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

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

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)

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.

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Originally Posted by 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

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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.

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 !!!! !:D
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

Here's one simualtor.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEhHV8aFmTo

Another....

http://youtu.be/D4qPHmND-cE

www.projectcockpit.com.br

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

John

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

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......Agreed :)

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

wow thanks for the responses guys , much appreciated..
and the first video is very similar to what I have in my head

I found a website that I could buy the guages for the caravan, ie for the
fuel flow,and 2 fuel guages and the other ones but still finding it hard to find the right
HSI like in fsx, or what guagues do they use for simpit building

wish i even knew how to get the shape of the panel itself...

milo

To get going with an MIP you will need to scour the web for pictures of your desired aircraft, and then either by software or by hand, draw the basic shape that you see. The shape of the MIP of the cockpit is very simple, so this should be easy to judge. Remember you will not get it dead right, you will be +/- on a lot of things....but...you need to give the impression and overall feel of the layout and you can get this quite close indeed with a lot of thought.

You know that a large gauge is 79mm and a small gauge is 56mm, so with this in mind you can measure up the mip using photos by knowing the size of at least 2 of the gauges.

Go on, give it a shot and lets see what you come up with!

Good Luck.

Alex

Excellent advice Alex

I would add that now days there are sheets of a 5mm pvc foam sheet that is sturdy enough to make a basis of a MIP front panel .
Easily cut!! (we like easy!)

But one word to the wise try not to use the hot wire tools to cut it. PVC gives off really horrible stuff (Chlorine gas is one)..shame cos I would love to be able to use it in my laser.

Keep us updated with progress seeing others build spur us all on when it gets tough...


John

I will keep every one updated, might take awhile !
also what width and length and height are the panel normally?

also for a normal cockpit of a 208, from the panel to the cargo entry inside ..

if you know what I mean, just to get an idea..

I see the http://www.simsamurai.com/?page_id=26
can be used for a caravan... would this look ok ?

then there is thisfrom simkits , but not not again sure if it would work but it is expensive or if you can use a caravan panel ?

http://www.simkits.com/product.php?prodid=1826

The caravan panel is wider....the C172 is about 105cm wide....I think the caravan panel is around 130-140cm wide.

I briefly drew up a panel using a draw program by just using photos on the web but I have only included a single radio stack and not a double width stack. This panel is around 130cm. About 150mm short of the real deal.....I think?

Above is just an improvisation, and just looks similar in layout.

what do you do for the gps and the radar and also the warning light etc ?

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what do you do for the gps and the radar and also the warning light etc ?

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.......You edit the drawing/ extend width

.......You double the width of the radio stack and add the warning lights where you want them!

.......Its a no brainer!


Remember I drew the MIP up in about 10 minutes using photos from google images, and there was no real accuracy other than the gauges were the correct size, the layout was improvised and gave a 'caravan feel' to the MIP. When I designed my MIP for my Cessna 152 I spent about 60 hours drawing it, and re-drew it time and time again until I was happy. But I also had to modify the layout for sim use, and I knew that it could not simply be a 1:1 true scale replica, but blimmin close though.

Story is, its your sim, you need to plan it and draw it and make the panel to how you want it, there are no plans on the web for this, so its entirely down to you!

Tip: search google for as many pics as you can and find out what is common in them all and if they can be interfced in FS. Once you know this you will need to know how you are going to interface them, and what resources you have to build or buy them and how its going to fit into your sim! What the plan for your sim?

Im done here now, so let us all know how your MIP turns out and upload photos!

Cheers.

Alex

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Originally Posted by 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 !!!! !:D
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

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Hi John,

I'd like to see your pics. Would you send them to my email please.

burtoned@gmail.com

Hi, Why not looking for a mip on ebay , I found real one for my C 172
greetz KermitAttachment 8684

wow, never thought of ebay,

just had a look aus and world wide, nothing that I could see..
unless I'm searching wrong

I wonder what length I'd need for a cockpit..so I can figure out what room to build it in..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by miloguy

wow, never thought of ebay,

just had a look aus and world wide, nothing that I could see..
unless I'm searching wrong

I wonder what length I'd need for a cockpit..so I can figure out what room to build it in..

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I have 737 rudder pedals and a aluminium pedestal bay (see the classified section) if you're interested :)

Does this help?

Just found this on google...google is your best friend.

Its for the Cessna Caravan 675

Attachment 8685

Tipp:

I build instruments with TFT. For better instrument look I try to brush TFT with clear coat. Now the instruments looks beauty ;)

Have fun....;)

hmm more i look at my ideas, more complicated it looks to do something dedicated to one plane

one other question, for those flying 737 home pits, whats the average range?
I know the caravan is only 900 nm but i have heard of people using ferry fuel in
real life , and im not sure but do 737's fly to KLAX from Sydney for example ?

If you do have a home cockpit, where do you mostly fly ?

I'm flying most of the time in the Netherlands ,
also I like to do round trips to germany , uk , Denmark, and Austria in the weekends as I have all the airports and scenery
With fuel and tripcalculations, Vfr style

When I go on fly outs with my local flying club, I always re-fly them on a sim after, using exactly the same routes, altitude, circuit pattern and weather if possible, and every time it feels nothing like the real trip.....There's something about flying for real I guess.

Hi
I tend to fly the flights I make in real life.
My sister lives in the Channel Islands so EGKK to EGJJ only in the "air" 50 mins or so..Thats a regular real life journey of mine.
Also either EGKK or EGLL to CYWG again a real life journey but not for a few years....but thats 8 hours in the air ....long time to not be doing much!...

John

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