Starting Over

[andarlite]

Well, no thanks to this website and seeing pictures of all your cockpits, I took apart most of my cockpit last night and am mostly starting over again.

Originally when I started all this, I didn't know what I was doing and my idea was just to have a half cockpit with a 22 inch widescreen LCD for the scenery, a 17 inch LCD to display the cockpit panel (Level D 767), some homemade panels built around the 17 inch with switches and some Go-Flight modules.

I started thinking about this several weeks ago but one of the big problems I had was that even if I wanted to build something more realistic looking, I didn't know how to separate the guages, HSI, EICAS, etc to display across several monitors. Someone from another forum showed me how to do it and after a couple of hours on it last weekend, I had it. Now all I have to do is build a new MIP panel around it. That meant a new structure to hold an extra LCD monitor. Then I decided that if I have to do all that work then I might as well build a full cockpit. It's interesting how many people want to fly it when they are visiting so it now makes sense to have a full cockpit. Now mind you, it's not going to be anywhere near 100% realistic, but it'll be as good as it can be for my limited budget, space and building skills.

This past Sunday after church service, I met two of my nieces and nephews (both 11 years old) playing outside and they asked me if my cockpit was finished yet. I told them I was going to take it apart and re-do it to make it more realistic. They both expressed surprise and said "but Uncle Henry, we think it's already very realistic". These two are definitely at the head of the line to fly in the new cockpit.

Regards,
Henry

[Trevor Hale]

LOl Henry,

I can tell you from personal experience that this will not be the first nor the last time that you pull it apart. Sorry to break it to ya, but every time we rebuild, our cockpits becomes better and better.

You will not regret the rebuild, I can guarantee it.

Good luck, and keep us posted with your new pictures.

Best regards,

Trev

[Bob Reed]

As Trevor has said.. This is an on going thing. I am on rebuild number 4 and every time it gets better. As far as realistic goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! We all have to make concessions in this deal or none of us would have a cockpit. It is what you are willing to live with to having a working cockpit. Keep that in mind after all it is all about flying the thing!!

[Kennair]

LOL, Good on you Henry,

Glad to see another builder rebuilding, just made a similar decision myself. I wonder if Mr Boeing went through this?

Ken.

[Westozy]

I'll be rebuilding my TQ does that count?

Gwyn

[Tomlin]

Uncle Henry, you sound like you may have a crew to train before very long. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Everyone in this post is pretty much guaranteeing me that I too will rebuild one day! Boy, oh boy. I hope I can get it very close to 'right' the first time myself, but I have been warned!

[Michael Carter]

I sure don't plan on a re-build any time soon. But I've done a lot of things with this sim I didn't plan on doing, so who knows.

[Bob Reed]

I don't know BSW you have already rebuilt your MIP once. You started out building your own and then went with the real thing, I would call that a rebuild.

[Michael Carter]

Well, that didn't get past the full-size prototype panel. I'd consider it more of a 'trial-run' than a rebuild.

After realizing how many holes precisely positioned that I had to cut, I shelved the idea all together.

[andarlite]

Hey Trevor

I just saw the new pictures you posted of your mip with the trial placement of switches and such. What kind of material is that? Could just be the lighting, but it sure looks like it could be the right brownish color for my 767.

Regards,
Henry