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Thread: Generic cockpit

  1. #1
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    Generic cockpit

    Hi!

    I would like to know or ask everybody their opinion on a generic cockpit building.
    By generic, I mean that it will not be a copy of any real plane cockpit.

    I want to know which are the most important controls that I could include on such cockpit (panel) and how should I group them.

    I will use the keyboard chip method combined with momentary to toggle switches method.

    And finally, if someone has some drawings on this subject and wants to share the knowledge please do so.

    Thank you!
    Zoli@RO

  2. #2
    75+ Posting Member ruprecht's Avatar
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    I have a generic cockpit based on the Akers Barnes portable cockpit. This is a great way to start as it is modular.

    Think about what all aircraft panels have in common - the "basic six", fuel, engine gauges, etc. Many switches are common across multiple aircraft types - landing gear, flaps, pitot heat, etc.

    My approach was to choose some very different aircraft that I have an interest in flying: the C172 and SF260 bugsmashers, the Baron and King Air twins, the F-16 and F/A-18 miljets and the Tiger/KA50 helos. I looked at the cockpits of all of those and identified the common elements, and am building those first. I started with flight controls (HOTAS and yoke/quadrant) and continue to add things as and where they are useful to the majority of those types.

    good luck!

  3. #3
    2000+ Poster - Never Leaves the Sim Trevor Hale's Avatar
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    Hi, and welcome to Mycockpit.

    There is such a plethora of information on this site regarding Generic simulators.

    Much research is required, as only you know what you want and what you don't want.

    The following is my recommendation of required systems.

    Autopilot Panel
    Throttle Quadrant
    Radio's
    Control systems
    instrumentation
    FMC/CDU

    Have a look in the photo gallery, you can take ideas from any of the photo's you see there. There are literally thousands of photo's.

    And if you still have no idea. In the download section, you will find dimensions for many aircraft, however only you know how much space you have to work with.

    Best regards,

    Trev
    ________________________
    Trevor Hale

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    1000+ Poster - Fantastic Contributor AndyT's Avatar
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    Ok, first off, what kind of plane?

    Small planes?
    Small Twins?
    Small Jets?
    Big Jets?
    Helicopters?
    Fighter Jets?

    Or a mix of all the above?
    God's in command, I'm just the Pilot.
    http://www.geocities.com/andytulenko/

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    Thank you all for such quick responses.
    I will take a look at the download area for dimensions and examples.
    I was also thinking about the fact that there are lots of similarities between different planes. I can see some problems with:
    - multiple engines vs one engine;
    - propeller vs jet;

    All the best!
    Zoli

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    For AndyT:

    All of them except helicopters maybe.
    I'm not so interested in combining planes with helicopters.

    Have a nice day,
    Zoli

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    1000+ Poster - Fantastic Contributor AndyT's Avatar
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    Well the easy answer to get you started is you will need everything you find in a Cessna and more. So inventory one in your sim ( FS9 or FSX ) and begin from there. Then add a half pedestal and an overhead and your in business.

    Make your Throttle assembly removeable so you can swap it out for different kinds of planes.
    God's in command, I'm just the Pilot.
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    500+ This must be a daytime job Jackpilot's Avatar
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    Zoli

    I agree that an airplane is an airplane. A747 flies according to the same principles than a cessna 150. The airplane...Not the way the pilot flies it..
    If you want to try them all from your cockpit you may, but will only scratch the surface of what each of them can or should do. And you may get bored very fast.
    It takes a whole life/career to master different types of airplane in a real flying environnement, usually climbing the ladder from a single piston engine AC to a four engine Jetliner. To fly each of them safely, one has to know (and remember) all the systems, subsystems, performance data, speeds, procedures, limits etc..which is part of the fun and very rewarding. Getting those numbers right on a stabilized approach and feeling the airplane fly itself to a smooth touchdown is more of a thrill than pushing the Appr switch on the Autopilot.
    Back to your question, the concept of "generic" is great because, if flying is more important than building, you will fly sooner (and cheaper). But I do not think that a somewhat realistic generic sim can encompass all the types of airplanes available with FS. You may have to narrow your choice to be able to fully enjoy this great hobby.
    The cockpit can be as generic as you want but the flying cant..

    Just my 2 cents because I do sit in my sim for 6 +hours when I do the Atlantic!! even broadcasting my lat long reporting points on an "ultra-generic" HF radio to Gander or Shannon!!...which may totally distort my judgment and sanity on what is realistic and what's not !!
    Cheers and welcome to the club!
    Jackpilot
    B737-700 Posky
    FS9/P.Magenta
    without PMSystem

  9. #9
    300+ Forum Addict mauriceb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jackpilot View Post

    Just my 2 cents because I do sit in my sim for 6 +hours when I do the Atlantic!! even broadcasting my lat long reporting points on an "ultra-generic" HF radio to Gander or Shannon!!...which may totally distort my judgment and sanity on what is realistic and what's not !!
    Cheers and welcome to the club!
    You do that??? I once asked the same question to Tim and he also said he sat there all the time even on very long flights. If I have to sit longer than ~ one hour, I have suicidal thoughts about the money I have already spent on this contraption just so I can monitor a few gauges, look at the nice FSX scenery and wait until I have something to do when I land. .

    But to get back on topic, I have now completely changed my mind & now I think a generic sim is the way to go if you really enjoy the flying part. Especially with FSX I think you can have a lot of fun flying the different adventures low & slow, high & fast, right side up or upside down, propeller or jet or heli or whatever suits your particular mood that day.

    I know this is not being a purist and I do understand your point about acquiring flying expertise in one particular type, but if that is not the main objective, I think a generic, adaptable sim is definitely the way to go in my books. As much as I enjoy the 737, I wish I could just skim the tree tops in an amphibian or loop the loop in a decathlon or whatever else. I can still do these things in my sim, but it really feels like overkill to have all this hardware when I'm flying an ultralight.

    And yes, I do appreciate the fact that you can get quite busy if you fly a jet and you follow all the checklists, procedures etc and in that case, you really need a co-pilot as things can get quite hectic. I don't dispute this can be fun too, but in my books, if I were to do it all over again, I would go totally generic and enjoy all types of flying machines

    Maurice

  10. #10
    2000+ Poster - Never Leaves the Sim Michael Carter's Avatar
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    Different folks want different things out of their sim. You all know where my passion lies and I wouldn't have it, or want it, any other way.

    I want to do all of the busy work, the flying departures & approaches, SID's & STAR's (correctly, or as correctly as I can), the nav problems, etc. I'm not a button pusher, or a babysitter.

    I still enjoy a hop in the 206 occasionally, but then I'm back to desktop flying, but still it's fun for awhile, but not like flying the 727.
    Boeing Skunk Works
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