mostly 737's or 172's I see being built

[miloguy]

G'day guys,..sorry if in wrong place...

Is it just me or is it mostly 737's or 172's being built

I love the 208 b carvans ,but I cant see many if hardly any 208 panels..

I know there are probably more gauges and switches on the 208 panel ,
would I be able to use the 172 panels that I see advertised ??


I wouldn't mid doing something like this

http://www.flightsimstore.com/popup_...=2587&type=jpg


only not sure of the flight displays, I would prefer something closer to the real thing
and so you can say adjust your headings with the hsi for instance

any advice would be greatly appreciated

[flymo001]

G'day sport,
Ok....a few years ago 5-10 yrs, that statement of only 737's and 172's would have been about right.....BUT, nowdays, there is so much kit out there, tht you could....could build any panel and cockpit that you wished.
Could build.....well that depends on, as Ian Sissons once said to me when I first started........ COST / SKILL / TIME.
If you have the skill, and time, you can keep the costs down.
If you have not much skill, and little time, the costs will be high.
If you have some time, and some skill, costs will be a factor but not low or high.

If you can find measurements for the 208 panel, then make it out of either MDF or Aluminium.
1) Use this as a mask over an LCD/Flatscreen monitor, and adjust the guages to be seen through the mask.
or
2) Use ready built guages from:
2a) Saitek....as you have shown from Flightstore....other sim stores are available.
2b) Bespoke guages from Flight Illusion, Simkits, to name two.
Place these into your MDF/Aluminium panel, and interface with your PC(s) via USB.

I have a static F-4j Phantom main panel on display. At first I was not able to get hold of a real one, so I fashioned one from 9mm MDF.
I found pictures on the net, found a certain reference point on that picture, in this case the cap of one of the panel backlight bulbs, and one or two real instruments.
Enlarged the picture using MSPublisher, until the cap / instrument images equaled the real size. Now this meant that my A4 printer would not be able to print off the pic.
So I printed the panel image a section at a time. This created a mosaic, which I stuck together....nice little puzzle. Then I traced over this pic, to give me locations of all the items on my main panel.
Transferred this to my MDF, and cut out, paint etc.
Looked great! A few years later I was able to get hold of a real panel.....I offered my MDF panel up against the real one......I was 3/8 inch (4.5mm) out!!!
So...first step....suggest make a mask over an LCD flatscreen.....then you can fly. Depending where switches are located on the panel, you might have to use thicker material for the mask, so that the depth of the physical switch you are using will not touch the LCD screen.

Have fun.....and enjoy the journey!.........welcome aboard!!

Regards,
John P (UK) aka Flymo (NASA515)

[Efe Cem Elci]

Yes unfortunately its 737s by a large margins, but I don't think the 152/172s are necessarily the next popular choice. There are many different builds...

You could always use Saitek panels and Simkits or similar gauges. A GoFlight or similar TQ might give you a more authentic look as opposed to the Saitek TQ. The Caravan has a pretty generic layout and components so I don't see it as any different than a 172, with the only exception the TQ and trim wheel.

[OmniAtlas]

G'day guys,..sorry if in wrong place...

Is it just me or is it mostly 737's or 172's being built

I love the 208 b carvans ,but I cant see many if hardly any 208 panels..

I know there are probably more gauges and switches on the 208 panel ,
would I be able to use the 172 panels that I see advertised ??


I wouldn't mid doing something like this

http://www.flightsimstore.com/popup_...=2587&type=jpg


only not sure of the flight displays, I would prefer something closer to the real thing
and so you can say adjust your headings with the hsi for instance

any advice would be greatly appreciated

i was was also planning to build a 737 until I heard about the free jeehell airbus software (check this forum). That's a thousand dollar saving right there.

I am am now building my airbus - the great thing is there is commonality between the 318, 319, 320, 330 so you can set it up and fly different aircraft. Not so much with the 737.

[John_B]

Gonna jump in here too

I think the reason there are so many 737's (apart from the fact they are nice to fly ...especially as they act like a dart when trying to slow up on a descent !) Is the fact there is just so much kit available (albeit way, way overpriced).

Looking around I see there are very few airbus panels or GA ..

I bought myself a laser cutter and engraver to make my own panels (oh my poor credit card!...still paying it off argh!)

I can make practically any GA or aircraft specific panels, If anyone is interested, they seem to work out about £5 a panel they can be sprayed to any (RAL) colour choice (you pay for the paint)and engraved ready for back lighting,

I am not in this as an industry, or money making scheme, but simply to make any panels , at a sensible price and therefore putting sim building within the reach of everyone (not just those with ££££££)....I started making panels because I wanted a sim and am broke...pure and simple!

My only limitation is size I can only go to a maximum of A4

I know this sounds like an advert but its not really......I have started making gauges too and they work !!!! !
If anyone want to see pics etc just let me know..

Building stuff yourself saves a fortune...my 737 throttle quadrant cost less than £100...oh and about 300 hours of sweat and blood! that's about £3000 less than a similar commercial one all it really takes is ingenuity and a scavenger instinct.

John

[No Longer Active]

Here's one simualtor.....

[No Longer Active]

Another....



www.projectcockpit.com.br

[John_B]

That's a nice pit....such a shame more GA are not being built.

John

[No Longer Active]

That's a nice pit....such a shame more GA are not being built.

......Agreed

[No Longer Active]

The downside of the Caravan in the simulation world is that it is pretty much a niche aircraft. In the real world, the Cessna Caravan provides a specific purpose, and that is to haul goods and large loads across a wide local or regional area with the potential to fly a lot further afield. Although the Cessna Caravan was primarily designed for the above, it does make a unique passenger aircraft that can transport up to 10 passengers. So, yes, the A/C is unique, and it appears to be a very versatile A/C to fly (or sim build). If I was building this aircraft I think I would want to specifically fly cargo missions that are common to its real world purpose, and also set myself some dangerous situations to progress and advance my flying. If this was not my intention to fly like as for-mentioned then I think I would fly/build a different aircraft. Its 'courses for horses' as they say!

Enjoy / good luck on the build!

Alex