My first build - 737NG. Early days!

[David Rogers]

Hey all,

I've been around here for over a month now and have had some great advice and help on everything from setting up networks to finding yokes.... this is a great place.

This is my first cockpit build and hence pretty modest by the standards of some achievements around here. I also don't have much in the way of DIY skills so overall, it's a heck of a learning experience for me!

Anyway, I thought I would share some photos of my project so far - it's not yet a cockpit as such but in the next week, all of my MIP panels should arrive from Engravity and things will start to take shape.

Here are some piccies:-

1). This pic shows the stand/shlef that I have made from MDF that holds my projector in place, at the correct height. This unit will sit behind the eventual cockpit shell. It is painted in Boeing gray so it fits in quite well!
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150681.jpg

2). Now, this time sitting directly in front of the above shelf and facing forwards, you can see my temporary 20" TFT monitor that will soon be replaced by the Engravity Captains and Centre Panels. In the background is the 100" Motorized projector screen, that also acts as a black out screen.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150684.jpg

3). In this pic you can see the CP MCP and EFIS (and the temporary CH Yoke).
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150683.jpg

4). Temp Yoke and Pedals. Yoke will eventually be modified and combined with a resin replica of a 737 yoke (from Simparts). Not sure about pedal solution yet.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150685.jpg

5). This pic shows my temp throttle quad (modified CH TQ). An authentic TQ is towards the end of my project list, so as a temp measure, I bought the 737 throttle knobs from Simparts and modified my CH Yoke.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150686.jpg

6). This pic shows the 100" motorized projector screen. This was a bargain - £99 ($200) from eBay, including delivery. Made in China of course but works perfectly and is also the black out screen
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150687.jpg

7). Finally, this is a head on shot of where the cockpit shell will eventually be - at the moment, the curved panel is a £2 spare sheet of thin MDF that is acting as my "pointy end" !
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA150688.jpg


Not visible in the above pics, I also already have; DualHead2Go (to be used to spread display across 2 screens for the Engravity panels, once I have P/Magenta), Engravity Boeing knobs and pots, and a few other bits and bobs!

Next Steps; (within next 12 months)

- Engravity Captains & Centre Desktop Panels (arriving later this week!).
- Simparts 737 Yoke.
- Produce cockpit shell plans.
- Engravity CDU.
- Engravity Com/NAV/tx units.
- Project Magenta.


:D

[Bob Reed]

Oh Ya!! I remeber when mine looked mostly like that! Good start!!!

[Geremy Britton]

if your building the 737 shell ivar hestness is the man!

I think there is a tutorial somewhere in the downloads i think take a look at his pics (if you havn't already)

Good luck:D

[Bob Reed]

No shell for me! I don't have enough room and I like being able to get to all of it to work on it. I have wroked on enough with shells (real AC and sims) that I like mine just how it is. It is enclosed with a "curtian" and that is the way it will stay.

[737NUT]

Great start! More than i have for now. Is that the CPFlight mcp and efis?

[David Rogers]

Hi,

737NUT - Yip, those are the CP Flight MCP and EFIS .... they absolutely rock! Using them with PMDG at the moment, they work great.

[David Rogers]

Today my new Network Card arrived and was installed within minutes and showing in my 'Network Connections'. I want to thanks 'Deesystems' for his advice by private message on choosing a network card. I went for a 3com card and having got my network up and running in 5 painless minutes, I think it was a great recommentdation.

(thanks also to the others who helped me set up my network!).

So, with a new network running sweet - I could resist no longer.... I purchased Project Magenta Boeing suite today! .

[EDIT]: Links now received from PM (sorry about the impatience!), so almost ready to roll!

[Tomlin]

David, congrats, and trust me- I totally understand you statement on wait times. However, Im sure that you will get your key(s) very soon, I got them within an hour or two or so, so hopefully it wont be too much longer for you. I think that Katy Pluta usually sends them, and she may be on California time, which means it's still really early in the a.m. right now.

[David Rogers]

Hi,

Thanks Eric. I was just being impatient, due to my excitement! - the links came through within 10 minutes of placing this post. See the influence this forum has?! :-)

[mpl330]

David,

Looking good!

Are you planning on just removing the CH yoke handle and then putting the boeing replica back onto the CH 'mechanics'?

Cheers
Mike

[David Rogers]

Hi Mike,

I think so (that's the theory anyway!).

I'll strip the CH's wiring from the buttons, and rig them up to the Boeing trim switch / AP disconnect, etc, that come with the Simparts 737 yoke.

:)

[phil744]

Looking good so far, if my setup was as advanced i would be happy, my "sim" just consists of a cupboard full of parts and thats it.

Keep up the good work, im looking forward to watching this grow

[Geremy Britton]

HI,

I have done exactly that and it works a treat!

I bought the old CH yoke for around £5 on ebay then took the back box off that detects the elevator movement (push/ pull) then i was left with the yoke on a rod that would have been pushed into the back box.

I sawed off some of the rod to make sure i fitted into my control column it is a drainpipe i grabbed from a builders yard - not needed. and it is grey so no need for paint! the frainpipe will fit over a small joystick that will detect elevator movements and will have added tention by springs etc from the drainpipe at the bottom.

Then i cut my boeing yoke in mdf sanded it and it takes forever! put the electronics in the back of it and put the top half of the yoke on the front and covered any gaps between the two with putty.

THe electronics of the ch yoke are in the actual yoke this is good bacuase you build the wooden yoke so it fits over this and it cannot be noticed this detects the aileron movement.,

Now i have both axis covered and a fully functional boeing yoke!

Really pleased how it has turned out -better than expected anyway.


Also if anything happens in the future the two parts of the yoke front and back are just drilled together by half a dozen screws so can be taken apart if say one of the buttons stops woking or something - i dont realy want to have to make another yoke again!!:o THen you would just need to reapply the putty to seal it again.

Will be painting black soon.

post more pics when finished i added some to the gallery a couple of months ago of this project take a look:

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1724


This is where i got the basic idea from:

http://users.skynet.be/jcordon/cockpit/YokeGal.htm


all this should help you greatly!


Regards

Geremy

[David Rogers]

Cool!

Excellent, thanks Geremy, that's really helpful.

Dave.

[Geremy Britton]

pleased to be of some help, as i said when i get a change in the next month i will upload my finished yoke and you can see for your self!

Geremy

[mpl330]

Hi Mike,

I think so (that's the theory anyway!).

I'll strip the CH's wiring from the buttons, and rig them up to the Boeing trim switch / AP disconnect, etc, that come with the Simparts 737 yoke.

:)

Excellent - keep us informed of your progress with that as thats what I was thinking about doing too -especially since the launch of the 'more affordable' simparts yoke...

Cheers
Mike

[David Rogers]

Yes, they're great.

269 Euros for an authentic looking 737 yoke (100 unpainted without the trim switches!), as opposed to some of the 'ready to use' 737 yokes that are 1800 euros + ...... !

Simparts also sell bespoke mounting plates so sure it'll work out ok.

Dave.

[David Rogers]

Yikes!

Got the UPS shipping confirmation to say that my Engravity Captains and Centre Panel Kits will be arriving on Friday ..... Stoked, as Westozy would say !!

I expect to be up ALL NIGHT on Friday night, so I can show you some new photos of the Panels, and now that I have my networked PCs and PM running spot on !

Happy days!

[Tomlin]

Wow, David. Those Engravity parts ship VERY fast, huh? Didnt you just order those not too long ago?

[Michael Carter]

I too did the same thing to a CH yoke for my Boeing yoke. I just had to wire the Boeing switches to the CH inputs. Took a little head scratching to get the trim switches working, but they are working fine now.

[David Rogers]

Hey Eric, All,

The Engravity kits took 3 weeks (published lead time is 4 weeks) from ordering to arriving at my door step today.

The kits are awesome! Really great quality components and perfect for a first time builder like myself (with limited DIY skills!).

Here is the unfinished Captains Panel kit, after about 3 hours of work. As you can see, I have assembled the MDF rear frame, built and painted the glareshield (corner needs filing down), fitted the main MIP panel and smoked screens, and fitted my CP Flight EFIS.

I still need to fit all of the mini panels, screen surrounds, knobs, etc.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a95/The-GPS-Kid/PA190689.jpg

Keen observers will notice that the Recall panel has the incorrect annunciators - this is a (deliberate) temporary measure as I damaged the correct recall panel, :oops: so need to see about getting another one from Engravity.

I can't wait to get this finished and get the Centre Panel kit done too - my MCP is aching with excitement to get slotted into place!

Happy days :)

[David Rogers]

One further update;

As part of the evolution of my 'pit, I have decided to change strategy when it comes to outside visualisation - I am not now going to use a Projector and instead have bought TripleHead2Go today, and will pick 3 x 19" monitors up in the next few weeks.

A number of reasons for this;

- It means I can position my pit in a better place in the attic room that it's in.
- My projector is only a VGA so resolution was poor.
- With a multi-mon set up I can sim in daylight!
- I can 'enclose' my sim easier with a multi-mon set up.
- Now that I have a network / PM, my server PC is only doing visuals so better performance with TH2GO.

I also have DualHead2Go running on the Client PC, with 2 x 17" monitors that will sit behind the Engravity Captains and Centre Panels.