Phase 1 complete! ....check out my 737-700.

[David Rogers]

Hi all,

Today I have reached a milestone - I have completed Phase 1 of my pit! ..... My Engravity CDU came yesterday and boy does that add a LOT of realism to planning and executing a flight. It's expensive but it heightens the simulation by 1000% as compared to programming a CDU on a PC screen.

Installation of the CDU went ok but I had one moment of panic. At first, I could not get any text to appear on the CDUs screen - the buttons were working and changing things on the PM CDU screen on the PC but I couldn't get anything on the hardware CDUs screen.

After almost 2 hours of anxiety, I found a setting in the PM CDU.ini file called something like [BLUEBACKGROUND=OFF]. I set this to 'ON' and hey presto, the CDU came to life!

I also had a strange experience today. :p

Around 6 weeks ago I ordered the new Saitek Yoke and Throttle kit but was advised by Simware by email, that it was out of stock.

I forgot about it, then today a courier knocked at my door with the yoke and throttle! I was a little unsure about this product before ordering - a little worried that it would be a 'toy'.....

But let me tell you, the Saitek Yoke knocks the CH Yoke for six in every respect. It feels more like an airliner yoke in terms of design, it has a steel shaft that makes for a smoother, firmer elevator action, and of course it comes with it's own 'long throw' throttle unit!

Really, very, very impressed with this unit considering it cost me £93. CH are going to have to up the game as they are still charging more money for their older, arguably inferior yoke.

Tonight, I made the final touches to my phase 1 pit, then had a good mess around with airfiles, cfgs, etc in FS, to get my 737-700 flying correctly.

Happy to report that it is now performing better than I could have dreamed. I opted for VATSIM for on-line flying as Squawkbox proved to have a lower hit on the FS PC, wheres sadly, IvAp was still drawing a lot of juice out of the FS PC, even with the user interface running on one of the client PCs. I will just have to get used to the VATSIM way again! (I found IVAO more friendly, with fewer egomaniac Controllers!).

So it's happy days and time to do some flying now. I still keep popping up to the attic (my sim is in the converted 3rd floor / attic of my home) and just looking at my sim ............ I think it's love! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

As always, my photo has come out really nasty with harsh light, and I also took it from the wrong perspective (too high), so the view over the glareshield onto the monitors doesn't look right in this photo...... in short, it looks a 100% better in real life than in this pic.

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=2012




:D Incidentally, phase 2 is a 'shell' of some description. (probably not airliner styled but a simple design to block out unwanted peripheral vision and enhance immerseion........... Planning and drawing begins in earnest on Sunday !

[whoispankaj]

Hi David,

Reading the first line reminds me of the IT key words like milestone,etc etc;)..You know what I mean...But good to see the progress that you have done in a months time...It must be feeling great to fly with this setup..Reading your view on the Saitek Yoke and Throttle I am impressed by it and am considering to get one. I am fed up with my CH Yoke in the elevator controls..Did do some oiling around it..BUt it still is sticky..Do you highly recommend the new yoke? And how is their throttle unit?If i have a chance to come down to UK I am definitely gonna visit your cockpit..:)


Pankaj

[737NUT]

Looking good! Glad to hear you like the yoke. I mat go that route if don't use a real one.

[Michael Carter]

That's looking really good. Congratulations!

[David Rogers]

Thanks fellas.

Pankaj - I know, when i was writing that line about reaching milestones I was thinking the same thing, this sounds like I'm talking about a project at work ! (Pankaj and I work for companies that are closely related).

I would indeed recommend the Saitej yoke - it takes about 1 hour to get used to, if you're used to flying with the CH Yoke but after that, everything is superior. The shaft is steel and soooooo much smoother than the sticky CH Yoke. Other nice touches are that the trim switch is a rocker switch, rather than 2 seperate button presses like it is on th CH ..... that feels more realistic too.

The 3 axis throttle is also great - the full throw of the throttles is much further than on the CH throttle quad, so you get a greater range of control. the only snag is that when the throttles are at full rest, they are almost flat / horizontal, which may be realistic for some GA aircraft (or the 727?), but not a 737, where, at idle, the throttles are at aro7nd 45 degrees.

What is AMAZING about the throttles is that there are "hidden switches" beyond the idle zone on each axis, so for Reverse thrust, you pull the throttles into idle and into this 'zone', which activates a button (assign in FS to F2) for reverse..... it works like magic and is far better than pressing a button for reverse thrust.

There are other goodies too, like USB hub built into the yoke.

If you consider that you get the yoke and the throttle for £100, whereas the CH Yoke and Throttle Quad together would cost more than £200 - the Saitek kit really is phenominal value!