qestion for expert builders????

[spiro]

hi all just doing some reserch on sim pit building and i have some qestion for those that have a sim allredy working(even if some things are missing)the qestions are for sims with out moving platforms
qestions
1.how much has it cost up to know
2.on a scale of 100% were are you
3.HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU
4.dose it work with out troubels every time or are there problems
5.are your hard were from one supplyer
6.what addon softwere do you use
these are some qestions that if you guys whant to shere i would like to know
because i am a bit troubeled at the moment about some of my reserch
and whant an opinion of those that were onece were i am know
thanks

[warvet]

Spiro,
Just a small tip, your questions are excellent and many builders here are more than qualified to answer them and would be more than happy to share their experience with you...however seeing as you have titled this post "Question for expert builders" you leave them in abit of a situation where they feel that answering your post, may appear egocentric and arrogant to others, because to answer you they must technically be blowing their own horn by calling themselves "EXPERT BUILDERS". Even though to me and alot of others there are many expert builders here, you may find a more diverse result for your questions if you retitle your post to say, "New Builder wishing to benefit from others Experience" something like that should be alot more beneficial Im sure.This is just my thoughts mind you and I certainly do not speak for anyone else.

Regards and good luck
Tim

[JBaymore]

First of all and as mentioned above I am not an EXPERT builder by any means. Just a hacker that is plodding away at making this "As Real As It ....can be given my budget and skills".

1.how much has it cost up to know

More than I care to think about. Many thousands of US $. The simple Goflight hardware that I have in the pit might be pushing $1500 alone. Add many Phidgets modules, usb hubs, and so on. TONS of wire and solder. Couple of Hagstrom KE-72s. Projector for almost $800. And so on. Then the simple shell......which was actually the cheap part.

2.on a scale of 100% were are you

About 50% in my general current concept of the finished project. But likely it will NEVER be finished... 'cause as I get further along the build, I will want to redo some aspect done long ago.... because I now know I can do it better. Or some hardware/software came along that will allow me to do it better.

3.HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU

I'm on about year 5 or so of this project. But I get time to work on it only sporadically.... the real world gets in the way a LOT.

4.dose it work with out troubels every time or are there problems

The *%$#@ smulator software does not work 100% of the time...... so NO... there are often problems. 90% of my issues come as a result of "Microsoft Flight Simulator has experience a problem and needs to close. We are sorry........."

Occasionally you will get a "real" simulated failure. These are the best part of a simpit. Some hardware or software component actually DOES fail for real....and you have to then trouble shoot the "aircraft" sort of for real in the middle of a simulated flight.

5.are your hard were from one supplyer

I have hand built a lot of my stuff. Other commercial stuff is from Goflight, Hagstrom, Phidgets, etc. So no, not tied to one supplier.

6.what addon softwere do you use

I'm using FS2004 with registered FSUIPC and WideFS, Ellie Avionics Systems glass, FSXpand, SAWXR, PMSounds, Teamspeak, FS2Phidget, RealATIS, AIBridge, WeeTunesBeastie, FS Genesis mesh for the whole world, Roads Rivers, and Streams, NuRoad Paver, GroundEnvironment Pro, Flight Environment, Activesky 6.5, Aerosoft AES services (don't leave home without it) and a scad of paware airport scenery by FLyTampa, FSDreamteam, Overland, and so on.



Hope that helps.

best,

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

[ivar hestnes]

You dont mention what kind of project you want to build. But I assume that a 737 perspective will do.

I dont want to call myself an expert builder. But have a good simulator running absolutely all right, even some items are still missing. But since you ask for answer from expert builder, I assume you are going the realistic as absolutely possible route on your project. Exact cost on my project I will keep for myself. I could get robbed

1: You calculate all the items that you will order. panels, yokes, projectors and that kind of stuff, and at the end of your list you probably need to double your calculated price. Because you need to add screws, wood, computers, bits and pieces. Lot more than people realize at the planning. It will get expensive.

2. Very close to 100%. My front windows are a bit wide, and my sidewall interior is a little wide on the top surface. Build by available measurments and pictures. Thats the way to go. (EDIT: Maybe you mean scale of finished simulator? If so I would say 70%. But I will never get 100% satisfied. Have already started drawing on a new TQ, and this never ends, lol).

3. So far I have been building for 2 year and maybe 9 months. Probably between 2500 and 3000 hours in hobbyroom. Before that planning for several months.

4. There are some issues. No big deals. Some programs need to be restarted after everything is running. Thats about it. Some functionality is not perfect yet, but will get there with time.

5. I base my project with as much as possible from one supplier. You will get a customer relationship which is valuable during the build, and parts that are ment to work together. For example, same type of backlighting on the panels. But no supplier have it all, so there will be some stuff from here and there.

6. I assume that you mean software which has a reason for the cockpit project. I have project magenta suite, fsuipc + wideFS, TSR boeing737ng package, and TSR 737 cockpit systems which is almost mandatory for checking functions in a simple way. FDS interfaceIT for interfacing and some phidgets + a leo bodnar card that arrived today.

Still running fs9 on winXP. Addons: Norway airports + scenery, FSglobal (mesh), Ground environment, ultimate terrain, flight environment, some airports and activesky. And worldwide coverage with AI, slider at 100% on AI.

This is running on a 5 year old p4 3,6 computer with 7800gt gfx card. Locked and Stable at 20 fps. down to 16-17 on heathrow with typical british weather. (grey and rainy, lol).

Hope this can help answer some of your questions. Dont hesitate to ask for more

[Jackpilot]

Spiro,
As far as I remember you want to build a Classic 747.
Fine
You do not need Project Magenta.
You might first concentrate on the software part, which will allow you to visualize what it takes to make a nice realistic panel. And find out if it is doable to your liking before investing massively in hardware for that very specific type of Airliner.
1) buy a real good powerful computer with a multi head video card, as you will probably run a one computer cockpit, at first. Add a joystick with loads of buttons and cheap pedals.
2) buy 2 big wide flat screens for captain and center instruments (FO will come later) and one for the outside view (any size)
3) Start to build your "soft " panel, meaning finding all the gauges you need (check www.reality-xp.com , Avsim library, etc.. and have them show on your 2 widescreens..

Remember that all these gauges can be moved around and resized according to your final layout, with the help of some third parties software or by playing with the panel.cfg.


This will take a few months and a couple of thousand dollars and you will be able to fly the machine, enjoy it and start planning "hard"construction around that first step.

To answer your questions:
I spent between 5 and 10K
Completion is 60%
Has been on for more than 5years
There are always some bugs on the way
Parts come from one main and a few other suppliers (including real aerospace)
No addon except PM.


My 2 cents from a vaguely experienced builder.(lol)

[spiro]

thanks guys you are alot of help and yes jack i am duilding a 747 classic
but i have been serching and serching for info i have nearly all of the construction meserments i just got my7 segment displays,rotary switches,encorders and lots of toge switchs and bits and peces at the moment i am stuk with two things
1.is the pc and stuff i have heard so many diffrent opinions i really dont know what to do the only thing that is the 19"monitors for cap f/o and engine instruments than there is a black out!!!!!
and 2 is the panels trying to make them backlighted for that i am trying to fix them on coraldraw and maybe send them to hisapanel to be made
your info was great and very usefal
p.s. the expert builders that i wrote so i am not misstaken i mean that the work and the pits i have seen on this site i see them very profecinal and good work thats the way i see them an thats what i mean expert

[Michael Carter]

hi all just doing some reserch on sim pit building and i have some qestion for those that have a sim allredy working(even if some things are missing)the qestions are for sims with out moving platforms
qestions
1.how much has it cost up to know
2.on a scale of 100% were are you
3.HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU
4.dose it work with out troubels every time or are there problems
5.are your hard were from one supplyer
6.what addon softwere do you use
these are some qestions that if you guys whant to shere i would like to know
because i am a bit troubeled at the moment about some of my reserch
and whant an opinion of those that were onece were i am know
thanks

If I were an expert I'd be working for Boeing!

To answer your questions:

1.) Maybe $5-$6K and that might be stretching a bit. And then again it might be a lot more than that too. I don't keep track of what I spend on the sim. I don't really want to know what the total is. My only concern is do I have enough money for the next piece or project.

2.) A lot farther along than a year ago at this time. For what I'm trying to replicate, I'd say 85-90%, but 100% enjoyable. Still need two more computer systems, an additional monitor, O2 mask, ADF radio, one Comm radio.

3.) So far, five years this month. If you hadn't asked this question I wouldn't have realized it was my five-year anniversary this month.

4.) There are always problems. The problems always get solved one way or another in time. So far, I haven't had any problems I couldn't solve. Knock knock knock.

5.) No.

6.) DF727, Richard Probst 727 engine guages, Ultimate Terrain Europe, Mega-Heathrow, Mega-Frankfurt, German Airports 1, German Airports Köln, Fly Tampa Vienna, Free CDG (Paris), FSUIPC, WidevieW, freeware cabin announcements, 3GB resource switch for XP.