Need testers for 737 systems simulator software

[Michael S]

Thanks for your comments!

The system is free for non commercial use. It is indeed a full systems simulation of the 737. It does not control the MCP/EFIS, FMC's and the various displays. There are other systems out there that can do that for you. Communications with the important FS related parts is done through FSUIPC, so anything that also communicates via FSUIPC (I believe all products do) should be fully compatible. I can't really recommend any product now, since I don't have experience with all of them. I hope I will find a software partner one day who can fill in the blanks under the same "free for noncommercial use" license so it can be one complete package.

Thanks, Marty

Originally I intended to build with the PMDG but as we all know, the PMDG overhead is something like the crunch point. So now as this great system simulation is available I´m starting to look around for alternatives to pmdg´s glas ccokpit.

The first two coming to my mind would be Free FD and Alpha FMC. I think I will have a closer look at Alpha FMC.

I´m curious: What´s the software you are using in your sim for the glass cockpit?

[markusr]

Thanks, Marty
The first two coming to my mind would be Free FD and Alpha FMC. I think I will have a closer look at Alpha FMC.

I´m curious: What´s the software you are using in your sim for the glass cockpit?

Hi Michael,

i wanted also to build an Overhead with PMDG and i would test my idea next week. To have a harware switch turned on a) with the great Program from marty and in the same time let FSUIPC toggle the switch in the PMDG Overhead Cockpit. So i can use the logic from Marty to display the LED status and have not to programm all in SIOC and on the otherhand the PMDG is doing the correct thing.

Whats Alpha FMC? I haven't found it in the internet. Do you have a link for me? Does Free FD exists anymore? My 2nd thought was VASFMC, but the only have a logic for Airbus MCDU and not the Boeing FMC...

greets
Markus

[Michael S]

Whats Alpha FMC? I haven't found it in the internet. Do you have a link for me? Does Free FD exists anymore? My 2nd thought was VASFMC, but the only have a logic for Airbus MCDU and not the Boeing FMC...

http://members.quicknet.nl/scumari/fmc/

Alpha FMC is a boeing style glascockpit package. It contains EFIS, ,EICAS, ND, FMC. But no system logic so I thought it might work good in addition to the system logic provided here. But I haven´t tested it yet.

Free FD is also a glascockpit software, but I think it´s not as complex as Alpha FMC. It mainly consist of PFD, ND, EICAS and Standby gauges in boeing style. There is a FMC, but it does not work properly from what I experienced. I´ve got Free FD, I downloaded it just a few months ago, but I didn´t find the download link again.

Regarding your overhead: I think this could work, but personally I want the Indicators to show the actual software status to confirm everything is working right. I also want to have a working indicator system in case of failure/emergency.

It´s the same thing with the idea of Ian P.Sissons overhead for exampe. It´s a great idea and it should be working well for normal operation but not in unusual or extraordinary situations. That´s why I probably wouldn´t do it this way.

But of course that´s only my personal point of view.

[capetonian]

Regarding your overhead: I think this could work, but personally I want the Indicators to show the actual software status to confirm everything is working right. I also want to have a working indicator system in case of failure/emergency.

It´s the same thing with the idea of Ian P.Sissons overhead for exampe. It´s a great idea and it should be working well for normal operation but not in unusual or extraordinary situations. That´s why I probably wouldn´t do it this way.

Now... I'd like to offer my opinion if that's okay I flew the sim yesterday with Marty's software running all the systems. System failures and logic are really well covered in his system and all his info has been taken from Boeing Manuals. Marty explained a lot of stuff last night that I am still trying to absorb but believe me there is no way you can compare his system to PMDG.

I think, from what I have seen, that his software is probably the most advanced overhead/systems logic that is available at the moment. It is still in development but it's really at a very advanced stage. I thought I know the 737 pretty well but I guess I still have a lot to learn.

The only thing i did not really like was the APU fire when I was on finals for Cape Town No, it was cool.

Marty, maybe you can give us a few examples here in plain English of on of the systems like for example the BUS transfer and how you have implemented it.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[metamarty]

Now... I'd like to offer my opinion if that's okay I flew the sim yesterday with Marty's software running all the systems. System failures and logic are really well covered in his system and all his info has been taken from Boeing Manuals. Marty explained a lot of stuff last night that I am still trying to absorb but believe me there is no way you can compare his system to PMDG.

I think, from what I have seen, that his software is probably the most advanced overhead/systems logic that is available at the moment. It is still in development but it's really at a very advanced stage. I thought I know the 737 pretty well but I guess I still have a lot to learn.

The only thing i did not really like was the APU fire when I was on finals for Cape Town No, it was cool.

Marty, maybe you can give us a few examples here in plain English of on of the systems like for example the BUS transfer and how you have implemented it.

Cheers,

Andrew.

I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew and his son and we did some flights to explain the systems and shared some knowledge on building. Unfortunately we were short on time, but we'll do it again in the future.

Explaining all systems would be too complex, but I can tell a little about the buses. There are a lot of electrical buses in the 737 NG. Modeled are for example, the transfer buses, galley buses, DC buses, Battery buses, AC standby buses, DC standby buses, hot battery buses and switched hot battery buses. In between these are relays, transformers and inverters. The switches on the overhead panel govern the control of the relays between these buses. The flow model in the software connects the various components and calculates the flow through them. This for example, allows the overhead panel to accurately display a BAT DISCHARGE light in certain conditions (according to boeing: when a load is over 100 amps for more than 1.2 seconds, over 10 amps for 25 seconds and over 5 amps for 95 seconds)

What's most important about this approach is that I never program situations into the model. The systems operate according to their environments and situations present themselves based upon current conditions, which includes possible failures.

I've now spent about 1.5 years modeling most components to reasonably accurate levels, but refinements will be made during the coming years. I hope close scrutiny and usage experience by more people than me alone will speed up this process, so in the end we can all benefit.

[markusr]

At this moment, calibration of servo's is done in the program, but I don't know how opencockpits hardware deal with this. If anybody has more info, I'd like to know.

Hi Marty,

what information do you need about getting the OC Servo Card functional with your program?
The whole servo movement is programmed via SIOC and variables.
In one variable you define the servo and his positions min, max, center:
Var 8201, name Servo2, Link USB_SERVOS, Output 2, PosL 0, PosC 512, PosR 1023, Type 2 // Servo 2 Vertical Speed

With another variable you can set the Servo: &Servo2 = 200; so the servo moves to position 200.

I hope i can help yout with this.

regards,
Markus

[capetonian]

Hey Marty,

I can drop off an opencockpits servo card and a flaps gauge for you this weekend if you want. You can play around with it, I am still a few weeks from getting the flaps gauge mounted !!!

Andrew

[metamarty]

Hi Marty,

what information do you need about getting the OC Servo Card functional with your program?
The whole servo movement is programmed via SIOC and variables.
In one variable you define the servo and his positions min, max, center:
Var 8201, name Servo2, Link USB_SERVOS, Output 2, PosL 0, PosC 512, PosR 1023, Type 2 // Servo 2 Vertical Speed

With another variable you can set the Servo: &Servo2 = 200; so the servo moves to position 200.

I hope i can help yout with this.

regards,
Markus

Fortunately, the opencockpits server will take care of the hardware. That won't be the problem. The issue I am facing is, how to reliably get the servo to a certain position. There's more to it than minimum and maximum positions, since servo's usually aren't linear. This means if you have a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100, '50' won't nessecarily be the exact mid position. This is why there is the calibration in my program for phidgets servo cards.

Hey Marty,

I can drop off an opencockpits servo card and a flaps gauge for you this weekend if you want. You can play around with it, I am still a few weeks from getting the flaps gauge mounted !!!

Andrew

Ah, that would solve the issue! If I could borrow some hardware I can figure out a way to make it work. I'll be in our simulator the whole day tomorrow, or we can meet at a different date if you like

Does this include all hardware to get it to work? I believe I need more than a servo card. I probably also need some kind of main control card? I have no opencockpits hardware at all at the moment.

[capetonian]

Ah, that would solve the issue! If I could borrow some hardware I can figure out a way to make it work. I'll be in our simulator the whole day tomorrow, or we can meet at a different date if you like.

I'll pop a PM off to you. You're welcome to have a play with some OC cards!
I can lend you the MasterCard (from OpenCockpits, not the bank!! )/ Expansion card / USB displays and the servo card.


I'll pm/email you tomorrow, .. I'm half asleep now, been a 14 hour work day and there is another one lined up for tomorrow , ..... *yippee*

[markusr]

Does this include all hardware to get it to work? I believe I need more than a servo card. I probably also need some kind of main control card? I have no opencockpits hardware at all at the moment.

I own only the USB Servo card and its working fine with no master card.
Maybe there are more versions available....