Lizzy
06-13-2014, 11:26 AM
Hi my name is Lizz and I live in the Netherlands.
I’m a member of this site and it’s forum for quite some time now but never very actve.
Reason that I joined the forum in the past is that I was building a B737 NG cockpit (who isn’t…..) and wanted to share information with other builders.
This B737 sim was based upon FSX and I bought quite some parts from external commercial vendors like CP flight. In due time I became more and more frustrated with the performance of FSX, I was always seeking for more fluidity of the sim and one day I decided to put FSX aside and change over to X-Plane.
After two earlier failing attempts to get used to X-Plane 9 I was determined to succeed this time, and……I did. I learned all ins & outs of X-Plane 9, learned how to interface to the sim and use all of my ‘old’ hardware. Then X-Plane 10 arrived……..I already was enthousiastic about version 9 but wauw..this was a different game!
I moved all hardware out of my old 737 sim and moved it to a testbench to get all hardware connected, interface and tested with X-Plane 10. Bought myself two new super PC’s to be able to run version 10 easily and external instruments using XHSI on the second.
And here I am, the testbench is growing out of proportions and I need to start integrating everything again in the cockpit itself. This time I’m not going to build a specific aircraft type but a more generic type of cockpit usable for two engine jets and turboprops. I like to fly small jets like citations but turboprops the most (may because of my Fokker 50 engineering background….). My all time favourite is the Piaggio P180 Avanti II, sounds and looks like a turboprop but flies like a jet!!
So my current cockpit design is something loosely based upon the Piaggio (look to the masterswitch panel pictures and you get what I mean…), but also resembles a Kingair C90 or B200.
I’m currently heavily involved in interfacing all my homemade panels with X-plane 10 using SIOC which is quite new to me and very powerfull. But I’m also still designing some dedicated control panels to fit my specific needs. This is surely an advantage when you’re not limited to a certain aircraft type but on the other hand it also demands more design decision to be made, which is a challenge of course.
Below you will find some pictures of a few dedicated controlpanels and a 3D design impression of the final cockpit.
One of my personal goals of this project was to re-use as much hardware and not just buying new equipment.
I will post any progress and new pictures here at the forum when available.
Regards,
Lizz
I’m a member of this site and it’s forum for quite some time now but never very actve.
Reason that I joined the forum in the past is that I was building a B737 NG cockpit (who isn’t…..) and wanted to share information with other builders.
This B737 sim was based upon FSX and I bought quite some parts from external commercial vendors like CP flight. In due time I became more and more frustrated with the performance of FSX, I was always seeking for more fluidity of the sim and one day I decided to put FSX aside and change over to X-Plane.
After two earlier failing attempts to get used to X-Plane 9 I was determined to succeed this time, and……I did. I learned all ins & outs of X-Plane 9, learned how to interface to the sim and use all of my ‘old’ hardware. Then X-Plane 10 arrived……..I already was enthousiastic about version 9 but wauw..this was a different game!
I moved all hardware out of my old 737 sim and moved it to a testbench to get all hardware connected, interface and tested with X-Plane 10. Bought myself two new super PC’s to be able to run version 10 easily and external instruments using XHSI on the second.
And here I am, the testbench is growing out of proportions and I need to start integrating everything again in the cockpit itself. This time I’m not going to build a specific aircraft type but a more generic type of cockpit usable for two engine jets and turboprops. I like to fly small jets like citations but turboprops the most (may because of my Fokker 50 engineering background….). My all time favourite is the Piaggio P180 Avanti II, sounds and looks like a turboprop but flies like a jet!!
So my current cockpit design is something loosely based upon the Piaggio (look to the masterswitch panel pictures and you get what I mean…), but also resembles a Kingair C90 or B200.
I’m currently heavily involved in interfacing all my homemade panels with X-plane 10 using SIOC which is quite new to me and very powerfull. But I’m also still designing some dedicated control panels to fit my specific needs. This is surely an advantage when you’re not limited to a certain aircraft type but on the other hand it also demands more design decision to be made, which is a challenge of course.
Below you will find some pictures of a few dedicated controlpanels and a 3D design impression of the final cockpit.
One of my personal goals of this project was to re-use as much hardware and not just buying new equipment.
I will post any progress and new pictures here at the forum when available.
Regards,
Lizz