Hello From Minnesota

[Learjet15]

Hey everyone, I've been lurking here for a few weeks and finally decided to introduce myself. I'm from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA and am looking to build a King Air sim (or possibly a Learjet). I found the Ron Duckworth King Air documentation very helpful, but I still have a few questions.

I have recently built a computer, purchased FSX, and a Saitek yoke, throttle, and TQ. Ultimately, I'd like to have a cockpit with dual yokes and a pretty accurate panel.

1. Would it make sense to buy the Aeroworx King Air? I assume I'll need a better plane than the default King Air to get most (or all) gauges working.

2. Can I just hide the 2D panel and use FSUIPC and a BU0836X to connect switches and what not? I'm a little fuzzy on how that would work.

So much to learn...

[rt72]

Welcome.

There's a few of us Lear guys here. It's growing all the time. Good to see someone a little closer to home

[Learjet15]

Thanks, rt72. Does the rarity of Lear 45 components make it a bit more expensive and harder to build than most other non Boeing and Airbus planes? That's the main reason I was leaning to the King Air vs. the Lear.

I like the King Air, but I really have a soft spot for the Lear. Just something that oozes cool about them.

[Tomlin]

The King Air is an awesome airplane. If I had the $$$ after completing my LJ45 sim, I'd love to build either the KA or a Pilatus PC12. However, the LJ45 is something that is now very doable for sim builders for many reasons, namely that many of the parts are easy to build at home. Thankfully, some new vendors are looking at it both on the hardware and software side and the builder community has grown by leaps and bounds since this time last year.

[SteveA]

Welcome.....I am new today, love this site. I grew up in your back yard....Eden Prairie. I hung out for years until my teen years at Flying Cloud Field in the late 50's and early 60's. Left years ago for the Navy and now home is Florida.
Good luck with your cockpit build decisions!
SteveA.

[Michael Carter]

Thanks, rt72. Does the rarity of Lear 45 components make it a bit more expensive and harder to build than most other non Boeing and Airbus planes? That's the main reason I was leaning to the King Air vs. the Lear.

I like the King Air, but I really have a soft spot for the Lear. Just something that oozes cool about them.

Can't be any harder than a 727.

[Learjet15]

Thanks guys! Hey, SteveA, how big was Flying Cloud back then? Was it even a controlled airport? I go there every year for their annual AirExpo airshow.

[SteveA]

The tower must have gone in around 1960 or 61. I remember as a kid helping the painting contractors paint the orange and white checkered roof on the VOR tower. A kid couldn't do that today I guess, 12 feet up on a roof. There'd be 10 lawyers standing there waiting for the kid to fall off! Ha.
There's a little double corrugated tin hanger on the east side south end along the highway..... it housed a 1929 Curtiss Robin and a 1930 Lincoln PT-K biplane back then. Norm Sten owned them. For years he would take me flying almost every weekend. At least till the hanger doors froze to the ground and wouldn't open! There's some kind of Cessna in there now........Those airplanes are in the EAA museum in Oshgosh.
You're in God's country up there, enjoy it!
Steve