Cessna 172 Sim

G'day everyone,

I am a student pilot flying Cessna 172S's. I fly both the steam and glass cockpit versions. I know that I must be part of the minority that like to fly the G1000, but I guess that if everyone one here actually flew the G1000 in real life they would find it far superior to the steam gauges.

For a few years now I have been wanting to take my flight simulator experience further. As much as I would love to build a 737 simulator I realize that it is too expensive and time consuming. So I have been contemplating about building a cessna 172 simulator.

What I would really like to build is a is a rather accurate simulation of 172 with G1000 avionics. G1000 seems a bit far fetched though, after reading other posts. I will not be building a full shell, just the MIP due to space constraints.

I do have a few questions:
1. What would be a good software for G1000 gauges? Please don't tell me project magenta as they are already way out of my budget.
2. Would it be OK to use 2 18" screens instead of 2 10.4" screens as the 10.4 are extremely expensive. The larger screens would just be placed behind the normal sized bezels. The only problem I find with that is that there would be a rather big gap between the MIP and the screens due to the buttons and rotaries.
3. I already have the saitek switch panel. Could I possibly take it apart, replace the switches with toggle switches and extend the cables to reach where they need to go.
4. What aircraft should I use for the 172 simulation. Like the default, flight 1 172N ect. ??
5. Am I absolutely retarded about wanting the make a G1000 cockpit?

Looking forward to your answers and ideas. I am sure I have many more questions but it has been my first week back at school and I dead tired.

Cheers,
Ollie

Take a look at my blog, I'm building a G1000 equipped C182. I use Flight1's C182T which has an almost fully functioning G1000. Not sure if you can use the gauges with any other aircraft.

http://al3x-foster.tumblr.com/

Alex

Ollie,

Welcome to the GA ranks. For answers to your questions:


1. What would be a good software for G1000 gauges? Please don't tell me project magenta as they are already way out of my budget. Not sure, as I am building the steam version
2. Would it be OK to use 2 18" screens instead of 2 10.4" screens as the 10.4 are extremely expensive. The larger screens would just be placed behind the normal sized bezels. The only problem I find with that is that there would be a rather big gap between the MIP and the screens due to the buttons and rotaries.It is yours, do what you want to do. Many people have built steam gauge panels with instruments projected by an lcd screen behind the panel. They just make the bezels deeper, so the monitors are set back a little from the panel.
3. I already have the saitek switch panel. Could I possibly take it apart, replace the switches with toggle switches and extend the cables to reach where they need to go. Probably, you never know till you try, although I might consider ebaying your existing unit, and using the proceeds to buy a more suitable card and the switches you actually want to use. Again, your call. The Saitek unit is just probably just switches attached to a usb inteface card. If they are soldered directly to a board, you will have more problems than if they are just wired to it. Wires are easy to extend. Desoldering, not so easy. Not Rocket Surgery, but not as simple.
4. What aircraft should I use for the 172 simulation. Like the default, flight 1 172N ect. ??Whichever you like best. I am flying mostly the default 172, it works fine for me.
5. Am I absolutely retarded about wanting the make a G1000 cockpit? Nope. It is probably easier than building gauges. Wish that I wanted to build a glass cockpit, it would be easier and far cheaper.

Reid

Hey guys,

With a quick look on ebay I have found some 10.4 inch VGA monitors (with mainboard) for $101 and free shipping which I find to be quite reasonable. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VGA-AV-Ke...ht_6729wt_1163

As for the G1000 software I would like to use the Mindstar Aviation G1000 panels. The only problem I can find so far is I don't think I can assign buttons and rotaries with it, but I will look further into it.

What do you think?

Ollie

G'day everyone,
I've had a look at the Flight1tech G1000 standalone gauge and it seems interesting, a possible contender for my gauge software.
Has anyone here had any experience with this software? What are your thoughts on it?

Cheers,
Ollie

Have you seen the panels from www.scflightpanels.com.au ? They look very impressive with an attractive price too!!!
Cheer Gwyn
Aerosim Solutions

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Westozy

Have you seen the panels from www.scflightpanels.com.au ? They look very impressive with an attractive price too!!!
Cheer Gwyn
Aerosim Solutions

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Ah yes, forgot about them. There panels do look fantastic, and as you said, at a very great price. The SPC102 does fancy me, but I would really like the G1000 in my sim. A few of their other panels do have the avidyne system, but as I am a 172 student they won't do it for me.
Will look in to it, and have tried to contact them but it came up with an error for some reason.
If anyone else has any insight on their panels, would be greatly appreciated if you could care to share your information.

Cheers,
Oliver

FYI, the real G1000 uses a 1024x768 display and you'll have problems with that 800x600 display if you're running any of the G1000 emulators as I think they all run at 1024x768.

g.

Hi Ollie,

Check out our project. It's steam/servo gauge based. You might get some inspiration and ideas.

http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/kuvat/

http://www.lentosimulaattori.com/index-eng.html

BR,
OP