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.