Hello all

[Captain_Eirik]

Here to introduce myself,

I'm Eirik and live in the USA. I am looking into what information is available and beginning research to take my flight simulations to the next level by building a home sim. Pretty well decided that it will be an airliner, I just haven't settled on anything else yet. Well except that I need to research this in depth before going off half cocked. :D

[Matt Olieman]

Hi Eirik and welcome to our world of madness..... well, not really madness, depends who you mention it to. :) :) :)

If you need help in deciding take a trip through MyCockpit.org and you'll be amazed at the information and photos of fellow builders projects. You'll find out most everybody started as you are. I know I did :) :)

And... there is plenty of help, just ask.

Again welcome Eirik.

[Captain_Eirik]

Thank you, I am very excited to get started, but I know that I'd better use my brain, and that is where you all come in, Because I don't even know what I don't know yet.

But I know I am cleared by my wife to go ahead with the project. (she says at least she'll know where I am...) and with my daughter moving out I now have a spare room to use. Two very important components.

[Geremy Britton]

Eirik,

Welcome to the site. A great resource for many whatever aircraft you are building.

Have you had any thoughts on that yet?

[Joe Cygan]

Welcome to mycockpit Eirik!

[Captain_Eirik]

Eirik,

Have you had any thoughts on that yet?

I have it narrowed down.

My finalists....


Douglas DC-10
Airbus A321
Boeing 737-800
Fokker 100
Embraer 145


All have their good and bad points. I love to fly all of these.

I've decided that the cockpit does not have to be 100% correct. Modifications and deviations are ok, as long is it is functional and makes sense. So I can be practical if there is just no way to model some systems. More important is the "flavor" of being in the cockpit, and not my spare room.

I am thinking that I can and most likely will model it for a single person to "fly" since I don't have a co-pilot anyway.

Still deciding on FS9 or FSX. I've never had good luck with X-plane So that is out for me.

[Matt Olieman]

Nice list you've got there Eirik, that's the way to start :)


I've decided that the cockpit does not have to be 100% correct.

You're absolutely right, it's the Flight Simulation experience that counts :) :) :)

[Captain_Eirik]

Now that I've been intensely looking with more information, I am modifying the list.

* Douglas DC-10
* Airbus A321
* Boeing 737-800
* Fokker 100
* Embraer 145

The DC-10 is coming off because it would really need a Engineer's station to work with the model I have.

The Airbus has to come off because after looking at what is available, I'm going to have to fabricate way too much for my skill level.

I'm going to trade out the Embraer with a Canadair 900

New list is

Boeing 737-800
Fokker 100
Canadair 900


I don't know of any good 738's for FSX So I think that would have to be FS9 based.

The Fokker and Canadair Could be FSX based.

[Perik]

Hello Captain Erik

I miss a specific AC on your list which you really should have in there.

Take a look at Level-D 767 (http://www.leveldsim.com/)

Available panels are coming along nicely and I believe the "industry" is about
to wake up for this bird and their coming B757. Then you have two great AC
with more or less the same cockpit.

The big advantage with Level-D is when it comes to getting it to “fly”
together with your hardware. By utilizing the Software Development Kit (SDK)
from Level-D, Nico Kaan with his Lekseecon (http://www.lekseecon.nl/) and hardware from OpenCockits (http://www.opencockpits.com/) ,
you get a rather clean and easy way to your goal.

And eventually you’ll not be alone about this bird – over at
the B767Group (http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/b767homecockpitbuilders/join) we are > 100 members and still counting with the same focus.

But, you have to fancy Boeing Brown:grin:

Happy decision and remember - don't hurry, take your time!!
Too many among us "falling of the edge" due to lack of investigation and
possibilities, money, space, time etc.). Either they give up or make
a full restart with a new approach.

[Captain_Eirik]

You bring up a good point. Actually the Level D was the first MSFS aircraft that I actually paid for, the others had been free downloads from whatever Virtual Airline I was a part of at the time. But about four years ago I joined a VA that was big into the commercial addons. The consensus was that the Level D was the best of the best and since I was nearing the category to fly the 757/767 I bought it. I was impressed enough that I've purchased a lot more since.

What I'm wondering about is the sheer size of the 767. An aircraft of that size isn't going to much in the shorter routes. I think a good typical flight for me is Chicago O'hare to Orlando. A 767 seems to be overkill on that route.
Though United Airlines did run one from San Fransisco to Denver (Though I think it may have been a stopover on a longer flight).

My flight style is usually to choose routes between an hour to three hours in length. (something that would fit with the B757 a bit better I believe). And If I have more time, to fly elsewhere. I tend to like to do more flights instead of marathons. I know that the 767 is capable of flying Los Angeles to London, and I'm not sure that fits my style.

The appropriateness of the range is one of the thoughts I was having about using the DC-10. And that also seems to be using a bazooka to kill a fly. :lol:

I've also had the PMDG MD-11 suggested since it is a more modern version of the DC-10, Which I enjoy flying. According to a pilot friend of mine (who is a commercial pilot) that one is only missing the motion to be a match for the simulators that they practice in. I'll admit both are tempting. I would really be interested in their 757 if it were out.

I'm planning on taking up The Fokker and the Canadair today, Since I learned that my life will be easier if I go with FSX. I'll add in the 767, since that is a reasonable trade out for the 738 which I have not found for FSX (Both have been used on the SFO-PNL run.) And it seems right to have something other than a regional.

Thanks

[Captain_Eirik]

OK, made the flights.

Looking with a different view (reading the forums here, along with Mike Powell's book)

I think I have to remove the Fokker... The Fokker is coming out because it really drags down my frame rates, and with the things I would be adding, it would be pretty, but the view out the windows would look like a power point presentation.

The Canadair is coming out too. Simply because not enough is modeled. It might make a good starter project or even a basic uncomplicated 'pit. I can't see spending that much money when it is kind of obsolete before I ever start. Especially when I tend to like the more complicated sims.

The 738. Kind of a tentative. If a really good one comes out for FSX, that may be the bird I'm looking for. (and PMDG is supposed to be working on one)

Level D... If they ever release that 757, (It was announced back in 2006...) and if it lives up to their standards (meaning it sets the standards that everything else is judged by.) I can see that being my choice. That is a more versatile plane, and she has that incredible rate of climb.

So those are where I stand at the moment. I'm kind of waiting for planes that don't exist yet.

[Captain_Eirik]

Made a decision. I'm doing the Boeing 757-200

Decided too to use a freeware (like Posky) 757-200. While I wait for the payware one. I can work on things at an easier level in the beginning since that should give me some experience in networking, getting things built and attached to the computer, like light switches, etc. Then when Level D finally releases their 757 I should be up to the challenge.

As a side note, I would have liked an Airbus, but their fly by wire system just isn't modeled correctly by anyone.

[Captain_Eirik]

Thought I'd give an update as to where I am.

I have purchased a few more things to help me figure out how to do this thing. Now my ultimate destination is to get the the 757, hopefully Level D will finish theirs and I'll be ready to tackle it then.

But for now.... I want to get started and get some experience.

1) The smaller goal is to get up and running, make something that I can play with and experiment on without worrying about minute details. In the short term it should be able to represent the Boeing twinjets.

2) I just ordered two go flight modules, the MCP and a Radio. (I know that the MCP is modeled off of the 737, but again, this is to get something to play with until the final version is up and running.

3) Ive decided to go with a PVC and Foam shell for now, easy, cheap and should allow for experimentation.

4) Going to use two USB Keyboards for extra switches, along with the xkeys jog and shuttle along with the Goflight modules and for now... FS9. The current cockpit wil focus more on getting things working and making some sort of sense. I won't be worrying about appearance, and some things will just be out of place as far as the real cockpit is concerned. Not to mention some of the sim controls will be plainly marked.

This should provide a testing platform that will let me get the experience that I'll need to accomplish the final goal, which is the 757 cockpit.