Just joined!

[richard hutchinson]

Hi folks.

Wow - how many forums on FS's are there? lol

Currently building a 767 cockpit. Working on construction of a new overhead panel. Lots of wiring and switches to play with mmmmmmmmmmm!

[phil744]

Greetings from Preston, how far along are you?

[Matt Olieman]

Welcome aboard Richard, you've come to the right place for Flight Sim Building tips

Matt Olieman

[richard hutchinson]

Hiya and thanks for the welcome.

Well, I have the cockpit shell built and have a total of six LCD monitors running. 3 x view and 3 x intstuments. The system is running Vista 32 bit (yuk) and is on a quad core. Video card is PCI-E with twin digital outputs, 1gb onboard memory. Using Saitek yoke and pedals, and a VR insight MCP combo (which is crap quite frankly .. wish I hadn't bought it now).

I am currently working on designing the overhead panel (with loads of help from Ian's great site www.737ng.co.uk). Visited Ian last week and am now green at the gills!! Very talented and nice guy.

For the overhead I am going to use white acrylic perspex, and overlay it with Letraset thin-film sheet, which I can print on a laser in Boeing grey, leaving the lettering white (laser leaves this area blank) so when sheet is applied to perspex I have the layout already printed onto it, the right place to drill for switches etc, and when backlit, all the legends will illuminate nicely for night flights.

Due to wife (and room) constraints there will be only one position (might squeeze two if she doesn't notice it's expanding).

I fly the Level D 767. Next major purchase is an FMC but I don't think it will be a VR insight jobby as it is a bit naff with a silly sized screen (know it's cheaper but hey ...) and you have to stick all the labels onto the buttons yourself. Their support is crap too. Never have got the altitude to work, even though the level D has an sdk written for it, still no go. It ignores all changesfor altitude. Everything else on it works, but it's BLACK! When did and heavy EVER have a BLACK MCP?? What were they thinking of??

Addons: VFR scenery for South East, Level D 767 (excellent), REX, FSUPIC and FXpand.

Struggling to understand the programming of the FMC and reading charts, but have got quite a way in 5 months so won't beat myself up over it. Would love to fly online with someone in a shared cockpit. Not done it yet, but there's always a first time.

Well, that's where I am at and I owe credit to Ian for a lot of where I am up to.

Anyone wanna buy a VR Insight MCP Combo? lol

Regards
Richard

Peterborough UK

[phil744]

Wow, sounds like your off to a flying start, any pics?

[richard hutchinson]

I do have some pics I can post. Will put them up shortly.

Regards
Richard

[No Longer Active]

Welcome aboard pal !

Your def right about Ian being Mr Nice guy, he's always been brilliant to us...and helped me out a tremendous amount, would love to go and fly his sim one day....he has an amazing sim!

Your also right about the VR Insight MCP being naff, your not the first person I have heard say that, I just googled the reviews for it...and not impressed....Maybe you could sell it on ebay and buy an opencockpits MCP or something, they are great for the price, also the GoFlight MCP is excellent value for money.

I am really intrigued to how your making your overhead, please post pics once you have finished it (or nearly finished it) as it would be great to see your back light effect.

Nice to meet you pal.....

Alex

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

yes of course welcome richard......
'very talented and nice guy'. yes, you're right (he he he)
glad you were 'inspired'.....makes it all worth while.
and chaps, i have a sneaking suspicion that Rich is going to be around MC for a long time.
welcome captain .....
ian

[No Longer Active]

Quite strange to see an almost all british thread....apart from Matt, but Matt is Matt, and he's the boss lol (a nice boss lol)

[mpl330]

Welcome aboard pal !

Your def right about Ian being Mr Nice guy, he's always been brilliant to us...and helped me out a tremendous amount, would love to go and fly his sim one day....he has an amazing sim!

Alex

Do not pay him a visit , he will break down your will power and good intentions with his hospitality and enthusiasm so that before you realise it you are hooked you start off planning to build some kind of single seater desktop sim and then when you have seen Ian's sim you long to have something like it

Welcome Richard!

Cheers
Mike