I made the decision - or: don't mess with the Flying Bulls

[Yoshi]

Ok, finally I made the decision. Errh. I mean, the Flying Bulls anticipated the decision.

Here's the whole story:

I think you all know I was still looking for THEE bird I'm going to build. Last status was final round with two candidates. Tomlin almost got me for total LJ45 assimilation. Almost. But I wasn't sure I'd really liked to build that one, so I continued researching data of the Citation X. Since I know some people of the Flying Bulls I asked one mech if he knew where/how to get information regarding cockpit dimensions of this plane. Nothing bad, huh?

Ok, now sit back and enjoy the show as I did...

Thursday afternoon I had some work @ Hangar 8. When I visited the mechs' office the one I emailed was there and his supervisor. They both immediately stopped all work, turned to me and started asking.

Mech: Umm... what exactly are you planning there...?
Yoshi: Well, kind of a cockpit... just planning some crazy stuff with flight simulator, nothing big...
Supervisor: And you want to build a Cessna? Bah, build a Falcon, then you'll end up with an aircraft...
Mech: Ah, don't listen to him, he's only getting these calendars every year from Dassault, that's why he's a Falcon's man. Cessna is cool, go for it.
Yoshi: Well, I thought...
Supervisor: Nothing but hazzle with Cessna, I tell you. Ok, it's fast - but you don't go anywhere with it. And it's ugly, they glued that belly to it because the messed up aerodynamics. Cessna never built something fast, so it was predictable they would end up with some junk like that. Build a Falcon.
Mech: Hey, it's not about being better or something - and the Citation X isn't ugly at all! Actually, when taking off it's like a swan!
Yoshi: Well, I like the X, too...
Supervisor: Ah, nonsense, you take of with this monstrosity, fly about 2 hours and you're out of fuel. Look at the Falcon, you can stay in the air for 9 hours!
Mech: *caugh* well... you need to stay airborne that long... 'cause you won't go anywhere with Mach 0.8...
Supervisor: And you will never be able to fly Mach 0.92, listen to me, nobody would ever allow you to fly right into a B737's ***!
Mech: No problem, I just flash up landing lights, they gotta move outa my way... *hrrhrr*
Supervisor: You won't get from Salzburg to New York! Citation X is crap, it's of no use at all!
Mech: Ok, now I tell you something. Sure, you can stay in a Falcon for 9 hours. But after arrival you don't do anything anymore. No party, no f***ng, not looking cool at all. Citation X is cool. You're drunk for 2 hours when ol' Falcon arrives.

This continued for about 15 minutes.

When I was about to leave they held me back and told me something that left me speechless for several minutes:
They will get a cockpit poster (one of those ~1m² things) directly from cessna for me...

So now tell me: do I have a choice now?


*sigh*

Now I'm researching the web again for software...
I've absolutely no clue how to interface the CDU and the MFD/PFD/EICAS buttons w/ IOCards...

I'd prefer a networked environment, simulating the whole avionics - but I didn't find anything yet. Suppose I have to wait for some months to get enough info about all dead/undead projects, and I have to study C#.


Cheers

Yoshi

[Trevor Hale]

ROFL...

Don't let any of us assimilate you.. Only you can make the decision. Only you can build the aircraft of your dreams.

One day, you will be looking at someone's cockpit and realize how they built something and your going to say "I can do that to build the ?? in the ?? " and you will know.

You need to build what you want, not what everyone else tells you to build.

Good Luck!

Trev







PS DASSAULT FALCON ALL THE WAY!!!!

[Michael Carter]

Or one that everyone else is building. Unless that is what you want.

[Bob Reed]

Yoshi.... You need to be the one the decides WHAT you are going to build. If you do not pick it yourself you will never be happy. Trust me on this I have been down that road and have parts here that I will never use... Someplace I have RJ parts that I allowed myself to be talked into. The whole time I was working on the RJ I was thinking man I really want a 737....Which was my very first choice. I finally said enough and switched to the 737 and have been very happy ever since. So make the decision on what you want!!!!

[Tomlin]

Most definately build the one that you want, but, and it's a big but, be forewarned that building a Citation X is going to be much, MUCH more of a challenge than most any other flight deck. Not so much if it sticks to the generic side of things, but if you are talking fairly realistic, then you will have a long road ahead of you. With that said, long roads can be fun to travel down! Bob, Michael, and Trevor know this all too well. Mainly due to lack of software and the way the avionics are laid out. I really worked hard for about a week staring over photos trying to figure out how it could be done physically. But again, go with what you can pull off.

My favorite airliner is the 777
The easiest to build is the 737 (and is in 2nd place for airliners)
My favorite corporate is the Citation X

I had decided, and planned for 2 years, to build the 737NG. However, it just couldnt be done to my standards for less than $30,000 with all that I wanted to do with it.

Now, What I am able, and desire to build, is the Learjet 45. I know that sounds a bit contradictory, but I really do love the Learjet now. But, it took some time. I am a practical person, but I also am driven to make things the best I can afford. That is why I chose the Learjet. Well, for those reasons and because I dont want to wait around and *hope* someone comes up with Citation X software or parts. I also feel that with the Learjet I can actually make the panels myself if I am forced to do so.

Besides the Citation X being such a hot, sexy, and really fast girl, there is a big plus side to building it- Nearly all of the switches are toggles, and those are ultra easy to install and purchase compared to buying korry replicas or making them!

Dont let me talk you into a Learjet Yoshi, but if you decide you do like the bird and want to build one, you have a virtual partner to help along the way. If you build a nice Citation X, expect me to show up on your doorstep when it's finished cause I will want to fly it!

[Yoshi]

In fact nobody but me made this decision

I spent many hours last weeks practising flying the Citation X. And it's absolutely phantastic.

Ok, I'm going to build a cockpit. Insane, right?
I don't want to support Project Magenta, which is not difficult because they don't support the aircrafts I really love. But there's no software available fitting the needs of a Primus 2000 driven plane. Several dead projects, so there have been some people trying to get things up and running.
No parts and not really much information... it's a new bird.

A long, and a hard way to go. Busy for at least 10 years I suppose.

What am I doing?

Planning at least one more year, even if the urge get's too strong starting to build the base. Learning C# because I'm going to have a look at all projects (like OpenGC, OpenRJ), taking the best thoughts. I accepted there's nothing available, so I have to do it by myself.

I did Basic-like programming in my former job, so it shouldn't be too hard to get at least started. Ah, and the best wife on this planet is a professional C# programmer


I'm lost. Take me to the madhouse. Oops... I'm already here, almost forgot...

Ok, then just count me in. I'm going for nothing but the Citation X.


Cheers

Yoshi

[Michael Carter]

You have quite an advantage with your own C+ programmer on-site.

PM and other software directed at specific, popular aircraft doesn't signal the death toll to all those that would "buck the system" with mainstream Boeing and Airbus builds.

There are always alternatives. Some may not be obvious at first, and some more difficult than others, but flight simulators have been around a lot longer than any current popular software has been offered. That goes for hardware too.

There isn't anything you can't build if you have enough desire and commitment.

[Tomlin]

There isn't anything you can't build if you have enough desire and commitment.

My toughts exactly- and it's a great aircraft too. I remember the first time I sat in a Citation X. Wow. What a great aircraft. It's making me want to load up the Eagle soft version and take a ride now!