Survey research - Cockpit projects

Hi,

I thought it would be interesting and immensely helpful to find out which systems, software and hardware people have in building their sims. I know if I just create a list, others will come back and tell me I've forgotten to ask about X or Y. So this thread is about brainstorming a list of sim components which will be used in a future survey on this forum.

Please consider the following components, and suggest new ones to add as appropriate. Don't actually provide your sim details at this point, as it will be covered by a future survey when all the question components are finalized.

Why am I doing this? Well because I know the frustration I experienced when I started building, and found out the costs of software like Project Magenta. It will be useful to the community to find out what people are using, whether they hand made a panel or bought it from a supplier, and provide some quick alternatives for builders like myself.

I'm sure I've missed many vital components, but that's the point of this pre-survey brainstorm, and why it's important that you respond if I missed something.

Remember, at this point, please make suggestions only for additional components to add to the lists below, NOT responses to the components below. Thank you.

Software

Main simulator
Instruments controller (if applicable)
FMC controller (if applicable)
ATC system
Multi-system interface (e.g. FSUIPC, WideFS)
Other equipment controller (e.g. Weather Radar)
Aircraft add-on
Scenery add-on
Other add-on (e.g. sound packages, special effects)
Flight planning

Hardware

Panels
Throttle Quadrant
Rudder
Control column / Joystick
FMC Hardware
Seats
Instrument and pedestal support structure
Outside sim shell
Cockpit lighting
Location of sim (e.g. basement, garage, bedroom)

Electronics, visual and sound

Visuals - front, side, other
Sound system
Projector screen (if applicable)
Replica analogue instruments (if applicable)
Instrument LCDs / CRTs (if applicable)
Radio / NAV (if applicable)
Autopilot unit (if applicable)

Mechanics

Motion platform (if applicable)

Computer system

Main sim
Supplementary systems

Under the pit structure you might want to research:

Ventilation
Fire Protection (real)


Under computers you might want to add:

network switch/hub
network speed / format

On the hardware section you might want to add:

Footprint of whole sim project (how much floor space)
Height of whole sim project (what is the ceiling height requirement)

And related.........

Single pilot
Dual Pilot
2 Pilots and flight engineer/jump seat
Additional passengers


best,

................john

And under Lighting ,Visuals, and Sound...

MIP, Overhead, and other annunciators.

Voltage busses used.

Under hardware, (maybe a sub-catagory of panels)

Simulated or real panels.

Modified or unmodified (used as-is)

And you might add motion to the list as well since there are a few of us doing that also.