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  1. #1
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Hi there,

    Here are some 3D rendered images of my new Cessna Glass Cockpit project. The simulator is currently in the design phase (I still have a lot to do!) and I have been working on this for a number of months. The project will be using Project Magenta's GAGC software using 2 x 10.4inch LCD 800 x 600 resolution screens along with Leo Bodnar's circuit boards for switches and rotaries. I have stripped some of my old project for the Simkits parts to make up the standby intrument panel - not an easy decision to start all over again but I am hoping not make any silly mistakes with this project.

    These images are of the standby instrument panel and the circuit breaker panel.

    I have a new blog please visit my site if you're interested to find out more. I will try to keep it as updated as much as I can.

    http://cessnaglasscockpit.blogspot.com/

    Thanks

    Rhydian












  2. Thanks Joe Cygan, Matt Olieman thanked for this post
  3. #2
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Just a small progress update on the lighting panel. A couple more renders.

    Thanks

    Rhydian




  4. Thanks Matt Olieman thanked for this post
  5. #3
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    This is part of a smaller project focusing on the primary 6 instruments, a Saitek radio stack and couple of toggle switches. This is a smaller flight simulator for the desktop using parts of my old pit.

    more info on my blog

    www.cessnaglasscockpit.blogspot.com

    Rhydian



  6. #4
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Quick update on my Primary 6 project. You may notice that there is a Saitek Radio product that i am incorporating into my panel to save on some costs, rather then building my own unit.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__9E8h0v10e...-%2BSMALL.jpeg

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__9E8h0v10e...e+-+SMALL.jpeg

    The second image is a quick (and rather shoddy...sorry) join together of two images, hence why switches and gauges are going in all sorts of directions . But I wanted to see what the final unt will look like.

    Regards

    Rhydian
    Blog: www.cessnaglasscockpit.blogspot.com

  7. #5
    500+ This must be a daytime job Ronson2k9's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    That's very clever using the breaker panel as a way to add sim functions. I might suggest you take a look at a PIM I uploaded some time ago here. It's for the C206 but the cockpit is quite similar to the 172 and this PIM includes the Garmin 1000 (glass cockpit). What is the software you're using to do your renders with? I'm building (currently still designing as you are) the Cessna 206H Stationair (non glass though). Gotta walk before I can run kind of my thinking. As well bush planes are notorious for being a 'no frills' kind of flying. I am going to add the Garmin 530 (perhaps twin panel) along with a mix of LCD and physical gauges though.

    Just a thought you may want to consider carefully the controls (breaker) selection you place behind your yoke. I would pick the ones you are going to use but perhaps less then the ones you have easier access to. From an overall design standpoint I would exclude ones you aren't ever going to use. Your own sim experience will tell you what you really want to have.

    Cool progress on the design looking forward to updates.
    Up Up and away in my beautiful my beautiful - Amphibian

  8. #6
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Thanks for the kind words

    Well I thought I would never simulate the breakers so it seems a waste of buttons just sitting there doing nothing.

    I use Qcad Pro (vary basic CAD, but fine for what I am making that i bought for about £20) to make the panels. I then import it into Google Sketchup (Free) and then use a rendering engine called Kerkythea which is also free to make the final image. I use Gimp 2.6 photo manipulation program (yep you guessed it free again) to touch up the images with lettering and such. It's surprisingly a simple process even thogh it sound like a lot. It's certainly saved me money in the long run because I have picked up on some design flaws before i have cut anything. No wonder that modern aircraft are made using a computer. The benefits are huge.

    Cheers

    Rhydian

  9. #7
    500+ This must be a daytime job Ronson2k9's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    I use Blender for all my design work. It's a freeware 3D Design Studio. Does everything but there is a bit of learning curve for those that haven't used to it. I had once thought of making a Simpit kit for designing using blender. Objects like Knobs/Switches/Gauges and so on in a object layer and then you just copy and paste a panel together. It took me some time to get the stuff done I was doing though so I kind of passed on the kit idea. Blender isn't a CAD program per say. It's a design program so you are working in 'Blender Units' when designing. These can be what ever form of 'real world' measurement you like. It's all relative anyway.

    One of the things I did in blender. I only did a bit of post work (gimp) for image enhancement everything you see here came from Blender though (Text/Lighting/Shadows/Transparency).


    If you want to take a look at the software it's available here Get Blender. I use Gimp too. I do aircraft repaints with it now even. So I've become pretty used to Gimp.

    I'm a bit hung up doing the gauges right now. Don't know if I should go the full on look or just make placeholders for the gauges. As it's a design for building I need all the measurements and so on but on the other hand I'd love to see what it will look like when done. I'm hoping Steve will share his MIP frame design/photos. So I can get some thoughts on what would be good as a support for the MIP. In the beginning I wanted to make an enclosure but as I'm in an apartment now I have to think multitasking with the space I have available so I'm going more modular.

    Looking forward to seeing more of your design and construction work when get building.
    Up Up and away in my beautiful my beautiful - Amphibian

  10. #8
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    That looks great. I have tried Blender but as you mentioned the learning curve with any 3d program is fairly steep and unfortunatley I gave up on it. I was looking for something quick and easy, to see how pieces fit together and Sketchup seems to handle that pretty well.

    I know how you feel about lack of space for your project. I had to convince the wife that my Cessna wouldn't take much room in our house. It will probably take up most of our study. She's already complained about having to move the Saitek Yoke of the desk every time she want to use the computer, so I wonder how she will feel with a full size cockpit in her house!

    Cheers

    Rhydian

  11. #9
    25+ Posting Member RojanTrojan's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Assembled+Projec&#116.jpgAssembled+Projec&#116.jpgAssembled+Projec&#116.jpg

    An update on the housing for my Primary 6 project. I love MDF! I came up with this 3 spar system with aluminium rods binding it all together. It worked well for my last project so why change it.

    Rhydian
    www.cessnaglasscockpit.blogspot.com

  12. #10
    300+ Forum Addict Anderson/SBSP's Avatar
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    Re: Cessna 172 Glass Cockpit Simulator

    Hi, great work!!!

    You can send me the measures of MIP C172? Thanks.
    Anderson Roberto de Souza - Brazil / São Paulo
    Blog: www.737ngsim.com.br Twitter: @ARSouza

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