Started on a Boeing 737NG cockpit

[jumbo0]

Hi everyone,


I'm new at this forum, so I'll start with a short introduction. I'm Bart, I'm 22 years old and live in Belgium (sorry, can't help that ;) ). I play flight simulator since FS95, so that's for many years! Now I've decided to make my own home cockpit of the Boeing 737NG using real panels. The panels can be bought from many companies all over the world, I just pick the cheapest ones. Let's list what I have so far!

- Autopilot module (MCP) €345
- Throttle quadrant 737 €500
- Landing gear 737 €159
- Rudder pedals €135
- Overhead panel (*) €1233
- Flaps indicator €57

(*) This is made by a kit, which means I have to assemble it myself. The price includes the panel (prob PVC), the knobs, switches, gauges and leds, it just needs some electronic cards and wiring.

Now I'm not sure what to do with the Primary Flight Display (PFD), Multi Funcion Display (MFD) and the Engine Instrument (EICAS), should I buy them as hardware (if yes, where can I buy them?), or should I just put some LCD's there and let FSX display them in those LCD's (so just rendered by software)?

I started a blog where people that are interested can follow-up my work in progress, so if you're interested, here it is:
http://homeflightsim.wordpress.com/

I made in sketchup a quick very first 3D model of my thoughts, but it need some tweaks ofcourse ;)

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/flight-sim.png

Feedback, tips or other comments appreciated! 8)


Kind regards,
Bart

[anatoliy]

You should try prosim737.com its in a beta stage so you can download for free and play around with PFD ECAS and MFD, it is the best software out there i think it is very easy to use. I would recomend just using LCD monitors and networking couple of computers...

Have fun!!!!
Tony

[jumbo0]

Thanks, great tip!

[jumbo0]

Anybody had experience with Mycockpit harware and especially the SIOC codes?

[anatoliy]

At first i had some trouble with setting up my opencockpits EFIS,, chekc out my Thread that i posted here to get some help with it

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/showthread.php/23080-need-help-with-opencockpits-EFIS-SIOC-setup?highlight=


Tony

[sboons]

Hi Bart,

Nice start of your NG.
Some things to consider:

- There is no place for a CDU. This is an essential part of your cockpit. In prosim737 you have software CDU so you can display it on an ipad or touchpanel and use it with the touchpanel.
- You are about to spend a lot of money, so why not make a more realistic MIP stand? I made a MIP stand out of MDF. It does not cost much but it is way more realistic.

I hope it works well. It is a very nice hobby and you can put all your knowledge into it.

Steef

[jumbo0]

I'm sorry for my late reply! Well actually i'm trying to create a as-good-as-possible cockpit of a 737 but with a low budget. I should be able to get everything I want with €3000, that would be perfect! I ordered my MCP by Opencockpits, I hope it'll arrive soon! Next thing is the overhead panel! I decided to create the FWD Overhead panel with the kit that Opencockpits offers (so, the pvc, buttons, switches,.. separated). But can anybody help me with that? Are there manuals included in the kit of how to wire it all up? And secondly, anybody that can provide the SIOC for the overhead please?

I'll post some pictures soon! :)

Bart

[jumbo0]

As promised here some pictures:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/1.jpg?w=614&h=409

As you can see it's still nothling like a cockpit. It's because the room where my cockpit will come is only available from April 2012, so untill then I stack everything in my rather small room.

Here a close-up of the 737 MCP:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/2.jpg?w=614&h=409


Bart

[bas_v]

Hello Bart, I see you purchased the OC MCP. I was wondering if you like it so far and whether the VOR LOC and APP buttons have both the amber and green leds in them?

[jumbo0]

Hi Bas

As far as I've tested it only has the green led's. It's the cheapest MCP around so don't expect miracles, but it works good! I enjoyed it! :D

[bas_v]

Hi Bart,

Thanks. One has to start somewhere, the price difference allows for other panels, so that wasn't a hard decision :)

[jumbo0]

Hi Bart,

Thanks. One has to start somewhere, the price difference allows for other panels, so that wasn't a hard decision :)

True! As far as I've calculated my cockpit will cost me about 3500 Euro, which is reasonable I think.

[jumbo0]

Today I’ve backlighted my MCP panel. I used a warm light LED strip of 98cm and warped it around the electronic board and taped it with black tape, to prevent that most of the light goes out the MCP. Then I hooked a 12VDC power supply to it, and there it is! It’s a rather cheap solution, but hey, it does the trick!

Some photos:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_0062.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_0063.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_0067.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/img_0070.jpg

[bas_v]

Looking good! Maybe you can fight the leakage around the digits with some thick black paper?

Did you use just one strip?

A few months ago, I came across this: http://www.kennair.com.au/backlight.html it might be of use to you, too.

[jumbo0]

Yes, one strip without the need of cutting. Indeed, I have to work on those leakage. I'm pleased with the result, keeping in mind that I actually wasn't planning to backlight it.

[bas_v]

I do think you found a way that is much less labour intensive :)

Where did you get the strip?

[jumbo0]

It took about 2 minutes to put them into place, they only consume 3 Watts and they last 30.000 hours, that so awsome!

I bought the strip (98cm) + transformator at the 'Weba' it's a little like 'Ikea' shop for 35 Euro which is pretty reasonable!

[jumbo0]

Today I hooked up 2 screens to my Mac Mini. These screens will be used for my MIP to display everything that is necessary. I use ProSim737 for this. It's maybe not the cheapest solution, but they have an excellent support system and their quality is unbeatable! Stunning sharp graphics with a nice framerate. I run it on a 2 year old Mac Mini (Windows 7 via BootCamp) with 2 screens (one Full HD and one HD Ready) and still a good performance! Here some photos:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/1.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/3.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/4.jpg

[jumbo0]

Today my MIP from Simworld arrived! At first I was surprised by the small box, I was already wondering if everything would be inside! But after some unboxing I found all the pieces I was hoping to find, so the big big puzzle starts! Mounting the backplates to the frame is piece of cake, but placing the rotaries… that’s something else! After a few hours of drilling, cutting and gluing, I finally got the rotary-work done! Here some photos:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-1.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-2.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-3jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-4.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-5.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-6.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-005.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-006.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cockpit-007.jpg

Regards
Bart

[super2277]

Nice :) But how do you have think to build glareshield?

[jumbo0]

I will most probably build my glareshield with parts of sismo soliciones. I'll order them in march and I will see how that turns out. More to come!

[super2277]

Aha but did you buy this mip from simworld? do you hava a link?

[jumbo0]

Yes I bought the MIP panels + electronics etc with Simworld.
Link: http://www.simworld.pl/shop/index.php?cPath=1_4_10

[rennet]

Hi Bart,
I'm planning to buy the pannels from Simworld and I have some question:
what do you think about their quality?
have you bought also the MIP Panel electronic components set (full) and MIP annunciators set (full)?
how do you have placed the MCP and Efis modules?
Thanks in advance
Antonio

[jumbo0]

The quality of Simworld is good! They have also a very great support! I also bought their electronics kit and that was also very good! Look a few posts back where I posted some pictures. For the MCP and EFIS I still have to search a way to mount them into the glareshield. I bought the glareshield from Sismo Soluciones. I'll post some pictures soon.

[rennet]

The quality of Simworld is good! They have also a very great support! I also bought their electronics kit and that was also very good! Look a few posts back where I posted some pictures. For the MCP and EFIS I still have to search a way to mount them into the glareshield. I bought the glareshield from Sismo Soluciones. I'll post some pictures soon.

Thank you Bart, I'll stay tuned!

[jumbo0]

It has been a while, but in the meantime a lot of things has changed! The glarewing from Sismo has arrived and after some difficulties it all got mounted on my MIP! This includes the EFIS, MCP from OC. Also the landing gear lever is included. Here some pictures of the current progress:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-018.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-022.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-023.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-024.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-025.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-028.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cockpit-029.jpg

[super2277]

That was nice! did you cut out for the glareshield? how did you build the glareshield? can we have some pictures from behind the mip?

Regards
younas

[jumbo0]

I didn't cut anything, but I drilled holes at the top of the MIP and I mounted the (rather heavy) glareshield to it. I will make some pictures of the back tomorrow and post them, but nothing is wired yet.

[super2277]

I didn't cut anything, but I drilled holes at the top of the MIP and I mounted the (rather heavy) glareshield to it. I will make some pictures of the back tomorrow and post them, but nothing is wired yet.
Thanks for help :)
Where is the picture? :P

[jumbo0]

Because of my work I had no time yet :( Tomorrow should work, I will do it asap! :)

[birdyguy]

I didn't cut anything, but I drilled holes at the top of the MIP and I mounted the (rather heavy) glareshield to it. I will make some pictures of the back tomorrow and post them, but nothing is wired yet.

Very nice job. Looks great.

[jumbo0]

Here the photo of a piece of the backside of my MIP! :)

6443

[Sudden81]

You have put the Annunciator holders on the wrong side!

[jumbo0]

Well, I was not sure how to do it :(
But just wired the LED's and it looks pretty good after all I think.. For the overhead I'll have a good look at it to mount them in the right way!

[jumbo0]

Some pictures of the current progress:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-001.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-006.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-007.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-008.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-010.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/img-20120412-00406.jpg

[killerbee1958]

You have put the Annunciator holders on the wrong side!

What exactly is wrong with the annunciators in this picture?
I will receive the simworld mip and annunciator set also in some weeks so i would like to understand what to do different as i agree with Jumbo0 this already looks very impressive. can you point out more what you mean exactly?

[Sudden81]

Some pictures of the current progress:

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-001.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-006.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-007.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-008.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit-010.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/img-20120412-00406.jpg

It should look like this:
6547

In real life, you can push in all annunciators to see if the bulbs work!
Therefore, it is the part you put on the inside to sit on the outside and the other small part on the inside!

[killerbee1958]

It should look like this:
6547

In real life, you can push in all annunciators to see if the bulbs work!
Therefore, it is the part you put on the inside to sit on the outside and the other small part on the inside!

Thanks

i think this will be very helpfull when the mip with annunciators arrive. I will post pictures once complete in my own thread

[jumbo0]

Hmm I see... Well maybe one day I'll order new annunciators and remount them in the good way. Thanks for sharing, Sudden81!

The past days I worked a little on my cockpit, mounted on a frame made my own CDU and throttle bay out of wood, painted everything, mounted my LCD,... It start to look a little like a cockpit :D

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit1.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit2.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit3.jpg

http://homeflightsim.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/cockpit4.jpg

[maxstern]

I have a fully functional 737 AFT, USB plug and play for sale.

Email max@stern.org if interested.