Hello from the UK

[GARich]

What a great little site!
I am a member of a small flight sim group based at an airfield in Norfolk (hint - check my user name!) where we are fortunate to have a couple of sims. One is a SimKits 172 build whilst the other is a custom conversion of an Enstrom.

We're one of the few groups based at a 'real' airfield and therefore benefit from access to pilot training if that's what we want, aviation banter in the club house, and generally a friendly atmosphere.

The Enstrom uses the original stick and collective and has an LCD monitor mounted centrally in the cockpit to display the panel with an array of switches mounted either side. A procector overhead provides the main display on a screen in front of the cockpit. We hope to replace the panel monitor with a touch screen unit.

The 172 was constructed with the view of providing a useful tool for flying club members to practice instrument approaches and the like. We currently have a single 22" LCD display while the panel has all the main instruments. Trim and flaps are provided by GoFlight's module. On the wish list are a suitable NAV/Coms unit, a sub panel to allow the system to be used as an unofficial procedural trainer, and improved display. Oh yes, and we might want to re-model the whole thing. No much there then!

Visitors and new members are welcome!

Rich
www.seething-airfield.com/sim/

[No Longer Active]

Hi there, im building the C182 at the moment, and has just completed the first stage of builing it, im building the panel that houses the avionics switches, throttle quad, trim, yoke, flaps switch and parking break, very nearly finnished that, i have a set of CH Products rudder pedals which goes with the CH Products Pro Yoke, wired up to FS2004/FSUIPC (just bought the the VFR scenery packs 1-4, on its way now, cant wait to arrive!), i have a dual core pc with 1024mb ati radeon graphics (3650 series) and like you has a 22" screen, would be nice to hear from you regarding your clubs sim etc as im in a similar boat to you, want to start ppl training soon so this flight sim im building will be excellent!

Great to have you onboard!

Stay in contact!

________________________________________________________________
Alex

AlexPilot2008

[GARich]

Good to hear from you Alex. You'll have to "pop in" one Saturday!

The club is one of only a handful in the UK which owns its own airfield and is volunteer run. Even the instructors are volunteers and therefore PPL training is very cheap having only annual membership and fuel to pay for. That said the airfield is only licenced on Saturdays so trainees can't expect to get passed out quickly. I dont have a PPL myself but I do get the occassional chance to take to the skies to try the real thing! It's the only thing to do if you get the opportunity!

Both our sims can run either FSX of 2004, we tend to stick with FSX for the Enstrom as the visuals are better on the big screen. The 172 generally runs with 2004 where it's easier to hide the onscreen panel. I also tend to use my Track IR which is essential when trying to fly circuits with only one monitor.

Cheers for now.

[No Longer Active]

Hi,

Yeah sounds good pal, my nearest flying club is at southend, infact there is 4 clubs on the airfield that shares everything with southend airport, theres a few jumbo's on the airside so its kind of weird seing a 707 and then a Cessna 172! A very ecletic mix of aviation on the field (including a vulcon!), im not too shure if my local airfield exepts volunteers but its a good idea though, would be good to swindle a free flight every now and again! im just spending my days saving for flying lessons or making switches for my sim! I would like to get FSX but not too sure how it would handle on my intel dual core pc, it only has 2 gig of ram, just that many people say quad cores work best with FSX so i dont know if my pc will struggle, anyway im enjoying FS2004 for the mean time!

Anyway stay in touch!

Alex