"Breadboarding" Complete

It has been a few weeks since the last post but I have actually been busy integrating the console hardware and getting the software up and running on the VATSIM (Virtual Air Traffic Control) network. I flew an IFR winter weather flight from KPWM (Portland,Me) to Boston Logan yesterday with real winter weather simulation and a rapidly dropping low pressure area that dumped a bunch of snow here. Everything worked great (Love that simulated known icing gear on the Beech Baron)

Next is to move the "breadboard" arrangement into the cockpit layout..

Testing the Computer Hardware with Four Monitors in FSX

Finally got all of the computer and display hardware and I have spent the last week testing various window configurations and it looks pretty good so far.. This is all setting on the bench testing but I will be integrating the GOFLIGHT console next.. See the little video below.

Construction Progress....

The Controls and Console construction is essentially complete with only final fitting and adjustment of the positoins for the controls and seat left to do.   I have also fired up the new computer, loaded FSX and am starting to experiment on the exact view configurations that I want on the four monitors.  I have all of the hardware except the additional graphics card and smaller two monitors.. all which should be here next week.. I am liking what I am seeing..

The Construction Begins.

I finally got enough of the pieces to start the seat and controls construction.   The rest of the parts are all on the way from one source or another.  Most of the computer and monitor parts are coming from EBAY transactions.  Once I get the controls and the control console I will finish up the seat and controls frame..

Stay Tuned......

Console Close - Up

This is a more detailed picture of the cockpit console with the throttle quadrant, Flap / Gear module, Autopilot Module and Radio Modules

Howie's view of the WilleySim

My good friend Howie thinks that my simulator project will take more room than I really have in the shop.  Here is his view of the project.......

SimSeat Design

OK, I have made some progress on the seat and controls mount design. This design was done in Google Sketchup again.  The frame is designed with 2 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe and the real seat (not this one)  is a passenger seat out of a Honda Accord.  The seat has integral rails so it will be able to adjust forward and backward in addition to reclining.   The console is the Go Flight console with the radio, autopilot, Throttle Quadrant, Flaps, Gear controls etc.  The yoke and rudder peddals are Saitek. I hope to have some actual pictures of the construction of this in the next week or so after I receive some of the other parts...

This set of modules will then fit inside the flight simulator housing shown in earlier blog posts.  The total cost of this seat design including all of the PVC pipe parts, mounts and seat itself (less the controls) is under $100.00.

Seat and Controls Frame

I have started the design of the pilot's seat and frame and mount for the yoke control and rudder peddals. I will post some pictures of this part of the project in a day or so......

Cockpit Design Evolution

The Cockpit design is evolving and Here is a little video that shows the current state of the design. If you have any comments, I would be interested in them...

Testing Multiple Screens on FSX

One of the things I did last weekend was take the Demo version of Flight Simulator X and configure it to run on multiple monitors on my office computer. I dont plan to use this hardware set up for the real thing, but was very pleased at how well FSX performed. I have a Radeon 2400 card in this computer and usually use two monitors for my work. One driven off of the Analog port and one off of the digital port.

Check out the video to see for yourself. I am flying the pattern at Princess Juliana Intl airport in the Nether Antilles.. The airplane is a Beech Baron twin.

Simulator Hardware.

There are several companies that make hardware that connects to the computer simulation to enhance the reality. I will be using panel modules from Go Flight.

http://www.goflightinc.com/order/index.php

Here are pictures of the Gear, Flap, Trim module and the Autopilot module. These will fit in the center console shown in the cockpit overview.

The Design Phase....

I have several objectives for this project

• Finding an interesting project to take up the Maine Winter



• Learning what the current state of the art is in Simulator Technology for the Home User



• Designing a comfortable and realistic cockpit environment to enhance the experience



• Sharing that experience with others.......
  

I started sketching the design in Google Sketch-Up and have come up with some workable first models. I will be using multiple flat screens and hardware from GO FLIGHT so I have some basic idea of what will be in the cockpit.