Just joined!

[richard hutchinson]

Hi folks.

Wow - how many forums on FS's are there? lol

Currently building a 767 cockpit. Working on construction of a new overhead panel. Lots of wiring and switches to play with mmmmmmmmmmm!

[phil744]

Greetings from Preston, how far along are you?

[Matt Olieman]

Welcome aboard Richard, you've come to the right place for Flight Sim Building tips :)

Matt Olieman

[richard hutchinson]

Hiya and thanks for the welcome.

Well, I have the cockpit shell built and have a total of six LCD monitors running. 3 x view and 3 x intstuments. The system is running Vista 32 bit (yuk) and is on a quad core. Video card is PCI-E with twin digital outputs, 1gb onboard memory. Using Saitek yoke and pedals, and a VR insight MCP combo (which is crap quite frankly .. wish I hadn't bought it now).

I am currently working on designing the overhead panel (with loads of help from Ian's great site www.737ng.co.uk). Visited Ian last week and am now green at the gills!! Very talented and nice guy.

For the overhead I am going to use white acrylic perspex, and overlay it with Letraset thin-film sheet, which I can print on a laser in Boeing grey, leaving the lettering white (laser leaves this area blank) so when sheet is applied to perspex I have the layout already printed onto it, the right place to drill for switches etc, and when backlit, all the legends will illuminate nicely for night flights.

Due to wife (and room) constraints there will be only one position (might squeeze two if she doesn't notice it's expanding).

I fly the Level D 767. Next major purchase is an FMC but I don't think it will be a VR insight jobby as it is a bit naff with a silly sized screen (know it's cheaper but hey ...) and you have to stick all the labels onto the buttons yourself. Their support is crap too. Never have got the altitude to work, even though the level D has an sdk written for it, still no go. It ignores all changesfor altitude. Everything else on it works, but it's BLACK! When did and heavy EVER have a BLACK MCP?? What were they thinking of??

Addons: VFR scenery for South East, Level D 767 (excellent), REX, FSUPIC and FXpand.

Struggling to understand the programming of the FMC and reading charts, but have got quite a way in 5 months so won't beat myself up over it. Would love to fly online with someone in a shared cockpit. Not done it yet, but there's always a first time.

Well, that's where I am at and I owe credit to Ian for a lot of where I am up to.

Anyone wanna buy a VR Insight MCP Combo? lol

Regards
Richard

Peterborough UK

[phil744]

Wow, sounds like your off to a flying start, any pics?:D

[richard hutchinson]

I do have some pics I can post. Will put them up shortly.

Regards
Richard

[No Longer Active]

Welcome aboard pal !

Your def right about Ian being Mr Nice guy, he's always been brilliant to us...and helped me out a tremendous amount, would love to go and fly his sim one day....he has an amazing sim!

Your also right about the VR Insight MCP being naff, your not the first person I have heard say that, I just googled the reviews for it...and not impressed....Maybe you could sell it on ebay and buy an opencockpits MCP or something, they are great for the price, also the GoFlight MCP is excellent value for money.

I am really intrigued to how your making your overhead, please post pics once you have finished it (or nearly finished it) as it would be great to see your back light effect.

Nice to meet you pal.....

Alex

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

yes of course welcome richard......
'very talented and nice guy'. yes, you're right (he he he)
glad you were 'inspired'.....makes it all worth while.
and chaps, i have a sneaking suspicion that Rich is going to be around MC for a long time.
welcome captain .....
ian

[No Longer Active]

Quite strange to see an almost all british thread....apart from Matt, but Matt is Matt, and he's the boss lol (a nice boss lol)

[mpl330]

Welcome aboard pal !

Your def right about Ian being Mr Nice guy, he's always been brilliant to us...and helped me out a tremendous amount, would love to go and fly his sim one day....he has an amazing sim!

Alex

Do not pay him a visit ;), he will break down your will power and good intentions with his hospitality and enthusiasm so that before you realise it you are hooked :lol: you start off planning to build some kind of single seater desktop sim and then when you have seen Ian's sim you long to have something like it :mrgreen:

Welcome Richard!

Cheers
Mike

[No Longer Active]

That is probably a very valid point, I might tie a rope around Ian's workshop and attach it to the back of my car, and drive off at full speed with a 737 in the back, driving through the country side with a million leads hanging out my boot!

....and then change my screen name to Alex737Pilot....do you recon he would notice lol........

nah...Ian's a top top man, I think a trip to his sim can only be an inspiration for me, and the only chance i'd get to flying anything close to a 737!

I love his work, its top class stuff! One of the best sim builders in the country by a mile, probably one of the best 737 home builders in the world!

[richard hutchinson]

Well, what I like about Ian is not only his generosity in sharing his 737, but he comes up against a problem, thinks it through and sorts it. Not only that, but he shares it with us so we don't sit floundering. Have to say, he has patiently helped me no end and still has a sense of humour and for that I am grateful.

Just wished I lived nearer to him so I could sample that stunning cockpit more! Mmmm? I wonder if the wife would consider moving ,,??

This thread is becoming dangerously close to being Ian's fan club, :-) lol

So publicly (well almost) I say a big thank you Ian for your unstinting help, inspiration, friendship and for sharing all your hard work!

Regards all
Rich

[No Longer Active]

And I am thinking that Ian's head will explode with all these generous comments!:wink:

He will be dishing out signed photographs soon and end up with a management company and his very own agent!

So here's our claim to fame!......we all know Ian.....lol :D

Can we have your autograph?.....PMSL! LOL

[rhysb]

Welcome Richard,

Glad your building the best aircraft in the world the 767. I have been building now for over 10 years (although progress doesnt show that) and I have the advantage of knowing the real thing.
If you want to come see my setup or fly online send me a PM
Engravity CDU is brilliant for the LevelD

Rhys B

[richard hutchinson]

Hiya Rhys

Yep, agree. Love the 767. Just managed to get 40 FREE annunciators with different coloured lenses! Luverly!! Perfect for the start of the overhead!

Still having a little grief with fsxpand/client. Got he gauges displaying, but no data transfer so teh gauges don't actually work yet. Just gonna have to plod on and find the fault.

The gauges look superb though and am really pleased Sir Ian encouraged me to keep going with it.

Waiting on a VR FMC unit. Don't particularly like it but it will work ok with the level D 767 which I love! Wanted to get into the fmc side after being shown what you can do with it (and the fmc) by Ian in his 737. I suppose it won't be as good as the better makes, and I am having to put up with the VR combo MCP, but it's a start and they are always sellable later on if I decide to upgrade.

Be great to fly with you sometime!

Best regards
Richard

rh@dsl.pipex.com

[richard hutchinson]

Have attached some pics which were quite early on, and not nearly as impressive as some of you guys pix. However, I am in it for the long haul (no pun intended) and am determined to get a halfway decent setup that I can enjoy with others.

Regards all
Rich