Sim Base - Trying to reduce size

Hi everyone,

I have a small problem. What I am trying to do is replicate the aircraft 99%. That 1% being that it doesnt fly in the real world.

I am looking to put FULL interior liners into the sim.

My problem is not so much the width but length.

I have a room that is 2.7 meters by 5 meters. The width of the sim takes up 4 meters which is monstrous but real. My problem is that the full length of the cockpit is 2.38 meters. That only leaves 32cm gap not including the visuals! Basically I would have no way to get into the sim!

What I am considering doing is chopping out some of the area between the last window and the front of the jump seat. I would still like to have the jump seats in there as I am looking to integrate the instructor station INTO the interior liners on the right.

I also would like to get an atc station set-up somewhere but that will be very hard with the size of this beast. I might have a temporary ATC station in a different room (or the same one if I have space) during the WorldFlight Event.

So, can I please hear some recommendations from you guys? I would love to see what other alternatives I have. I guess what I am looking to do is possibly go smaller from the 777 with the 787.

The one thing that I really wouldn't like to give up is the realism and so I really need to have the liners there.


Thanks,
Lewis

Lewis,

All the best to you and your plans but what may be in order here is to just have the MIP/Center Ped/Overhead for your pit until you get a bit older and have more room- I remember the room that you were showing us at one time and it was going to be a very tight fit. Of course, if you were interested in building the Learjet 45, you could build the entire thing at a much lower cost, but as Bob Reed always says, build the aircraft that you really want, even if it takes you 10 years to do it. The issue here besides money, is your available space. I would recommend against the 787, as there's just too much left that is unknown to the public about it right now, so if you're not building the aircraft that truly want to build, at least build one that you still like, but that is a more realistic goal, and able to attain in a shorter time span- at least that's what I would tell you.

It's awesome to build exactly what you want, and with enough time and money, possible. However, most builders have little patience for the time required for not so popular aircraft and of course, money doesnt grow on trees for most of us! :-)

Lewis
I agree with Eric and especially on the Start Somewhere with Something chapter..
You have been dreaming of, measuring and planning a Triple seven for years now (on various Forums) START building it, interior lining will come later, much later.
A 777 MIP and a Pedestal will keep you busy and happy for months...and will fit in your room.
Just make sure you can get them through the doors..when you move to larger premisses.
The 777 is a neat design...and everyone here will help you BUILDING it...just DO IT.

My 2cents worth of course!

Well,
I was thinking. right now i don't have space for a full size simulator (767)
but I do like flying and want to have a an enclosed cockpit to fly in, Im tired of sitting at a desk, and "flying"
But i do have room for a "fighter" style cockpit. so, thinking again, (will get me in trouble)
always loved WWII fighter/bombers and think i can get a "cockpit section" mockup of a single seat fighter or dive bomber. Leaning toward a SBD Dauntless Dive bomber.
So. maybe thats a route you may want to explore.
anyone else, have a WWII cockpit? I see most peeps have civilian, commercial, and modern military cockpits. just curious.
wouldn't be hard to to build, basically just find yourself some RC model plans of your favorite plane. blow up the rib sections, cut out. add your stringers, and cover. then all you have to do is build the insides. could even work on a sliding canopy.

http://membres.lycos.fr/wings2/3vues/sbd_1_3v.jpg

just a throttle and joystick, maybe a some simkits.or just a extra monitor. with a simple panels a seat. and some seat cushions. grab your Mae West. and off to the wild blue yonder. :)
hope this inspires.
Jason

If your going for a WWII fighter cockpit with simkits, you should use IL2 Sturmovick 1946 for your platform other than FS2004/FSX, you can actually dogfight or bomb other players online, its great fun and hard planes to fly too. either way good luck with your decision. As regarding offsets for IL2 I seen other people doing it on some forums but I cant remember where exactly.

Thanks for all your help guys.

Just to let you know, the room has changed. It is now 2.7 meters by 5.1 meters.

Lewis,

The simple way to fit it into a room (about 7 feet by 15 feet) is leave out everything behind the cockpit seats. Is it really important to have a jump seat that will go unused? Also, why have the instructor station inside the cockpit?

You can put the instructor station on the same computer system as the ATC your talking about in the other room. Your computers will be networked to each other and just use headphones (intercom) on the instructor station and in the cockpit. You'll have headphones there for the ATC anyway.

The instructor can do an excellent job from that location, and if he needs to set in the aircraft with you, he can set in FO's seat.

Finally, if I were you, I would decide on the materials to be used first. You not going to get a real cockpit shell in that room, so what will you use? Wood, sheet metal or plastic; is the cockpit to be built by you or a purchased mock up model?

Why do I ask? There are companies that make shells out of plastic/fiberglass and they come in sections you bolt together. Mainly, they're B737, but if you are really hard press to have the 777 or 787 and have the money, you could contact them and ask them to cut the sections differently. Thus, make the back sections you want as an add on later and just use the front sections. Of course you'll need a place to store the back ones.

The best suggestion for you is to go with a simple, more common, aircraft that has part availability and either start building or buy it. How much time have you waited to fly in the cockpit now? All that could have been flying time...

You know what, I am even selling my never used FDS B737 panels and stuff in the classifieds of this website; link is here:

http://www.mycockpit.org/Classifieds...8&limit=recent

This would give you a fast start would it not?

Good Luck,

John

Do you think I should just downgrade to the 737 then?

Lewis,

The B737 is about the most common aircraft in the simulator world and getting cockpit parts either real and after market type, like FDS or whatever, are so easy to get. Also, the real B727 aircrafts' parts can be used somewhat and they're easier to get.

So, it opens the door for more optons and cheaper prices. That 777 or 787 is not common, so the money is going to be more. The B737 is smaller in size and will fit your sim space easier.

Don't look at it as a downgrade, look at it as a smart decision based on cost, space and parts avalibility. That in the end makes you smarter by choosing the practical aircraft and it will surely give you more time to fly and less time building...

Good Luck,

John