Now arriving from SE Georgia...

[Tomlin]

Hi my name is Eric, and I am familiar with a few of the well-established members here. I have spent years over at FDS forums and now I am finding lots of very helpful NEW info over here, so Im sure I will be around quite a bit. Not to mention, I have finally started building my sim after so long.

A bit of history....

Back in the day, when Mike and David Lehkemp of Kentucky had their 767 sim and Blue Side Up was one of the only interfacing sites, I caught the flight deck bug. This was in 1999 or so! Anyhow, after flying enough virtual hours to qualify for an ATP rating, I started getting to the age and ability to be able to at least plan for a home sim and now it's all coming together like magic although it wasnt like that at first. I fell in love with the 777, and still am. However, the plethora of 737 parts pulled me over to that aircraft for about 2 years, with only piddeling getting acomplished-nothing of real tangible value came out of working toward that project except lots of experience in patiece! Finally, after spending a week in Tallahassee last fall for a training period (I would go to the GA FBO there 3 nights that week and watch the amazingly busy FBO) I got the idea to build a business jet instead of the 737. Why? Costs, Size, and most importantly, choosing an airplane that I am not so attached to would allow me to shut down my OCD for 737 perfection, and use the items I already have to build a working flight deck for much less money. Yeah right, like that lasted very long. I have however come to an aggreement with myself to be as real as possible, but to fudge on the items that I can do without. For example, my 737 project was slated to be around $35000 dollars to completion. The Lear 45 I am now building can be built for under $10,000, and thanks to not having to have every little switch and knob working prototypically! One area is to just mount my CH yoke on a column and remove its housing and make a newer, slimmer one and do the same for the FO's side. Yeah, I want interconnected yokes, but I just dont HAVE to have them.

Speaking of progress on the sim, this week has been Quite strange actually! In just 4 days I went from having only 1 19" monitor desktop sim to have 3 fully networked pcs running PMRJ software and looking good. One of the PCs were actually GIVEN to me this week for free! Along with 2 CRT's as well! God is good. Also, I registered FSUIPC for the first time. I cannot believe I waited so long, it's that good to have those functions. Finally my CH yoke is set up like a jet. Throttle/Reversers/Spoiler. Not to mention, I cant believe how awesome the PMRJ software looks when running ( I purchased it back in January before the price hike but just 4 days ago registered it and networked it!) Why did I wait so long? I thought that it would be no fun watching a display along side a 19" CRT with the panel and all still on it. I cant say how loud me and my friend yelled when it worked right the first time!

Anyhow, this is a book I realize, and I will stop now. Oh wait....I have another great step made this week too...I ordered my first interface card and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival next week AND my brother and I are working hard on getting L45 throttles made....

Go Figure...it's all coming together at once!

[Bob Reed]

Hey Eric and welcome! Ya know you picked a nice but tough AC to model as there is not much out there for it off the shelf. You will have to build most of it yourself. BIG and IMPORTANT decision you made to allow yourself compromises on your project! Allowing them will make the difference of your project going far or you just getting so frustrated that you give up on it. Number 2.. NEVER stop flying! This is the reason we build, far too many folks forget this and there projects get to be jobs and then they lose interest and next thing you know it is a ebay listing... You have come to a place here on the web where people like helping people build planes. We are not 737,777 AB320 builders but builders and we like to help our fellow builders. Now you may hear from time to time a little good hearted blasting about one ac or another but we are all in this together! So get some pictures of your project up and keep a running album! Looks forward to watching your project grow!

[Matt Olieman]

Eric!!! Welcome aboard Bud :) Nice to see a face with the name :) We can sure use your expertise, I know you've done quite a bite of research over the years regarding flight sim building :)

[Michael Carter]

Well hello Eric.

Nice to be able to attach a handle to a face after all this time. Welcome to the IFSBI forums. We are glad to have you aboard.

I go by Michal at the FDS boards.

[Jackpilot]

Welcome here Eric....

[Westozy]

Good to see you did it Eric, welcome to MyCocpit. I can see I'll have to put Learjet panels on my product list!

Gwyn

[Tomlin]

Thanks a million to all you guys. So very welcoming here! I appreciate it.

BTW, Im set if PC builds the FDS Lear 45 panels. If not, I have all the dims of every panel at 1:1 available !!! So, anyone want to try their hand at a relatively simple layout for panel design??? :-)

[Trevor Hale]

Hey Eric.

Sounds like your in the same boat as me. Except there was no hope to buy panels for my Dassault Falcon. When the time comes and you want help just ask. a lot of us have built our own panels. If you can get the measurements then you will most likely be set. as thats the hardest part.

Great to have you hear, and please enjoy your stay.

Trev

[Tomlin]

Well, here's to hoping that FDS will still offer the L45 one day. In the mean time, I have to be honest- I absolutely love the Citation X, and prefer it over the L45, but I have grown to love the L45 and I have to say, the default FSX version with some of my airfile tweaks is a really great flying aircraft. I like it so much that Im tempted to go ahead and purchase FSUIPC for FSX, but FSX doesnt run too well on my aging FS server, unless I stick to small and relatively unbusy GA airports. However, when I build the new FS machine, it should run FSX nicely.

Back on topic, as stated in my initial 'new guy' thread, I love the 777, and the 737 too. I wanted to build a CJ1 sim for a while and someone talked me into the Lear 45 since panels would likely be available. Another good thing about a default aircraft (IF you can get it to fly well) is that there are virtually NO interfacing issues and my understanding is that with a little work you can get PMSystems to make up a lot of the missing parts from default a/c anyhow. The great thing is, that an APU is not required for the Lear 45, so I dont HAVE to have it modeled. However, since it is modeled in the default FSX version, does anyone know if I can access that system via FSUIPC for FSX???

I have also considered that while waiting for the L45 panels to appear, to possibly buy the Feelthere Citation X, use their EICAS panel and PMRJ for the PFD/ND. In fact, when I resigned myself to building a corporate jet, I figured I'd make the panels myself (which is why I considered the CJ1) but then I determined that Eagle Soft software doesnt play too well with interfacing and PMRJ software doesnt offer tape-style engine gauges! SO, now that Feelthere has their undockable displays, the temptation to build an experimental Citation X is strong. However, I have truly come to like the Lear 45. That plane has a lot of heritage, and to me, is kind of like the cadillac of the business jet catagory. It's from a very well known and respected lineage, and every one that knows NOTHING about aviation thinks that when they see a small jet in the sky, that it must be a Learjet. That says somthing about it's popularity!

Anyhow, thanks again for the welcome, and know that it's well appreciated! I look forward to learning lots of stuff here too.

[Bob Reed]

Hi Eric..... Again let me stress.. BUILD THE AC YOU WANT TO BUILD!! Let NO ONE (including yourself!) talk you into anything! I have been down this road and I am back now building the AC I wanted from the start. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made in this hobby. Compromise it is what this hobby is all about and what you are willing to compromise will set the bar at how happy you are in this hobby. I pound this drum a lot but I have been in this hobby a long tome and I have watched a LOT of people come and go... Off my soap box....... :?