What Members are Building

[W9XE/Project777]

If you are new to the IFSBI website and have not been into the Gallery you must check out what the building community is doing. For instance check out Westozy’s pictures and drawings. Just to start with the rudder pedals. This is a work of art and simplicity at its finest. This design will work and it looks like a great choice if on a low budget. It looks real and would be easy to interface. Another area is his sim floor base. Most builders are using wood but he is using a metal frame. This is the way I plan my base as well. This would be good where you have a low clearance ceiling to contend with. Strength will be a big plus for me in this design. I will be using 3 L1011 seats in my 777. Can bolt directly to welded cross members in the base.

He also has recently posted some new pictures of his throttle work and drawing.

Well Done Westozy :D

[W9XE/Project777]

Here is another great project coming along. Check out VeeOne’s pictures in the Gallery. Using a metal frame and a nice fiberglass shell. Getting the real feel without having to purchase a nose section. Strength and beauty in one or should I say VeeOne :D

[Rodney]

Speaking of VeeOne and his metal frame and fiberglass shell, that's awesome. A little out of my budget today, but it is good to know that it can be done. I may go the route of FDS's shell, and modify it to fit my space. Who knows, I'm not that far.....yet.

[Westozy]

Cheers Larry for the comments on my work. It's a buzz to hear good feedback.
I've designed my sim to be modular and portable. At some stage, it will have to be dismantled to exit the "hangar", for painting and finishing on it's way to the Flight Stimulator room. When it is dismantled, I'm going to document its construction details, simplify it, and create a set of plans. What you see in my pictures has cost me less than $1,000 aussie dollars so far. Hundreds of hours have obviously gone in to it and I'll be sad to one day finish it! I know my Mk2 will look the same and be half the weight. The thing that scares me is the PC stuff, I know very little, (thanks for the offers of help Rodney). I'm not looking for commercial gain, I just want to share my ideas so I can gain the PC knowledge. My budget for the build is my left-over pocket money, so the Matrox Parhelia and projector arrive in 2027!
Captain Gwyn, the Westozy

[Trevor Hale]

Westozy,

You have know idea how I understand your dilema. Fortunatly I managed the projector from my work, I told them instead of buying a new bulb get a new projector. They gave me the old one and all I had to do was scrape together the coin for the bulb. This sim stuff it hard to do when your on a tight budget. I too Built all my A330 panels using Publisher to draw them then printed onto a "Back Light paper" then glued it to Plexi. Works nice, but the only down fall was I needed to use Round switches not Square, cause cutting square holes in 1/8" Plexi is not nice.

Give us a Woot for doing it as cheep as we can. I too Love the hobby, (new website updates comming soon) And am going for the Realism, but at a cost I can handle.

"PIT BUILDING SURE BEETS MOUSE FLYING"

Great to see you all here, Can't wait to see all of your projects.

Best

Trev
http://www.fsflightservice.com

[W9XE/Project777]

Captain Gwyn

This is exactly why we created IFSBI. The cockpit doesn't have to look exactly like the real deal down to DZUS fasteners. There are so many on a budget that just cant put 15 - 30K in a sim. My first sim plan kept the cost way down below $1000 but when I decided a 2 seater was necessary then the budget we more than twice. Then you start adding the real nice realistic looking panels price up again, original seats, up some more. It just never seems to stop.

I have looked into building my own CNC machine to build panels but I am not that good in the graphics department. Brian our feature Builder of the month did just that. Another great inspiration on what can be done.

One of the early projects I was most impressed with was also in Australia. I am sorry I forgot his name (maybe Duncan) but lived in Aculade (sp). Building a 747 out of a car. Made almost everything from MIP to throttles and with a 4 engine it doubles the work.

I am so pleased how much home design information is showing up. I hope we can get the word out to more sim builders to stop by and see that not every piece has to be purchased. There is a lot of talent out there that is showing up here.

Trevor I like the replacement projector idea. Will see if we can do that at my shop it it should ever happen.

[Bob Reed]

Good to see you all here. This is what IFSBI is all about. Lets share all we can! I have more pics to put up and some are very old... THey almost look silly now! Good job folks! :D

[Westozy]

I've asked a mate. Peter Stark to get a ifsbi link printed in Computer Pilot magazine. Peter writes good articles in CP, and he's another westozy and follows my project.

Captain Gwyn

[Matt Olieman]

Gwyn, that would be absolutely wonderful. Fellow builders need to know where they can go to share information and help other builders. We want this site to be a COMPLETE builders site, and we're always looking for new and better ways to provide this service.

Thanks Gwyn

[Westozy]

Drill a hole smaller than your square, use waste plexi as a back up, clamp it so it cant jump. Try not to drill all the way through the waste, this makes clean holes with no grabbing or breaks. Use high drill speed. Fit a small piece of a fine square file to your jigsaw and go for it. Spray the swarf away with CRC (spray lube), and clean the file regularly. Stick some tape to the shoe of the jigsaw so you don't scratch the plexi. Messy, but neat and quick.

Gwyn

[Trevor Hale]

Westozy, Great Idea. I am going to have to try that jigsaw idea. Never thought of that. Thanks for the Idea.

Thought some of you might be interested. Just posted 2 new Videos of My A330 Sim.

http://www.fsflightservice.com/Preflightnov.wmv <---- Watch me First
http://www.fsflightservice.com/Inflightnov.wmv <-- Then Me

they are about 10MB each.

Hope you enjoy.

[Matt Olieman]

Nice videos.... I think I'll go flying now:)

Thank you.

[Trevor Hale]

Nice videos.... I think I'll go flying now:)

Thank you.

LOL Matt, Only thing is.... The Camera shake wasn't as good as the one on your video's :roll:


Trev

[Matt Olieman]

That was a nervous cameraman:)

[Rodney]

Great video's Trevor. Thanks! It is always inspiring to see someones flight pit in action.

[Westozy]

G'day Trevor,
Your videos are great Trevor, it took me 2 1/2 hours to download from the World Wide Wait but worth it in the end. There's no broadband available in my street yet. I wish my sim was working like yours but there is a long way to go yet on my $50/fortnight budget! This Boeing fan just ordered A320 PIC to have a look at, is that treason? I can't wait for it to arrive, it should be interesting. "Retard, Retard, Retard" is that something to do with being French? Just kidding.

Captain Gwyn

[Trevor Hale]

GWYN,

ROFL.. You crack me up. I am glad you enjoyed it. I have been working on the sim for almost 1 year now, and want to make some modifications still to what I have done.

Thus one of my favorite things about the home pit hobby. You never have to be finished. Just Satisfied!

Great to hear from you, and thanks for your kind words.

Trev

[warvet]

Trevor,
Great videos my friend your deck is certainly coming along. I have now been building mine for about 6 yrs total time around $70,000 but whose counting (my wife lol) and finally I'm starting to see a light at the end of the preverbial tunnel. Good luck with yours and I highly recommend Peter at FDS his stuff is the absolute best, 90% of my sim is his handiwork 3 CDUs, OVHD, PED, GLARE, MIP etc the rest is PM Enrico and phidgets etc. Another fantastic airbus project is Matt Os 340 or Frans A320 in Holland. Anyway best of luck Trevor :D

Tim
A340
Canada

[W9XE/Project777]

Trevor

I finally got the time this morning to view you videos. Very nice. I have always had a plan to do a live streaming video of my project.

The plan is to setup a camera for a streaming video flight from US east coast to west coast. It would be live on my web site. There would be a 3 person crew. Two to fly and one would also be an Amateur Radio operator like the rest of the crew. I would have setup, ham terminology, "Special Event" going during the flight. The back of my sim will have my radio station from which the 3rd crew member will operate on "HF". Will make as many contacts during the flight and send out certificates of contact or QSL cards. Will post the web link in a popular QST magazine with the information time, date, and frequency used. Post also in the Flight Sim forums. Will also be live on VATSIM.

At this time is only a dream but there will be a time for it to be reality :)

[Trevor Hale]

"W9XE" LOL, I didn't even realize you were a HAM. I am Also a fellow amateur radio operator "VE3HZH" Gotta love that.

Good for you, what a great idea. Let me know when you might set that up. I would love to be one of your contacts for that.

73's

Trev

[W9XE/Project777]

Trevor

Sorry so long in replying. I noticed your reply to the A300 shell and reminded me I didn't respond.

I have been a Ham for more than 30 years. I have operated all over. Spent some time in Guam, my call there was KG6JIL back in the mid 70's. Had a wonderful time there. Mostly CW operating. Worked a lot of Japan, Australia and New Zealand. One of the best places to work. A few great days of band openings I worked Europe from my work. Took the radio in while on 12 our duty and the band was hot on 10 and 15. Lots of fun.

In 1980-1983 I was G5DRM at Newbury, England. Berkshire. I used to work my friend from my home town Veedersburg, Indiana every Sunday. One Sunday I got a knock on the door and it was the British version of the FCC. Scared me to death. He had a complaint about TVI and wanted to setup a schedule to test out my equipment. Passed that, the TV owner had problems with his antenna connection which was allowing RF in. Was sure I was off the jail. Was very nervous after that, but still had fun.

In the late 80's and early 90's I operated in Cold Lake Canada for about 6 weeks during Maple Flag. Had a great time. When I first arrived I met someone on 2 meters and was chatting about where I was staying. Soon a knock on the door and one of the local hams who was listening handed me the key to the radio room on the base. Said use it as long as I was in the area. What trust he had, never met me before. Was treated like royalty there. Had a wonderful time. Even got a chance to go to one of the monthly club meetings. Great place, however I never wanted to have engine failure there. The trees are so dense you may never be found. I know why they painted there rescue helicopters yellow with wide skiis.
On my web page is the picture in what we flew there. Two day trip from Whiteman AFB, Missouri. USAF helicopters now gone from there with the job. Now it's the home of the B-2. UFO's anyone?

I miss flying in the HH-1H, time to fire up MSFS and do a little JetRanger time. Still in the back of my mind to build the simulator.

73's

[Westozy]

Trevor, I received PIC A320 and it was a real disappointment. I didn't realise it was on old product, we can download freeware better than that. PMDG leaves it for dead. I blew my dollars, I'll have to do better research in future!
FOR SALE, A320 PIC going cheap!
Captain Gwyn

[Trevor Hale]

ROFL....

Sorry, I saw your post, but it was too late to say anything... I am curently running the PSS A330, but It uses no UIPC Functions, so I have no choice but to save up some $$ for PM.

Just wish the CDN Dollar was as strong as the Euro. It would be easier convincing my wife to let me spend 350 then 700 LOL

Trev

[dodiano]

From my point of view guys I´ll recommend PSS A320 but run it on FS2002 it helped me learn how to work with the MCDU and the Dynamics are quite close!! Still lots of bugs and not many systems but it feels very similar to the real thing.

Regards,

Roberto

[Westozy]

I'm too far into my build as a Boeing and PMDG is so sweet. Part of my overhead at the rear is a cordless keyboard so there will be plenty of cheats at hand to get it going a bit quicker. I'm aiming at next Christmas for the kick the tyres light the fires. I logged 0.5hrs sitting in it cold and dark yesterday, the missus doesn't get it!

Captain Gwyn

[Matt Olieman]

They don't do they..... :)

Although mine has supported me 110% and then some. I consider that fortunate and lucky....

[Rodney]

My better half has told me (although I don't beleive it) that 95% of the time that i am engulfed in the sim, I don't hear, see, or notice anything else. Now while I am in this zone, my senses are keen to anything abnormal, including noise and movement. So the fix for here is to behave abnormally, and she will get attention. (PS, I hope she doesn't see this) Actually, she has been most supportive of my project. I just have to compensate equally, in her preference of Diamonds. :lol:

[Trevor Hale]

LOL,

As some of you might know, I am selling my house and moving to Northern Ontario, Thus selling my house in the city there will be a little extra coin in my pocket when the deal is done, So I suggested to My Mrs's I know you have been supportive, do you think I could splurge when we move. She aggreed up until I told her I wanted to spend 5,000 on simulator stuff.... All I remember was a comment having something to do with a$$, and geek... Not in any particular order... Then the hurtful comment "The next time I want to hear you mention Supportive, will be talking to a lawyer talking about your mothly payments" :oops:

Needless to say, I will recommend to all, as long as you tell your wife "I got all this for a hundred bucks" they are extremely supportive. I will use this line now no matter how much I spend... :lol:

ROFL.

Best,

Trev

[Matt Olieman]

OK, this is getting good. I love this:)

[Bob Reed]

Well my wife is a gem about all this too. I live in a small 900sq foot apartment where my sim and work space is in the dinning room / kitchen. When you walk in to the house the first thing you see is the pit... Be it cleaned up or not!! How often is yours cleaned up? :D And as far as cost... Honest honey.. I got all this for $25.00!!!! Hmmm Maybe we need a support group for liers......?????

[Westozy]

G'day all,
Today I splashed out some hard earned sim dollars on some bling, bling, for the missus for Christmas. Perhaps this might help her see the reasons why our family needs that video projector so much!
Probably a better investment than Pilot In Command A320. Shame on you PC Aviator, best Airbus my butt!

Merry Christmas

Gwyn

[Trevor Hale]

You sound bitter Gwyn?

[Westozy]

No Trev, not bitter, just my fault for doing a bad spend really! PC aviator mag is a pretty good read, I just subscribed back in October.
I downloaded Kittyhawk 737, awesome flight dynamics, was it you or Rodney that recommended it, I can't remember. I can see why it is popular.

Gwyn