my questions about cockpits

[grumman_gooser]

i have a list of questions aside my last thread.

1. how long could it take to build one for a cessna by a newbie?
2. since i am planning on making one (i might use plywood for the cessna body), how can i round the corners where the wood meets each peice? or what kind of material should i use?
3. anyone know how to use acuators to simulate g-forces and turns to make the plane lean the when you, say, throttle up and down and bank?
4. how can i use one computer to control 2 monitors?

[AndyT]

Let me try and answer some of these.

1. how long could it take to build one for a cessna by a newbie?

This could take as little as 1 week or as long as a year. It depends on how much time and effort you put into it. A reasonable time frame with some purchased items would be 6 months to have a nice sim.

2. since i am planning on making one (i might use plywood for the cessna body), how can i round the corners where the wood meets each peice? or what kind of material should i use?

How much do you know about carpentry? If you go to the public library and check out a book on finish carpentry and joins you will find some great answers on this.

3. anyone know how to use acuators to simulate g-forces and turns to make the plane lean the when you, say, throttle up and down and bank?

We have a section in the forums dedicated to answering this very question. Read thru it carefully and you will discover all sorts of different ways to accomplish this.

4. how can i use one computer to control 2 monitors?

This is pretty easy. Use a video card built for two monitors. But I would suggest a really good video card and three monitors and a Matrox TripleHead to Go adapter.

[grumman_gooser]

thanks. my dad does know about carpentry and he said he'll probrobly help out. i plan on putting this little box in the panel that has all the light and fuel pump switches and the starter with removable keys. i forgot who made it but i know it a model 1010. to get him to help, i just need to pass him the keys once in a while.

[grumman_gooser]

by the way. since i am going to move to TX in about 6 months, i am going to find an aircraft junkyard and take apart the door of a cessna and take out the locking mechanism and key lock to put them into my door to make it more "real".

[AndyT]

Thats a good idea.
You might think about just buying the shell of an old cessna and building up inside it.

[grumman_gooser]

hmmm.... wouldnt a real shell be too big? and anyway, i want to build it personal. i am thinking about extending the fuselage back a little more to put my virtual planes tail number on it.

[AndyT]

Well, it all depends on how much room you have for your sim.

If you have the room, I'd go for the real shell. Nothing like having the real deal to give you that extra feeling of reality. And you can still build it to your custom specs on the inside.

[grumman_gooser]

well... i am going to build it in my garage after i move to texas. then transport it to the gameroom. any ideas on how to keep nosey brothers out? i am also wondering how to fit a real door on in case i want to jst buy a real door. thinking about buying one and cutting it down to fit.

[AndyT]

Belive it or not, its easier to build them 'real' size.

[grumman_gooser]

how so? doesnt seem easier.