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Thread: Commercially made, or custome home made simulator setups

  1. #1

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    Commercially made, or custome home made simulator setups

    Anyone delve into this sort of thing at home?
    http://www.pilotmall.com/product/Fli...kpit+Spotlight

    How about some pics and info on your home-based setups?

  2. #2
    Jim Rosenow's Avatar
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    I have commenced 'delving' within the last little while. I currently have an FSX set-up with a couple instrument panel/outside monitors and smaller one for the radio stack/kneeboard/gps etc sitting on a table. Saitek yoke, throttle quad, and pedals...pretty generic. Will try to add a pic after a bit.

    When I read your post I was taking (interpolating) measurements out of the C182 parts catalog to start a more immersive build. My goal is to copy as best I can our personal a/c panel, using IC boards to power the correct-type (but non-aviation) switches in the correct locations, etc. It's going to be an intense learning experience, but should be fun. Nice thing is I already have spousal 'buy-in', which will help a lot.

    Anybody got an unairworthy nekkid 182 front section they'd sell for scrap price? :-)

    Oh...ref your link...are you aware that price listed is just for the panel? Each of the Saitek units (individual instruments, radio, switch panel) are in the $120-150 range. Nice stuff, but pricey!!

    Jim
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    Last edited by Jim Rosenow; 12-30-2013 at 03:59 PM. Reason: add pic

  3. #3

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    I did see that was just the stamped metal panel only.
    That's what got me curious to see if anyone had a setup like that, or something similar.
    I still use the old Micro$oft force feedback joystick for my flying.
    Single monitor, or lately, just the laptop, and plenty of patience.
    I figured I'd be moving eventually, and never set my tower back up.
    I'll throw something together, when I get moved, and resettled, again.
    I like people's good old fashioned ingenuity, and creativity, as well.
    It's interesting to see what people devise, to recreate the cockpit environment.

  4. #4
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Years ago, Boeing used to sell its old stuff at a Surplus Store. I picked up a 727 copilot seat for about $40, and an "autopilot formation stick" for another $25 (basically an analog joystick used in B-17s).

    I fiddled with the linkages and such and got all the controls on the seat working (height, back tilt, fore-aft, etc.), and my wife did new upholstery for it. The seat had a square notch in the base to clear the yoke, and I was able to mount the joystick there.

    Had to gin up an analog to digital converter, but was able to use the seat with a VIC-20 and C-64 flight simulator (early '80s).

    Have a photo somewhere of the combination, but can't find it. The seat is at the hangar, the stick is with my aviation collection (stick photo is attached).
    Name:  stick.jpg
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    Did a search, notice these sticks are selling for over $300 now....

    Ron Wanttaja

  5. #5
    Jim Rosenow's Avatar
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    Ahhh, Ron...the Vic and Commodore times! :-) Back then if you had a computer, you were a programmer by definition. Remember when they used to put hard copies of computer programs in magazines, etc? Type everything into your computer, save it on a floppy, and IF you typed everything 100% correctly, you would have a new program to run. Times have changed!!! Your rig was a super-cool (and quite ingenious, I might add) set-up for the time....excellent!

    Jim

  6. #6
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Rosenow View Post
    Ahhh, Ron...the Vic and Commodore times! :-) Back then if you had a computer, you were a programmer by definition. Remember when they used to put hard copies of computer programs in magazines, etc? Type everything into your computer, save it on a floppy, and IF you typed everything 100% correctly, you would have a new program to run. Times have changed!!!
    There's a "Three Yorkshiremen" Monty Python skit, just aching to be let out, here....

    I see Ebay has a C-64 Flight Simulator, new in box, for just $300! You could re-create the fun of the old days!

    http://tinyurl.com/oh59dsk

    (BTW, take a close look at the writing on the white area on the front of the box...)

    Ron Wanttaja

  7. #7
    Mayhemxpc's Avatar
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    Hal,

    Mostly I am posting this because I don't want to see the subject area die for inattention.

    a couple of things,

    1. I don't aspire to any great near certifiable set up, but something more along the picture Jim Rosenow posted, using one monitor for the instrument panel and my overhead (home theater) projection screen in the basement for the outside world. Using an older CPU that I use for nothing else with Saitek controls (Cessna yoke) on a mobile cart. I don't fly real IFR often enough and I think that the use of FSX is a good procedures trainer. Gets me ready for an IPC or to make good use of actual flight time with a safety pilot. This works even better with the FSD O-2A, which by pure serendipity is supposed to be my very own airplane. (The power management instruments are in the wrong place, but I can open the right panel up as a separate windows and drag them where they are supposed to be.) For CAP flying I can use or X-Plane 10 with the G-1000 simulator running on my iPad. Right now, however, I only have CH yoke and rudder pedals. Nice, but not quite nice enough. Is there any advice to what I need to get where I want to go? The polar vortex has kept me on the ground much more than I would like, so I have at least the equivalent of what I would have spent flying to go into the set up.

    2. Every year, we run a FS clinic for the CAP. We get several guys to bring their stuff in, set it up for the Cadets, pair them up with an IP, and give them a once around the pattern. Probably the most useful AE class they have all year. Definitely one of the most fun, according to exit polls. Once again, it seems to really help them to get ready for their next orientation ride. (Laptops are a plus here, for ease of set up and take-down)

    3. X-plane says that their program is used by Scaled Composites. Interesting, but I do not know how true that is. Does anyone else know? I do know that X-plane does not model decrease in engine power with altitude. I had some email exchanges with the developer about that. It makes me wonder how useful the program is to real world airplane design. Has anyone on this forum ever modeled their EA-B airplane with X-Plane in the design phase?

    Chris Mayer
    www.o2cricket.org

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