Hi everyone! Advice needed for Cessna 152

[JimmyGerrard]

Hi guys,

I'm James from London, nice to meet you all.

I've recently started my PPL (logged one whole hour so far!) so I have decided to build a home simulator to practice navigation and basic flight training with.

So far I have set up dual monitors, a 26" LCD television displaying external view and a 19" widescreen LCD to display my intrument panel. My computer is pretty much limited to two monitors by only having one PCI-e slot, so my original intention of having a third monitor to display the radio stack has been dealt a blow. I am now interested in building a free-standing avionics stack identical (or close) to that found in a C152.

I was just wondering what parts you guys would recommend? I am not familiar with the companies that offer products or which parts I'd need.

This is the cockpit of the C152:

http://members.cox.net/timetofly/Cockpit.jpg
http://www.marksimages.co.uk/G-BOLV%...%20KM_1024.jpg
http://hampage.hu/repules/muszerfal/SJG2.jpg

What are the essential avionics that I'd need to re-create something similar? I don't really know much about the radio systems yet but it looks to me like I need a com/nav and an ADF unit first and foremost. Where would I go about getting these? I don't want anything too elaborate and am looking to spend as little as I possibly can! Second hand is also no problem to me whatsoever.

Thanks guys and I look forward to speaking to you soon.

James

[dodiano]

Congratulations on your first hour!! I still remember my first Hour!! And I still love the C-152 I hope to own one someday!! If you are going to make a C-152 for your training specially on IFR 2 VOR´s an ADF shoul cut it for you! Do not install a GPS or anything like that so that you really learn the basics of instrument Flying and oof course you will need the standard instruments!! That will be my advice.

Regards,

Roberto

[Trevor Hale]

Hi guys,

I'm James from London, nice to meet you all.

I've recently started my PPL (logged one whole hour so far!) so I have decided to build a home simulator to practice navigation and basic flight training with.

So far I have set up dual monitors, a 26" LCD television displaying external view and a 19" widescreen LCD to display my intrument panel. My computer is pretty much limited to two monitors by only having one PCI-e slot, so my original intention of having a third monitor to display the radio stack has been dealt a blow. I am now interested in building a free-standing avionics stack identical (or close) to that found in a C152.

I was just wondering what parts you guys would recommend? I am not familiar with the companies that offer products or which parts I'd need.

This is the cockpit of the C152:

http://members.cox.net/timetofly/Cockpit.jpg
http://www.marksimages.co.uk/G-BOLV%...%20KM_1024.jpg
http://hampage.hu/repules/muszerfal/SJG2.jpg

What are the essential avionics that I'd need to re-create something similar? I don't really know much about the radio systems yet but it looks to me like I need a com/nav and an ADF unit first and foremost. Where would I go about getting these? I don't want anything too elaborate and am looking to spend as little as I possibly can! Second hand is also no problem to me whatsoever.

Thanks guys and I look forward to speaking to you soon.

James

Hi James.

I would suggest you look into a couple of GF-166 Goflight modules.

I have 2 of these units. 1 unit is programmed as Nav1/Nav2/ADF and the other unit is programmed as COM1/COM2/XPDR.

They are each a great price.

Thats where I would start your radio stack.

Best regards,

Trev

[Bob Reed]

I agree with Trevor on this. Go-Flight is the way to go!

[JimmyGerrard]

Cheers for the reply guys.

I was due to add 2 more hours today but the usual British weather got the better of it! Typical...

Anyway, where can I get go-flight products in the UK, any ideas? Similarly, what's the best place to look for second hand stuff with regards to sim equipment? This is the first time I've really looked into all this stuff so I don't have a clue!!

Thanks,

James

[Bob Reed]

Cheers for the reply guys.

I was due to add 2 more hours today but the usual British weather got the better of it! Typical...

Anyway, where can I get go-flight products in the UK, any ideas? Similarly, what's the best place to look for second hand stuff with regards to sim equipment? This is the first time I've really looked into all this stuff so I don't have a clue!!

Thanks,

James

Best thing for Go-Flight would be to contact them http://www.goflightinc.com/order/index.php and see if they can recommend some place for you to buy it. Second hand stuff is a crap shoot.. Sometimes you can get a good deal but you have to watch and hunt!

[JimmyGerrard]

Best thing for Go-Flight would be to contact them http://www.goflightinc.com/order/index.php and see if they can recommend some place for you to buy it. Second hand stuff is a crap shoot.. Sometimes you can get a good deal but you have to watch and hunt!

I've found a couple of UK distributors but they are so much more expensive due to the strength of the £ over the $, it's really annoying! I'm looking at £129.95 per unit for the GF166 over here plus £49.99 for a mini rack, so the three items together would cost me £309.98, which works out at about $620! The same items in the States come in at $369.85, that's £184.69.

Are modules that come from the US compatible with UK computer systems? If so I'll have a massive hunt around and find a company that'll ship them straight to the UK and bypass the distributor! Bloody currency!

[Trevor Hale]

Yes, anything you buy from the USA will work on your computer in the UK for sure.

Trev

[JimmyGerrard]

Yes, anything you buy from the USA will work on your computer in the UK for sure.

Trev

Thank God for that, I've been desperate to take advantage of the exchange rates for ages now but whatever I go to buy ends up being incompatible
I can get the whole lot off of PC-Aviator for $351.36, bit of a difference from $620 I'll say!

Before I commit to buy though, are you SURE that they'll work over here?

[Bob Reed]

Thank God for that, I've been desperate to take advantage of the exchange rates for ages now but whatever I go to buy ends up being incompatible
I can get the whole lot off of PC-Aviator for $351.36, bit of a difference from $620 I'll say!

Before I commit to buy though, are you SURE that they'll work over here?

Yup! Only thing is you will probably have to pay some sort of tax once they enter your country. Just be ready for that!