My first build - 737NG. Early days!

[David Rogers]

Hey all,

I've been around here for over a month now and have had some great advice and help on everything from setting up networks to finding yokes.... this is a great place.

This is my first cockpit build and hence pretty modest by the standards of some achievements around here. I also don't have much in the way of DIY skills so overall, it's a heck of a learning experience for me!

Anyway, I thought I would share some photos of my project so far - it's not yet a cockpit as such but in the next week, all of my MIP panels should arrive from Engravity and things will start to take shape.

Here are some piccies:-

1). This pic shows the stand/shlef that I have made from MDF that holds my projector in place, at the correct height. This unit will sit behind the eventual cockpit shell. It is painted in Boeing gray so it fits in quite well!


2). Now, this time sitting directly in front of the above shelf and facing forwards, you can see my temporary 20" TFT monitor that will soon be replaced by the Engravity Captains and Centre Panels. In the background is the 100" Motorized projector screen, that also acts as a black out screen.


3). In this pic you can see the CP MCP and EFIS (and the temporary CH Yoke).


4). Temp Yoke and Pedals. Yoke will eventually be modified and combined with a resin replica of a 737 yoke (from Simparts). Not sure about pedal solution yet.


5). This pic shows my temp throttle quad (modified CH TQ). An authentic TQ is towards the end of my project list, so as a temp measure, I bought the 737 throttle knobs from Simparts and modified my CH Yoke.


6). This pic shows the 100" motorized projector screen. This was a bargain - £99 ($200) from eBay, including delivery. Made in China of course but works perfectly and is also the black out screen


7). Finally, this is a head on shot of where the cockpit shell will eventually be - at the moment, the curved panel is a £2 spare sheet of thin MDF that is acting as my "pointy end" !



Not visible in the above pics, I also already have; DualHead2Go (to be used to spread display across 2 screens for the Engravity panels, once I have P/Magenta), Engravity Boeing knobs and pots, and a few other bits and bobs!

Next Steps; (within next 12 months)

- Engravity Captains & Centre Desktop Panels (arriving later this week!).
- Simparts 737 Yoke.
- Produce cockpit shell plans.
- Engravity CDU.
- Engravity Com/NAV/tx units.
- Project Magenta.

[Bob Reed]

Oh Ya!! I remeber when mine looked mostly like that! Good start!!!

[Geremy Britton]

if your building the 737 shell ivar hestness is the man!

I think there is a tutorial somewhere in the downloads i think take a look at his pics (if you havn't already)

Good luck

[Bob Reed]

No shell for me! I don't have enough room and I like being able to get to all of it to work on it. I have wroked on enough with shells (real AC and sims) that I like mine just how it is. It is enclosed with a "curtian" and that is the way it will stay.

[737NUT]

Great start! More than i have for now. Is that the CPFlight mcp and efis?

[David Rogers]

Hi,

737NUT - Yip, those are the CP Flight MCP and EFIS .... they absolutely rock! Using them with PMDG at the moment, they work great.

[David Rogers]

Today my new Network Card arrived and was installed within minutes and showing in my 'Network Connections'. I want to thanks 'Deesystems' for his advice by private message on choosing a network card. I went for a 3com card and having got my network up and running in 5 painless minutes, I think it was a great recommentdation.

(thanks also to the others who helped me set up my network!).

So, with a new network running sweet - I could resist no longer.... I purchased Project Magenta Boeing suite today! .

[EDIT]: Links now received from PM (sorry about the impatience!), so almost ready to roll!

[Tomlin]

David, congrats, and trust me- I totally understand you statement on wait times. However, Im sure that you will get your key(s) very soon, I got them within an hour or two or so, so hopefully it wont be too much longer for you. I think that Katy Pluta usually sends them, and she may be on California time, which means it's still really early in the a.m. right now.

[David Rogers]

Hi,

Thanks Eric. I was just being impatient, due to my excitement! - the links came through within 10 minutes of placing this post. See the influence this forum has?!

[mpl330]

David,

Looking good!

Are you planning on just removing the CH yoke handle and then putting the boeing replica back onto the CH 'mechanics'?

Cheers
Mike