use navaids and charts and unable to bring them into VR. On the other hand, a less complex plane in VFR with a beautifully made v/c is such a great experience.

I find flying Helos really can only be fully enjoyed in VR.

Back when VR started and we had to use FlyInside to get a great VR experience bc native VR was horrible, you had to commit to VR for the whole flight. Now, you can jump in and out of VR with native VR support. You wont get a better landing than landing in VR because you have a real sense of depth. Ideally you can use both and thats what I used to do. Startup from Cold and Dark in 2D, jump into VR for departure if flying VFR, go 2D in cruise and then back to VR on approach until shutdown. For IFR, I would jump into VR after I was cleared to land and had the runway insight or when I was completely setup with my final approach checklist being complete.

Hope this helps.

[Lord Farringdon 643]

On 1/4/2024 at 9:27 AM, Ident said:

I have both and use both and it really comes down to a few things. Will the flight be IFR or VFR, how complex is the plane you are flying? I find a nice simpit is great for IFR and a more complex plane. Especially if you want to use navaids and charts and unable to bring them into VR. On the other hand, a less complex plane in VFR with a beautifully made v/c is such a great experience.

I find flying Helos really can only be fully enjoyed in VR.

Back when VR started and we had to use FlyInside to get a great VR experience bc native VR was horrible, you had to commit to VR for the whole flight. Now, you can jump in and out of VR with native VR support. You wont get a better landing than landing in VR because you have a real sense of depth. Ideally you can use both and thats what I used to do. Startup from Cold and Dark in 2D, jump into VR for departure if flying VFR, go 2D in cruise and then back to VR on approach until shutdown. For IFR, I would jump into VR after I was cleared to land and had the runway insight or when I was completely setup with my final approach checklist being complete.

Hope this helps.

Jeez, why not both. I mean you are absolutely right, it does depend so much on the type of flying you are doing. But not all of us binary when it comes to this. I enjoy all flight experiences although I may specialise in only one or two.  In the old days, you know before VR was viable in flight simulation, a home cockpit was the only option. VR would have been useless anyway because of the lack of reference points, or other words the scenery was nothing to look at!. In contrast a homebuilt cockpit (even though it was incredibly difficult to build a realistic home cockpit unless you really were an electronics wizard), was probably the only way to get that real 'hands on feel'. 

Boy, how things have changed! 

VR really is an actual thing and is only going to get better by all accounts. LED glasses and 48GB of VRAM so I hear. 

Easily available support to VR with DOF reality motion platforms. 

The commercial availability of home cockpit parts and panels and even complete cockpit builds.

The advent of hobbyist CNC's, both drill and laser and 3D printers all coupled with 3D CAD/CAM design and manufacturing software means almost any home cockpit part can be made at home to near professional standards.

Home cockpit builds are easily supported with readily available electronics such as  Ardunio, Leo Bodnar, Mobiflight etc and associated simconnect software's like FSUIPC7, Axis+Ohs, LINDA and SPAD.Next.

But above all, MSFS 2020 (soon to be 2024 with even further enhancements), allows us to take advantage of the incredible scenery renditions that bring VR to life and the high standard of study level aircraft that make a home cockpit build a hugely anticipated and satisfying task. 

If you have room for a home cockpit and associated visuals, then it doesn't require much extra room or much setup for a motion platform and a pair of VR goggles. Then you have the best of both worlds. So, as I asked above. Why not both?

Of course time, money and space are what will invariably make the OP's choice and I have even mentioned a full motion DOF B737, or F18 home cockpit. What a wonderful time to be alive. 🙂 

 

Cheers

 

Terry 

 

         

Edited January 15 by Lord Farringdon