Short SC7 Skyvan - The Shed in the shed

[meatbomber]

Hello Sim Builders !

Here`s some pics of our SC7 Skyvan Cocpit project. We started 09.Jan.2014 so one could say we are still in rapid prototyping mode with this
Thats also why it looks like it looks.

it`s running on:
X-Plane 10
Sim Avio2 for Aspen and GNS and other avionics
Pic, Engine and electric instruments are each their own instance of X-Plane
Currently this is all running on one PC, so no or low eyecandy outside for accpetable performance for now.

Visual system currently 1 x BenQ 1080ST (min 1 more planned, maybe 2)

Control loading with 3 x BFF Simulations Controllers and BL Motors (The Force feedback system is VERY powerful)

Avionics are on a Touch Screen for now, but interfacing is in progress.

Cheers
Phillip

[fsx-cockpit]

Look´s very good
Really good job!

Cheers,
Chris

[GPreddy]

Wow! That's certainly one aircraft I never expected to see as a sim. It's looking fantastic, though!

[meatbomber]

Wow! That's certainly one aircraft I never expected to see as a sim.

Ha Precisely there re one of only 2 Skyvan operators in Europe, and with only 6 Airplanes on the continent they are not see every day

The first goal was to have basically a interactive cockpit procedure trainer as I'm lucky to be piloting a Skyvan IRL and maybe in the future add even motion

we`ll see, first is to get all the avionics and systems to work properly tho!

[IanH1960]

Hi Phillip,

...great job - fastest build of the FFB system I've yet seen!

Ian

[50fighterfan]

My, but I do like this project!

[meatbomber]

Meanwhile

3x BenQ 1080W-St With matrox triplehead2go and Fly-Elise-Ng imersive display Pro.


the setup works but is very much work in progress. The problem so the shape of the skyvan cockpit section, which is very wide and high, a 737 cockpit would be easier.
so currently we have the projectors on different radii, the center one is furthest away from the screen the side projectors had to be placed closer to prevent unacceptable shadows. Now I need to find out how to deal with the asymmetric field of views do each projector as the current multi view plugin can only handle the same FOV on each projector.

[meatbomber]

Ok, today the cockpit got into training mode!

after frantically working to actually get it to run at all Currently the Sim Avio and the 2 instruments instances of X-plane now reside on a second networked PC. The main machine is running now the main display and the force feedback. The screen is currently set to 3840 x 1024 I could run 5000 something but the loss in frame rate didn't make it worth it. With the immersive display multi screen plugin now set to 6 windows and a total FOV of 210degrees I'm getting now around 20-24FPS, not stelar but acceptable.

Next up up will be interfacing the avionics with a set of bezels already on order from Australia

[meatbomber]

Some more update.

finaly got the eyfinity display group on the secondary PC to work and with that can now have also Copilot basic T. Also managed to build some more instruments in instrument builder and now have working centralized warning panel with press to test function.
The center monitor is a touch screen and while it gave me some headaches to get the touch part mapped and working properly it's working great now, so all the avionics and the CWP are with touch activation.

In Xplane we are running now skymaxx Pro which I can warmly recommend as it's much much faster than the original clouds, comes at the expense of not having stratus clouds for hard IFR tho.
The lights enhancement pack from x-plane.org make night flying finaly possible! Great enhancement especially with Beamers the runway lights as per original settings were basically invisible now looks great.

[Geremy Britton]

Very well done, an excellent system and very professional construction. Wishing you well in your continued simulator adventures!