737 Real Cockpit vs Kit Surround

Guys,

I am now looking to the next part of my build and have a couple of options on what to do next,

I am looking to enclose my 737 and am looking into either a real cockpit shell or a commercially available kit - such as FDS.

So.... Questions!!!

1) Who does the cheapest kit to purchase?

2) Any tips on where to find a cockpit in the UK - I have sent a few emails around but little success at the moment.

It does not need to be a 737 if going down the 'real' route - I would have jumpped at the chance to take Turboprops F27 a couple of weeks ago if only I had the space ready then.

I was tempted by the HS125 on ebay but that was a tad too small for my liking.

Any suggestions?

Jon

Just to add to the questions. Let's make it ....

3. Who sells fiberglass shells?

Matt Olieman

Depends on how much your thinking of spending. You can build your own with the right joinery skills. Although if your looking for the real deal ... i know a few people in the UK that know aircraft scrapyards where aircraft are decommissioned. I personally dont know any but i know some do.

I'd personally be interested if anyone knows and commercial aircraft scrapyards that are located near them in England. Just to pay them a visit and have a look around :)

There is only one 'scrapyard' for aircraft i know of in the UK, and that is
www.airsalvage.co.uk

I know they have loads in, so a good selection by the looks of it ;) Good luck though!

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Originally Posted by devonpilot

There is only one 'scrapyard' for aircraft i know of in the UK, and that is
www.airsalvage.co.uk

I know they have loads in, so a good selection by the looks of it ;) Good luck though!

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Yeah I have tried them, but no joy - they don't seem to get back to me.

Shame, they have loads!!!

Air Salvage are not simmer friendly, they like to deal with professional bodies and the home cockpit builder is their least favoured customer; as I know someone who was contracting for them at Southend taking apart a jet, it seems that they have only too many enquiries from home builders and nothing actually come about any of the enquiries, hence why they generally are not interested. So don't be surprised if you don't get any reply. Its normal for them! But good luck!

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Originally Posted by jongas

Guys,

I am now looking to the next part of my build and have a couple of options on what to do next,

I am looking to enclose my 737 and am looking into either a real cockpit shell or a commercially available kit - such as FDS.

So.... Questions!!!

1) Who does the cheapest kit to purchase?

2) Any tips on where to find a cockpit in the UK - I have sent a few emails around but little success at the moment.

It does not need to be a 737 if going down the 'real' route - I would have jumpped at the chance to take Turboprops F27 a couple of weeks ago if only I had the space ready then.

I was tempted by the HS125 on ebay but that was a tad too small for my liking.

Any suggestions?

Jon

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I think some people do not understand the commitment involved with a real cockpit fuselage such as a 737 pit. Moving expenses can cost as much as the cockpit itself and the cutting/trimming can be daunting. The weight alone of the cockpit if it is cut behind the aft cockpit bulkhead is around three-thousand pounds. This makes it very awkward to move around without cutting your toes off.

You would have to REALLY want the cockpit to put up with all that I have mentioned. My instinct is to say just get a kit cockpit as it is much easier to work with and in the end you would probably agree.

Ultimately it's your decision, good luck!

I agree with Joe TOTALLY on this one!

Can you image having a huge chunk of 737 waiting at the yard for you, it looks like its just be yanked off the fuselage, dropped to floor and rolled across the ground. This massive heap of fuselage awaits you. Everything is jagged and deadly sharp, bent and battered, and weighs a ton. The fuselage will need special lifting equipment to get it on to the back of a lorry trailer, then this lorry trailer will drive to your home and just dump it in your driveway or front garden, then what you do with it from there is your business, yes, you and your team of 'lifter's' will have to move it to its final location, and you will need more than pallet pump trucks to do this, more likely will need to be crane lifted into the building through the roof somehow. Eventually when you do have everything in place, then you will need to spend many many cold nights with your grinder, grinding off all the excess, making the base to support this ton of metal, then you will need to literally rebuild the inside of the cockpit, having to redo the floor, re-supporting the floor, having to literally rip out everything and start again....etc....etc....etc....etc
The list goes on and on and on and on and on!

Then you could have the 737 shell kit turn up on a small wooden pallet that could be erected in a weekend, be built up in any room that is big enough and be ready to go, just add MIP, Liners etc etc etc....

The kit is the way to go pal! Believe me!

Guys - I agree its hard work, which to me is half the fun!!

With the space and the means to move I am not that concerned, however the jury is still well and truly out !!!!!

I am keen to buy a commercial shell rather than build my own, I feel this is one of the most important parts to get perfect, not just ok....

So lets move this post on!

Where can I get a shell and liners without breaking the bank,

FDS shell is reasonable price, looks great - unsure as yet on liner cost.
Poldragonet/Symulatory - much more expensive suprisingly
Cockpitsonic - again too expensive 3,000 euro plus for liners alone

Alternatives and opinions welcomed.....

Jon

If you really (I mean really really) want a real salvaged cockpit, let's say like a 727 in the UK fro ASI (air salvage international). Make sure you have 10.000 GBP and visit them, you will have yourself a real nose.
But then you need to transport it, get it on a frame and start refurbishing.
At the end of the road you will have a fantastic experience, a nice simulator but you will have lost a lot of (wife)credits ;-)

One of the first, if not the first to do this, in a time where those things were much cheaper :

http://www.737simguy.com/intro.htm

You have basically named the most common suppliers of shells, expect to pay what they are asking! Its not a cheap product I'm afraid, they will all break the bank at some point!

And....

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Make sure you have 10.000 GBP

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And the rest......!



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