tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8195640710195690692024-03-19T09:19:26.687+00:00Building a Generic Home CockpitDomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-57895029699074637562013-03-17T13:06:00.002+00:002013-03-17T13:07:38.012+00:00Q&A 2 - Instrument monitor height<i>Pete Hudson wrote: When you sit the instrument monitor atop the yoke it does seem very tall. I bought a widescreen to limit the height but you almost have peer over the top of the dash to see out. Maybe all will look ok when I get the outside view sorted but did you have the same problem?</i><br />
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Hi Pete, I have the same problem with my instrument monitor. Because it has to sit on top of the yoke it raises the top of the MIP higher than it would normally be in most RL aircraft.<br />
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To mitigate this I removed the bezel from the monitor and cut the MIP as close to the top of it as I could. I also lowered the yoke as far as I could. I found that by sitting further back the angle of my legs allowed me to lower the bottom of the MIP quite a bit. The last thing I did was lower the exterior view monitors behind the rear of the MIP as far as possible without losing too much of the bottom of the picture.<br />
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I haven't got round to using car seats yet. If I raise the office chair I use to almost full height I can get my legs in under the MIP quite easily to use the rudder pedals, and the top of the exterior view monitors are just above my eyes. Ideally I would want to be almost looking down at them, but at least I'm looking straight ahead and not up. It's not perfect, but a pretty good compromise.<br />
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<i>Also for the outside view would a 42" TV be any good or there a reason most people use the 3 monitor route?</i><br />
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I've never used a TV but I believe the resolution on a big TV would be pretty similar to a single monitor, ie. you wouldn't see any more to the left and right. The PC sees the three monitors as one super wide one with a res of 5760x1080, so it's really wide and normal height. The native resolution of a 1080p TV is only 1,920x1,080, so you're only seeing a third of the width of the image you would using three monitors, just larger. Hope that makes sense!Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-68177211595093356392013-02-18T22:07:00.001+00:002013-02-18T22:49:23.717+00:00Q&ADoc Fester has asked a few questions in the comments of <a href="http://generichomecockpit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/orbx-ftx-england-is-out.html" target="_blank">this post</a>, so I thought I'd try to answer them in a post instead of comments to make them a bit more accessible.<br />
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Hope you don't mind, Pete :)<br />
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<i>What do you think of a beamer setup for the outside view? I'm contemplating a single projector for forward view and possibly 2 monitors for left/right views. With an enclosed pit I just think it will give so much more realism. A single monitor IP for the guages, that's the idea anyhow!</i><br />
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I have a long term plan to build an enclosure and replace my current triple monitor setup with one of the following:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Three projectors giving a wide enough field of view to allow me to make side windows. I'm not sure if this is feasible given the available space.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>One or more projectors for the main view and a monitor on either side as a side view, which is what you're suggesting.</li>
</ul>
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Side windows are important to me as I spend a lot of time glancing to each side, particularly when in the circuit. At the moment I have to use the hat switch to shift the main view which ruins the immersion.<br />
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I haven't looked into it enough to advise you on the best solution, but most enclosed simpits I've seen make use of projectors so if you have the space and the money that's probably the way to go. Not sure if one will be enough though, but you might get away with it if you're using monitors for side views.<br />
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If you haven't already done so I suggest you ask in some of the forums, as there are plenty of people out there far more knowledgeable than me on the pros and cons of projectors :)<br />
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<i>I have a few old keyboards knocking around and thinking of going down the keyboard emulator route for many of the on/off switches. I own a sign company so bespoke panels are no problem for me.</i><br />
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I've seen keyboards with labels stuck on the keys used as switch panels, and they will certainly do the job for little or no outlay.<br />
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However, I prefer the tactile feedback of flicking a switch to pressing a button and I also think that bespoke panels look so much better than a keyboard. If you can make your own panels so much the better as I found actually attaching the switches to the Bodnar card was really simple. I would definitely go for bespoke.<br />
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<i>You have gone for the GoFlight kit, better than Saitek?</i><br />
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After extensive research I went for the GoFlight modules mainly because I prefer their looks over the larger Saitek modules. It made sense financially as well as you can pick them up second hand pretty cheaply, particularly the older black ones that I use<br />
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I can't say if they're better as I've never used the Saitek modules, but I'm very pleased with the GoFlight kit.<br />
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My yoke, pedals and throttle quadrants are all Saitek though, and they're great.<br />
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<i>How easy is the process of ganging the saitek quadrants to share throttle pitch etc?</i><br />
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Dead simple. I got one quadrant with the yoke which plugs into it using a DIN type connector. The second quadrant has a standard USB connector so you can plug it in anywhere. FSX recognises it and you can configure the levers and switches either in FSX or using FSUIPC in the usual way.<br />
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Hope that helps. Happy to answer anything I can.<br />
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Dom<br />
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<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-28479540712414596852013-02-18T20:59:00.002+00:002013-02-18T20:59:39.982+00:00Radio stack and overheadI managed to make some steady progress over December and January. I sprayed the MIP black using Halfords matt black spray, which made a big difference. I have some cheap black paint from B&Q to brush paint everything else.<br />
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I also got hold of a few more GoFlight modules which I've used to build a radio stack.<br />
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x1 GF-P8 button module<br />
x4 GF-166A radio modules (3 pictured)<br />
x1 GF-46 multi-function module<br />
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These were all the old black versions and pretty cheap on eBay, although one of the 166s was missing a knob when it arrived. I'll try to return the faulty one and sell on one of the others as I only need two of them. I'm thinking of replacing it with a second 46 so I can use one as a DME and one as a transponder. Then I'd like a GoFlight autopilot module to go in the centre pedestal or OEP.<br />
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They are all great modules but for a while I just had the 46 and, to be honest, you could get by with one of these on their own. You can pick them up for around £50 on eBay and they do pretty much everything. I can't recommend them highly enough for adding a bit of reality on a budget.<br />
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The idea was to use the P8 to switch between COM and NAV etc as in a RL radio stack, but I'm having trouble getting it to work.<br />
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I fixed the modules in place using <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00009XSYI/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">these</a>:<br />
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They're really excellent for fastening panels and look the part too.<br />
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I also built a new overhead electrical panel. This took some time and now I've used up all the inputs on my Bodnar card, so I'll need a new one before I can add any more switches to it.<br />
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I got a couple of metal handles from Homebase and some <a href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120910652347" target="_blank">black quilted material</a> which looks pretty good as insulation pinned on either side of the OEP.<br />
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At the moment the individual switch panels are made from thin MDF with printed paper labels stuck on with spray mount. Once I'm happy with the design of these I will have them made up properly by a local signwriter shop I've spoken to.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-75601843009546271962012-11-26T12:15:00.003+00:002012-11-26T12:17:57.206+00:00OrbX FTX England is out!I received a very exciting email over the weekend. As rumoured OrbX have been working on <a href="http://fullterrain.com/product_eueng.html" target="_blank">FTX England</a>, and you can now pre-order the DRM free DVD edition from <a href="http://www.flightstore.co.uk/flight-simulation-c8/scenery-add-ons-c191/uk-other-scenery-add-ons-c457/orbx-ftx-england-for-fsx-p3576" target="_blank">Flightstore.co.uk</a> for dispatch on 21st December, or download it right away from <a href="http://www.flightsimstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=2211" target="_blank">The FlightSim Store</a>.<br />
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The product covers all of England (not Wales or Scotland) but is not compatible with photorealistic scenery like <a href="http://www.playsimspublishing.com/titles.html" target="_blank">GenX</a>, so you'll have to make a choice. This is not a problem for me because, as I've <a href="http://generichomecockpit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/genx-vs-orbx.html" target="_blank">mentioned before</a>, I think FTX is far superior.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-40905049813284354952012-11-19T12:04:00.000+00:002012-11-19T12:04:53.277+00:00VoxATC only responding second timeLast week my VoxATC was playing up, or so I thought.<br />
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Anything I said to ATC was not being recognised the first time, but if I repeated it VoxATC would accept it on the second go and respond correctly.<br />
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It turned out that my microphone was playing up and VoxATC was actually not receiving <i>anything </i>that I said.<br />
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It took me a while to work this out as I had ruled out a faulty mic, figuring that if VoXATC heard me the second time the mic must be okay.<br />
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It seems that a little known (to me at least) feature of VoxATC is that if it doesn't recognise a message the first time, you can say anything the second time and it will accept it.<br />
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One thing the whole episode did make me realise was that, despite VoxATC's occasional quirkiness, flying without it is pretty pants now. It's become an indispensable part of the whole experience.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-24354307332733687162012-11-10T08:59:00.001+00:002012-11-10T08:59:16.128+00:00How to complete Rod's VOR lessonI've been working through Rod Machado's flying lessons, partly as a refresher but mainly to get to the commercial pilot and ATP lessons.<br />
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As anyone who has tried these lessons will attest, they are a mixed bag. Some are very simple to complete while others seem to end for no good reason, despite following all of Rod's instructions. Often the messages on the screen contradict Rod, and the whole thing becomes very frustrating.<br />
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The one I have found most frustrating so far such is Rod's VOR lesson, which had me calling the poor guy every name under the sun for several days.<br />
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I must have tried to complete this damn lesson over twenty times. Every time I would fly past the VOR and head north as instructed but Rod would fail to tell me to turn west for the next leg of the flight. After a few minutes I would hear the dreaded, "Since that's not going too well..." and have to start again.<br />
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I finally managed to complete the lesson last night, and this is how I did it.<br />
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The trick seems to be lining up on the VOR while Rod is giving you his initial spiel at the start of the lesson. Take a look at the map and see where the VOR is located, just north and between the two runways. While Rod's flying adjust your heading bug to about 030 and wait for the VOR to centre before setting the bug back to 360. Also verify your position visually so that you're located directly south of where the VOR is shown on the map. You should do all this as soon as the lesson starts and aim to be back on 360 or pretty close to it by the time you take control of the aircraft.<br />
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You can now fly the lesson normally. Ignore Rod and any on-screen instructions to turn left or right. Track directly north making small adjustments to keep the VOR centred. You'll know if you've done it right because as you pass over the VOR the needle will swing quickly to the right before the To From flag flips.<br />
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The needle will centre again then start to drift slowly off centre once more as you move away from the VOR. Keep making small adjustments to keep the needle centred until your DME shows about 3nm.<br />
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If you've done it right Rod will tell you to make a left turn, and the rest of the lesson should work correctly.<br />
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Take that, Rod.<br />
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<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-42263115250080787452012-10-30T14:21:00.003+00:002012-10-31T07:52:20.566+00:00GoFlight GF-LGTI bought my first <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/" target="_blank">GoFlight</a> module last week, a GF-LGT. I picked it up on eBay for under £40 which I'm very pleased with as the <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/products/gf-lgt-ii-landing-gear-and-trim-control-module" target="_blank">new ones</a> are around £190!<br />
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Admittedly mine is the older model, black rather than grey and without the rudder and aileron trim or extra 3-way switch. As I have only ever used elevator trim and have plenty of switches this seems like a good trade off :)<br />
<br />
My GF-LGT has an elevator trim wheel and a big ole landing gear lever linked to three LEDS (green is down, red is transitioning, off is up). It also has a switch for flaps.<br />
<br />
I've decided to go with the older black GF modules as they are cheaper to pick up second hand and will match my MIP which will also be painted black.<br />
<br />
After building and configuring several switch panels myself I was impressed by how easy it was set up the GF-LGT. After mounting the module in my MIP I dug out a USB cable and connected it up, then downloaded the latest GF software from their site.<br />
<br />
I ran the GF config programme which detected the module and displayed a picture of it with dropdowns against each switch. All I needed to do was select the appropriate function for trim, gear and flaps and I was good to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuvL5u4X3aK_tIq2f-AQ78Ni1-ipQcd49yefSaJp9WBDYuBpeM2XLLpLV5sbrcg9Fe4NJbxbMQ-f3MIryUOrxFOFCEMpjXE1LDtA6sNB2w-Dv7g1AzQQdXWR1biUJkSzQwxeZkstExkCT/s1600/GFConfig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEuvL5u4X3aK_tIq2f-AQ78Ni1-ipQcd49yefSaJp9WBDYuBpeM2XLLpLV5sbrcg9Fe4NJbxbMQ-f3MIryUOrxFOFCEMpjXE1LDtA6sNB2w-Dv7g1AzQQdXWR1biUJkSzQwxeZkstExkCT/s320/GFConfig.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Previously my gear, trim and flaps were mapped to the switches on my yoke. It's much more satisfying to slap a big lever up to raise the gear, and seeing the LEDs change from green to red gives me an absurd amount of pleasure. I really need to get out more.<br />
<br />
Using the trim wheel is far more precise than the yoke switch, and gives a much greater degree of control. It really is a joy, and very close to the real world Cessna trim wheels I'm used to.<br />
<br />
The flaps switch is a bit meh though. It's a feeble little thing which seems to be configured in reverse, so UP lowers the flaps and DOWN raises them. I'm sure this is easy to correct but the switch itself will always be naff. The <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/products/gf-lgt-ii-landing-gear-and-trim-control-module" target="_blank">GF-LGT-II</a> has a proper paddle lever for the flaps but I'm sure this is still just attached to a two way momentary toggle switch.<br />
<br />
What I would like is a lever that can be physically positioned in a detent for each flap setting, so you can see at a glance which position your flaps are in without having to display a gauge on the instrument monitor. Of course this poses problems in a generic cockpit, as some light a/c only have two flap positions while larger aircraft have five or more.<br />
<br />
A project for the future might be to make a lever like this, or perhaps adapt a throttle quadrant for the job. I'm sure some imaginative labelling and profile specific axis mapping in FSUIPC will cope with all types of aircraft.<br />
<br />
For now though I'm very pleased with my bargain purchase. I'll keep using the flaps switch (it's no better or worse than my existing one) and the elevator and gear lever (and LEDS!) are fantastic.<br />
<br />
Highly recommended.<br />
<br />
Next: GoFlight <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/collections/modules/products/gf-166-versatile-radio-panel" target="_blank">radio</a> and <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/collections/modules/products/gf-46-multi-mode-display-module" target="_blank">transponder</a> avionics modules.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-88561634239006412542012-10-19T22:58:00.002+01:002012-10-19T23:00:15.311+01:00A2A's B377 StratocruiserIn my ongoing quest for realism I tried out A2A's <a href="http://www.a2asimulations.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=25&zenid=3f8d6e5556f62aa035a1c3e092568dc6" target="_blank">Boeing B377 Stratocruiser</a>, with Accu-Sim.<br />
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<img height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsz2I9EzYW3pL-_SU8I7LPWGQW3AUc2OM6WeGub5_T4AnRCGB_ESKTitlPXmIJraX2cLQ2792ypf5vKeLiFNBMiO2xVZ5_DiLat69nTCttHZ99FqzhJoHNzwCEH2WVwqY6tkWk784qa1Jb/s400/B377_10.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Eventually I think I'll hit the point where the realism starts to become too much for a simulator and become tedious, at which time I will have found my level.<br />
<br />
As a real world pilot I do want a high degree of realism. With a C172 this is fine, as running through a few short checklists is not too time consuming. Even my beloved DC-3 is do-able, but when flying something a complex as the B377, which had a four man crew, compromises must be made.<br />
<br />
For example, I printed off 18 pages of B377 checklists, which involve all four crew members. I haven't sat down and run through every item yet, but with only an hour or two in the evening to actually fly, I don't want to be spending half this time hitting switches.<br />
<br />
Fortunately A2A offer an add-on called <a href="http://www.a2asimulations.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=46" target="_blank">Captain of the Ship</a>, which gives you full interaction with your crew and allows you to hand off tasks to them. I haven't tried this yet, but it looks like a good option to maintain a high level of immersion and still get off the ground in a reasonable time.<br />
<br />
The B377 is also the first four-engined aeroplane I have flown. Initially I was planning on limiting myself to single- and twin-engined types but I have changed this policy allow myself to fly pretty much any aircraft, which means also changing my switch panel designs to accommodate four engines.<br />
<br />
I had a crack at reconfiguring my panel designs over the weekend, and it looks like I will need a second Bodnar card in order to support four of everything instead of two. I am currently trying to split it all into two sets of panels so I can do one set immediately and the second when I buy another card.<br />
<br />
This is the revised engine start panel, which will allow me to control the mags and start up to four engines. I'll have to write a LUA script for FSUIPC to make this work.<br />
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Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-71633637851752792542012-10-15T11:37:00.002+01:002012-10-19T23:02:16.218+01:00Centre pedestal progressFinding time to work on the hardware side of things is difficult, particularly now that the evenings are dark. I need a proper workshop with electricity. One day, maybe...<br />
<br />
I did manage to grab a couple of hours on Sunday morning to work on the centre pedestal. I had already cut out the sides, which are now fixed to the base. The throttles are mounted and I think it's looking pretty good. I'll live with it for a week before adjusting the throttle position (they need to come down a little) and adding a front and top.<br />
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<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-37202826701612923212012-10-10T12:04:00.002+01:002012-10-10T12:04:22.422+01:00Blocky gauges problem - SolvedI've been having problems with gauges looking torn and pixellated when I dragged them to my second monitor.<br />
<br />
It turns out that in FSX Settings I had that monitor set to 1024x768, instead of its native resolution of 1680x1050, so no wonder the gauges were looking big and nasty.<br />
<br />
I feel pretty stupid as I had set the correct resolution of my main view display, but after adding the second monitor I hadn't thought to use the dropdown to select the new monitor and set the correct resolution on that one as well.<br />
<br />
Still, it's working fine now :)<br />
<br />
I spent a couple of hours last night configuring the new <a href="http://www.reality-xp.com/flightsim/flt/index.html" target="_blank">RealityXP Flightline T</a> gauges on a custom panel with a black background in the default C172. I was trying to get them to display at 8cm x 8cm so I could cut some holes in a plywood mask to allow them to show through.<br />
<br />
Because of its age FSX assumes all monitors are 4:3 and consequently round gauges appear oval unless you edit their size in the panel.cfg.<br />
<br />
After some experimentation I got the basic six FLT gauges displaying correctly in full screen on the second monitor. They're still not perfect, with some minor tearing on some of the instrument markings and lettering, but they are a big improvement on the default gauges.<br />
<br />
Next step is to create a generic default panel that will work for all the single engine aeroplanes in my hangar, then do the same for the twins.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-43742432265658444072012-10-09T12:41:00.004+01:002012-10-09T12:42:53.225+01:00Maiden with Buffalo Airways VirtualI got my registration details through for Buffalo Airways virtual airline (BFL), so I thought I'd have a weekend off from cockpit building and just fly. I chose a simple route from their main base in Yellowknife to their secondary base about 150nm away in Hay River. On the BFL website I 'bid' on this route (which allows you to be paid virtual dollars for completing it) and got it.<br />
<br />
I also downloaded the BFL ACARS app, which tracks your flight and submits a PIREP to prove you've done it. This is a nice piece of software and only took a few minutes to set up using the very clear tutorial.<br />
<br />
Although I have downloaded the free BFL C-46 and DC-4 I thought I'd start with something I'm familiar with, so I fired up my MAAM-SIM DC-3 which comes with a Buffalo Airways livery.<br />
<br />
I created a flight plan in FSX and also entered the route on my real world GPS, then positioned myself at Yellowknife and started my other new toy, VoxATC UK.<br />
<br />
I took the plunge and bought this last week after trying the demo back in the summer. It's pricey (my most expensive purchase so far other than hardware), but lends a whole new dimension to flights by replacing the default FSX ATC and allowing you to speak to controllers and have them respond. I'll post my thoughts once I've given it a full shakedown.<br />
<br />
The flight itself was uneventful, just one straight leg south over the enormous Great Slave Lake. VoxATC performed well at Yellowknife and offered traffic advisories en-route, and the GPS tracked my progress all the way.<br />
<br />
This was the first longish (just over an hour) flight I've taken in the MAAM-SIM DC-3 and it certainly keeps you busy staying on heading and altitude. The trimming was tricky, and it didn't settle down the way some of the others planes do.<br />
<br />
After an acceptable landing I shut down and used the ACARS app to submit my PIREP, which was approved the next day. I logged 1.1 virtual hours and earned eleven virtual dollars. I'm not sure what to do with my new found wealth, but in another 8.9 hours I'll be promoted from Rampie to Flight Attendant, so perhaps I'll save it for a party.<br />
<br />
I can see the attraction of flying for a VA, but I can't see myself doing more than one flight every couple of weeks. There are a lot of interesting routes on offer, so it's always something to do if I'm stuck for ideas (which is NOT a problem at the moment).<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-47106198161429598482012-10-08T08:57:00.002+01:002012-10-09T12:43:04.112+01:00Fame at lastChris Evans was discussing flight simulators on his Radio 2 breakfast show this morning, so I texted in and got a mention :)<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-57039558933835855232012-10-05T22:17:00.001+01:002012-11-26T12:17:33.748+00:00GenX vs OrbXFor my UK flying I have been using <a href="http://www.playsimspublishing.com/titles.html" target="_blank">UK2000 VFR Photographic Scenery Generation X</a>, with Treescapes and the demo version of VFR Airfields (which fortunately includes Wellesbourne). Judging by Wellesbourne the airfields are excellent in terms of accuracy.<br />
<br />
GenX is the first photoreal scenery I've used and I have mixed feelings. Before buying it I read a quote saying that above 800 feet it looks amazingly realistic.<br />
<br />
I have to disagree with this. For me, at anything under 2000 it looks very 2D and just like what it is: a big photo. This makes take-off and landing a little disappointing.<br />
<br />
However, at above 2000 ft it looks great, although the shadows from the trees can be a little jarring at times. It's particularly good with poor weather and low visibility.<br />
<br />
Treescapes is a great product and helps enormously, positioning thousands of trees to give the landscape a more 3D feel, and mitigating the shadow problem to some extent by plonking 3D trees and woods on top of their flat photo texture.<br />
<br />
Landclass accuracy seems good too, with the roads, railways and rivers I'm familiar with all in the right places.<br />
<br />
But I don't have to limit my virtual flying to Blighty. Two of the great advantages FSX has over real world aviation is that you get to fly in aeroplanes and to places you would never get a chance to experience in RL.<br />
<br />
In FSX I enjoy bush flying around Seattle, Canada and Alaska, and a while back I installed OrbX's free demo of their excellent <a href="http://fullterrain.com/product_nablue.html" target="_blank">FTX Pacific NW</a> product.<br />
<br />
I was very impressed, so this week I took the plunge and installed the full version, together with a couple of their free add-on airports.<br />
<br />
After a quick hop from Vashon Island to Seattle-Tacoma and a buzz around Bowerman I was blown away.<br />
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For me, this is far better than photoreal scenery, with fantastic textures, buildings and trees right down to the moment your wheels hit the ground.<br />
<br />
OrbX offer most of Australia and New Zealand, and a large amount of north western North America.<br />
<br />
I would recommend the UK2000 products, but for me OrbX is streets ahead.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-24453536202034113332012-10-05T10:45:00.002+01:002012-10-05T21:45:34.108+01:00Ice Pilots NWT - RecommendedI do enjoy flying the old WW2 vintage piston pounders, and on Monday my trawling of the web turned up a TV programme which had previously passed me by.<br />
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<a href="http://www.icepilots.com/" target="_blank">Ice Pilots NWT</a> is a Canadian show about <a href="http://www.buffaloairways.com/" target="_blank">Buffalo Airways</a>, which flies old DC-3s, DC-4s and C-46s (to name a few) to remote locations in the Northwest Territories.<br />
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It's real <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Gold_Monkey" target="_blank">Tales of the Gold Monkey</a> stuff, and well worth a watch.<br />
<br />
I found the narration a little grating at first. It's one of those annoying shows where the narrator constantly repeats what you've just watched two minutes ago, I can only assume for acute amnesiacs or the hard of understanding. Despite this it's great fun to watch, and a vintage plane buff's dream.<br />
<br />
Ice Pilots is now into its third season, and I believe the show airs on Quest in the UK. I'm currently working my way through season one, which certainly removes the rose-tinted spectacles and exposes the harsh reality of being a freight dog in such a remote area.<br />
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There's even a <a href="http://buffaloairwaysvirtual.com/" target="_blank">Buffalo Airways virtual airline</a> which I've registered with. I've never joined a VA before so I'll post how it's going.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-78916100624774086642012-10-01T10:02:00.003+01:002012-10-05T21:46:56.777+01:00Planes and plansThe centre console is in place, albeit temporarily for testing purposes. I'll live with it for a week or two but I've already improved the design so unless anything changes I know what I'm doing with it now.<br />
<br />
This has meant I've got my throttle back in operation and can fly again. Most of the latter part of last week and the weekend was spent testing and checking out my new Carenado PA28 Cherokee. It's a very agile little plane, which Hugo enjoys using for tree hopping.<br />
<br />
I also added to my growing DC-3 fleet with the Just Flight version. This is a beautiful aeroplane to watch from exterior view, and sounds great. The VC is not so good though, being far too pristine. This is not a major problem for me as I use the 2D cockpit, but even that is just the default FSX one which is a little disappointing. My ideal DC-3 would be the Just Flight version fitted with the MAAM-SIM 2D panels, but the Just Flight DC-3 is now a firm favourite anyway.<br />
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On Saturday I spent a very useful fifteen minutes adjusting the height of my external monitors. This has enabled me to move the whole cockpit further in under the camber of the roof, giving me more room and allowing me to fix the overhead panel in place. This just has the engine management module on it at the moment, I still need to add the engine start module.<br />
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The side console is on hold as it's basically a glorified keyboard shelf and since adding the base I don't really need the stability it would give the cockpit anymore.<br />
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So now the two things at the top of the job list now are gauges and the glareshield.<br />
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I'm fed up with using the default 2D cockpits on my instrument monitor as these appear ugly and pixellated. I'll have a play with editing their dimensions but I suspect I will have to buy the RealityXP gauges to see how these look. Unfortunately these do not include engine gauges so I'll have to source these elsewhere if I can't get the default ones looking okay.<br />
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My plan for the glareshield is to curve some bendy MDF or flexible plastic around the curved edges of the MIP, then carve a block of insulation foam into a gently curving top. Once it's all covered in black vinyl I'm hoping it will look okay.<br />
<br />
I'll mock something up in cardboard first to see what it looks like.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-579695434040765032012-09-26T10:13:00.001+01:002012-09-29T10:12:19.691+01:00How to fix multi monitor panel display problemsI use three 24" monitors for my external view, and a 22" for my instruments.<br />
<br />
When I first tried opening different planes' 2D panels to drag over to the 22" monitor I found that some were stretched across all the monitors or, worse, didn't appear at all and caused the FSX cursor to do its spinny thing.<br />
<br />
There is a simple fix for this.<br />
<br />
Go to the main FSX folder and into SimObjects, then Aircraft.<br />
<br />
Find the folder for the plane you want to edit and go into its Panel folder.<br />
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Take a copy of the panel.cfg file (naming it panel-orig.cfg or similar) and open the panel.cfg file in Notepad.<br />
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Find the panel you want to fix (for example [Window00]), and edit the following line:<br />
<br />
[Window00]<br />
window_size=1.000, 1.000<br />
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Change it to:<br />
<br />
[Window00]<br />
window_size=0.333, 1.000<br />
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If the line isn't there just add it.<br />
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This will reduce the width of the window to a third of the display (ie. one monitor if you're using three).<br />
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Save the file and fire up FSX to check that your panel is now displaying correctly. If you experience any problems you can just restore the original panel.cfg file.<br />
<br />
You may also find that the external view is squashed up into the top part of the screen.<br />
<br />
To fix this go back into the panel.cfg file for your aircraft, and look for the following section, usually right at the bottom:<br />
<br />
[Default View]<br />
X=0<br />
Y=0<br />
SIZE_X=8192<br />
SIZE_Y=4000<br />
<br />
Change the SIZE_Y to this:<br />
<br />
SIZE_Y=6144<br />
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Note that these fixes may not work for every plane. For example I have found big problems with the default Beaver that I have yet to overcome. I suggest you try one plane at a time, and if you experience problems just restore that plane's cfg, check the problem has gone, then try a different aircraft.<br />
<br />
To avoid having to undock and drag your panel every time you want to fly, you can save the flights with the panel in the correct position on your second monitor. The steps are detailed in <a href="http://generichomecockpit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/saving-panel-position-on-second-monitor.html" target="_blank">this post</a>.<br />
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There is a lot more information on editing cfg files <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc526956.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-27886050021885960982012-09-26T10:05:00.001+01:002012-09-26T10:39:22.815+01:00Saving panel position on second monitorI use this process to avoid having to undock and drag panels to my instrument monitor every time I fly.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Start FSX.</li>
<li>Go to Free Flight.</li>
<li>Select the aircraft, aerodrome, weather and time I want.</li>
<li>Start the flight.</li>
<li>Alt-Enter to windowed mode.</li>
<li>Bring up the instrument panel I want. This varies from plane to plane. For example, aircraft with IFR panels like the default C172 and Baron are excellent, but others like the good old Goose have a lot of blank space for the outside view. If, like me, you are using multiple monitors for the outside view you will probably need to <a href="http://generichomecockpit.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/how-to-fix-multi-monitor-panel-display.html" target="_blank">edit each aircraft's panel.cfg file</a> to get the panels to display correctly.</li>
<li>Undock the panel and drag it to the second monitor.</li>
<li>Save the flight.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I've done this for all my favourite aircraft, so when I want to fly I just load the saved flight for the aircraft I want and use the menu to move it to another airport if necessary.<br />
<br />
I use the following convention for naming the saved flight, so they're always at the top of the list and easy to find:<br />
<br />
000 Type Location<br />
<br />
000 C172 EGBW<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-74083205736825312082012-09-26T09:18:00.003+01:002012-09-26T09:18:23.070+01:00Centre console<br />
I've had to rethink the centre console. I was planning on having it 30cm wide so that I could store a joystick in it when not in use. After some testing it turns out that this is just too wide, as I suspected it would be.<br />
<br />
The new plan is to make an 18cm wide enclosure, just big enough to mount my two Saitek throttle qudrants side by side. I think this could extend out a little way from the MIP, giving a flat surface on which to use the mouse or the joystick when necessary. I won't be able to store the joystick inside it, but that's not the end of the world.<br />
<br />
I cut some MDF last night and dry assembled part of the console. I immediately saw that some tweaking is needed so I still don't have working throttles. The frustrating thing is that this isn't a big job, but I can only cut outside after work, which doesn't give me much time before it gets dark each evening. Also, it's lashing with rain today.<br />
<br />
I haven't been able to fly since Friday, and I'm getting twitchy. I may have to jury right the throttles just to get back in the air until the centre console is finished.<br />
<br />
Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-84316422724125377942012-09-26T08:58:00.000+01:002012-09-26T23:07:09.296+01:00Weekend progress<br />
I made some good progress this weekend, but obviously didn't get everything done (that was never going to happen).<br />
<br />
After a quick trip to B&Q for a couple of sheets of MDF and some sawhorses I took the cockpit apart and carried it all down to the back garden, where it was sunny for once.<br />
<br />
I cut 10cm off the depth of the top of the cockpit so it was the same width as the supports, and trimmed the edge where it was a little too long. I've based the cockpit measurements on a width of 6' (as MDF comes in this length it reduces cutting) but the top was an old piece of timber I had lying around, so it was a little too long.<br />
<br />
The sawhorses made the cutting so much easier, as did a new wood blade for my jigsaw. I'm getting pretty straight cuts now.<br />
<br />
Anyway, with the top reduced to 6' wide by 40cm deep (forgive my mixing of measurement systems) I cut the 6' x 4' sheet of 12mm MDF I had bought to the same size. I then trimmed the three upright supports so that the height of the whole thing would be the same as the back, which is made of 6mm MDF.<br />
<br />
Once it was all reassembled it was much less wobbly, even without the battens I had been using to brace the upright supports when it didn't have a base.<br />
<br />
I also reattached the MIP supports to the top using angle brackets instead of the Heath Robinson battens I had used before.<br />
<br />
I doesn't look much different, but the whole unit is more stable, 10cm less in depth, and a couple of centimetres lower. This gives me a lot more room behind me, so I can sit further back and not be so cramped.<br />
<br />
I decided not to make the monitor support until I know exactly how high it needs to be.<br />
<br />
The consoles have had a rethink too, I'll post separately about them.<br />
<br />
I've added <a href="http://generichomecockpit.blogspot.co.uk/p/pictures.html" target="_blank">some pictures</a>.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-37630481128805137482012-09-24T23:14:00.000+01:002012-09-24T23:14:58.908+01:00How to make a lighting panel using toggle switchesI did this for FSX but it should work for FS9 as well. No promises though, as I haven't tried it.<br />
<br />
To simplify the instructions I'm going to assume that you are using SPST toggle switches similar to <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/10a-toggle-switches-2360" target="_blank">these</a>, and red and black coloured wires (although they can be any two colours, as long as they're different).<br />
<br />
<b>Shopping List</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>A <a href="http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/" target="_blank">Leo Bodnar BU0836X</a> interface card - £49.99 + £4.99 delivery</li>
<li>An <a href="http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/logik-lu2atb510-usb-2-0-a-b-cable-5m-06474227-pdt.html" target="_blank">A to B USB cable</a> to connect the card to your PC - £4.97</li>
<li>A registered version of <a href="http://secure.simmarket.com/pete-dowson-fsuipc4.phtml" target="_blank">FSUIPC</a> - 28.56EUR</li>
<li>Some simple <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/10a-toggle-switches-2360" target="_blank">SPST (Single Pole Single Throw) ON-OFF toggle switches</a> (10A Toggle SPDT A, Order Code: JK27E) - £3.49 each (much cheaper on eBay)</li>
<li>Two lengths equipment wire (any gauge), of different colours. I use red and black.</li>
<li>A drill with a suitably sized bit for your switches (I believe 12mm holes are pretty standard for toggle switches) - £10 for the bit (I already had a drill).</li>
<li>A piece of hardboard, plastic or thin MSF to use as the panel. I used offcuts cut to 7.25" x 2", the same size as <a href="http://www.goflightinc.com/collections/modules" target="_blank">GoFlight </a>panels. (You could get away with using thick cardboard to practice with, then you wouldn't even need the drill.)</li>
<li>Electrical tape.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions</b><br />
<br />
First plan the layout of a simple panel. I did a lighting panel first (top one).<br />
<br />
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Mark out the material you will be using for the panel and drill a hole for each switch.<br />
<br />
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<br />
This is actually my engine management panel. The holes are a bit wonky but it's not too bad when the switches are in place. Try to be as accurate as possible when drilling though.<br />
<br />
Fix the switches in the holes and figure out how long you need your wire to be to reach the BU0836X comfortably. Cut a length of each coloured wire and connect the red wire to the terminal for the ON position on the switch, and the black wire to the OFF position terminal.<br />
<br />
Image<br />
<br />
I use <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/10a-toggle-switches-2360" target="_blank">switches</a> with male Lucar type spade connectors on the back, which means I can connect the wires using <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/lucar-female-connector-1070" target="_blank">female Lucar connectors</a> which makes it easy to disconnect them and move them around if required. You can always just wrap the wire around the terminal and secure it with electrical tape, but this isn't an ideal long term solution as the wires will work loose over time. Soldering is another more permanent solution.<br />
<br />
Choose an input on the BU0836X card (I started with 32 and worked backwards, as I have seen <a href="http://shamrock075.webs.com/apps/videos/videos/show/4050143-how-to-connect-things-to-a-bu0836x-card" target="_blank">a report</a> of input 1 interfering with Saitek devices). Push the other end of each wire into the connectors on the card. Make sure you strip a short (5mm) length of the insulation from the wires first to ensure a good connection. I had a little trouble getting the wire in at first. There's a particular angle that works well, but if have trouble try gripping the wire with pliers until you get the hang of it. If you need to release the wire just press down on the top of the connector and it will come free.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Assuming you're using input 32 the red wire from the ON position on the toggle switch should go to the B32 connector, and the black wire to the ground (GND) next to it.<br />
<br />
Plug the BU0836X card into your PC using the USB cable, and fire up FSX.<br />
<br />
Start a flight and hit <i>Alt </i>to bring up the menu. Choose <i>FSUIPC </i>from the <i>Add-ons</i> menu item, and select the <i>Buttons & Switches</i> tab.<br />
<br />
Now for the fun part. Click one of your switches and it should appear in the <b>Joy#</b> and <b>Btn#</b> boxes. Then check the box on the right labelled <b>Select for FS control </b>and the dropdown labelled <b>Control sent when button pressed</b> will activate. Choose the function you want your switch to perform from the dropdown menu. For example, to have your switch toggle the beacon select Toggle Beacon from the list. (If you can't find the entry for an item try looking under T for Toggle, as many of them are in there.)<br />
<br />
Next select the same toggle command from the <b>Control sent when button released </b>dropdown, so that the switch will toggle off when released. (See <i>A note on SPST vs SPDT switches</i> below.)<br />
<br />
Click <b>OK </b>to return to your cockpit and observe the virtual version of your switch. Flick your real life switch, and the one on-screen should toggle as well. Switch to an external view and and watch the result :)<br />
<br />
Note: If you are doing this on FSX's default Grumman Goose like I was, the lights are all messed up and need fixing. I'll post a tutorial on how to fix this.<br />
<br />
Rinse and repeat for the rest of the switches on your panel.<br />
<br />
This will give you a functioning switch panel for under £100, which increased my immersion levels considerably. After the initial outlay you can create more panels with very little outlay (I've started getting switches on eBay now for a fraction of the Maplin price). I have 3 panels and counting now, and lots of inputs left on my BU0836X card.<br />
<br />
Of course, the panel itself looks grim - bare wood with pencilled in labels. There are a number of ways of tarting them up which I'm currently looking at, so I will post the results of my attempts when I have something worth looking at.<br />
<br />
If you're still reading you might be interested in my tutorial on how to create an engine start panel using rotary switches, coming soon.<br />
<br />
Happy switching.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>A note on SPST vs SPDT switches</b><br />
<br />
Because of the way these switches work you need to tell FSUIPC to do something when they are released. The drawback of this is that you need to start each flight with the switch in the same position as those in the on-screen cockpit. If you start with the beacon light off on your RL panel and on in the cockpit, then when you click your RL one on the on-screen one will switch off. This isn't a problem as long as you always start with a cold and dark cockpit like I do, and remember to shut down after each flight (or use a checklist).<br />
<br />
If you use a SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) ON-ON switch instead you will have 3 terminals, one for each ON position and one for ground. This means you can assign a specific switch position to each (eg beacon on and beacon off, instead of toggle beacon). The downside here is that it uses two of your precious
BU0836X inputs instead of one, effectively halving the number of switches you can have before needing to buy another card.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-29388284434778913862012-09-24T15:34:00.002+01:002012-09-24T15:59:00.421+01:00Unable to start the MAAM-SIM DC-3 - SolvedAfter installing the MAAM-SIM DC-3 I could not get the engines started. After a while I decided that this couldn't just be due to my ineptitude (which is normally the case), and a quick trawl of the net turned up the following solutions.<br />
<br />
For each variant open up the aircraft.cfg file in Notepad.<br />
<br />
In the [piston_engine] section change the normalized_starter_torque value to 1.5 (or 2.0), like this:<br />
<br />
[piston_engine]<br />
normalized_starter_torque=1.5<br />
<br />
Changing the power_scalar value to 0.95 or higher also works, but this affects the power output of your engines, giving you an extra 10 or so knots at 2000rpm which could mess up your flight planning.<br />
<br />
[piston_engine]<br />
power_scalar=0.95<br />
<br />
Some people have also found that lowering the FSX target frame rate to below 30 fixes this, but this didn't work for me.<br />
<br />
I got all this information from <a href="http://buffaloairwaysvirtual.com/forum/showthread.php?466-About-MAAM-SIM-DC-3-cold-start-in-FSX" target="_blank">this thread</a> on <a href="http://buffaloairwaysvirtual.com/" target="_blank">Buffalo Airways</a>.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-7450705828354282032012-09-21T01:16:00.000+01:002012-09-21T01:17:17.071+01:00DC-3 startup and weekend plansNot much to report today.<br />
<br />
I started on the lighting panel but ran out of switches. I really should start ordering them in bulk online rather than spending 5 times as much per switch at <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/" target="_blank">Maplin</a>.<br />
<br />
The engine start and management panels are working brilliantly, but I can already see some areas for improvement.<br />
<br />
I spent last night obsessing over the correct startup procedure for the DC-3. I found this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEYEcVQklvY" target="_blank">video</a>, and then these <a href="http://www.douglasdc3.com/sohn/18.htm" target="_blank">notes </a>which seem to be describing the same procedure.<br />
<br />
The problem is that the default FSX DC-3 doesn't have a mesh switch, and I don't know what the energiser and engage switches are. Perhaps Jean-Luc Picard could tell me.<br />
<br />
I might get hold of the <a href="http://www.maam.org/php/xcart/MAAM-SIM-Douglas-R4D-DC-3-C-47-FSX-DOWNLOAD-VERSION-p-16772.html" target="_blank">MAAM</a> or <a href="http://www.justflight.com/product/dc-3-legends-of-flight-download" target="_blank">Just Flight</a> DC-3s to see whether their panels are any more realistic. It needs more research first though, before I start splashing the cash.<br />
<br />
I'm hoping to get a lot done this weekend, weather and family permitting. I want to take the cockpit apart and trim some depth off it, then reassemble it with a base and some right angle brackets to give it more stability. I'm also hoping to build the centre and left hand consoles, which should also help reduce the wobbles. (The wobbles aren't <i>that </i>bad, but I want it as steady as a rock.)<br />
<br />
If I have time I'll try to knock up a proper shelf for the 3 monitors. At the moment they're on piles of books and not at all even.<br />
<br />
That's a lot to do - let's see how far I get.<br />
<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-133396801907964362012-09-19T12:34:00.002+01:002012-09-21T01:18:01.692+01:00Engine management panelI finished wiring up the engine management panel and tested it last night.<br />
<br />
This has L & R generators, L & R engine primers and L & R fuel pumps.<br />
<br />
These are all simple ON-OFF toggle switches, with the exception of the fuel pumps. I modelled these on the Beech Baron's, with three settings: HI, LO and OFF, so I used a couple of ON-OFF-ON toggles I had lying around.<br />
<br />
After testing I think the primer switches should be momentary, as you hold them for a few seconds depending on conditions to prime each engine before start.<br />
<br />
Also I think I wired up the fuel pump switch wrong, as I was getting ON-OFF-OFF. I may just go for ON-OFF switches here anyway, as FSX doesn't seem to support the LO position, which I've only seen in the Beech Baron in any case. I'll look into this further.<br />
<br />
Although I've yet to come across an aircraft with both alternators and generators I wanted separate switches for both even though they share the same input in FSX. I'll use the red rocker switches I ordered on aircraft with alternators, and the metal toggle switches for older types with generators. It means using up a couple of extra inputs on the <a href="http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/" target="_blank">BU08<span id="goog_1210638813"></span><span id="goog_1210638814"></span>36X </a>card, but should add a touch of authenticity when flying different types.<br />
<br />
I'm now thinking about making a fuel selector panel with a cutoff switch, but I'll do the lighting panel and MIP switches first.
<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-79841367818263913622012-09-18T20:43:00.002+01:002012-09-18T20:43:51.028+01:00PicturesHere are some pictures. Not great quality as it was dark and the attic is cramped so it's tricky to get everything in.<br />
<br />
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And, behind the scenes...<br />
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<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819564071019569069.post-88606912436133144712012-09-18T18:45:00.003+01:002012-09-18T18:51:56.985+01:00Twin rocker switch for alternatorsI ordered one of these <a href="http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/200651027263?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla" target="_blank">twin rocker switches</a> this afternoon:<br />
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At the weekend I bought two black rockers switches from <a href="http://www.maplin.co.uk/16a-rocker-switches-11918" target="_blank">Maplin </a>for Master Battery and Avionics switches.<br />
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<img alt="16A Rocker Switches" height="400" src="http://images.maplin.co.uk/300/gu49d_gu50e.jpg" width="400" />
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I wanted plain (non-illuminating) red ones for the alternators. I had a bit of trouble finding some, so hopefully these will work.<br />
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All these four switches should fit in to the left of the yoke with a bit of luck.<br />
<br />Domhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990807701833404944noreply@blogger.com0