Home Cockpit
By John Duffy in Ireland
I have been flight simming since the advent of Microsoft FS4 way back in the 80s. Oh-h my we have come a long way! As with all simmers my early endeavours were on the kitchen table with a dx 286 computer a 15 CRT screen and a very basic joystick. As time marched on better versions of FS came out better technology became available and the bug to create realism has grown strongly.
To-day for me it is all about engaging the senses ,sight /sound /feel /apparent motion. If you engage the senses well enough the mind will do the rest. You dont have to have a moving platform with eight screens to give you the true sense of flying besides who can afford such!
I have always looked for the simplest and most cost effective solutions. After continuous research and development I have arrived at what I enjoy as pretty close to reality for me. My current work is in helicopter simulation namely Bell 206B
The System:
AMD 3Ghz duo-core computer with 2Gb ram /2 x Nvidia 7600GT video cards / 180 Gb hard disc partitioned /FS 2004 with Ultimate Terrain Europe
Acer XD 1250D digital projector for main view out (projected onto 50 screen)
Benq 19 dvi screen for instrument cluster
8 portable vga dvd touch screen for moving map display
CH throttle quadrant (fixed wing application)
Saitek rudder pedals
Saitek Pro-Flight Yoke (fixed wing application)
GoFlight home built Avionics stack (from Digital Flight)
Full size Geforce Gstick 3 joystick as used in heli simulators (heli or fixed wing GA application)
Full size Geforce collective power control lever (heli application)
Track IR pro head tracking to give moving view from virtual cockpit
Full size bucket seat on
sliding rail
Logitech 5.1 surround sound
Butt Kicker gamer transmits vibration through seat
Layout:
The layout is put together by working from photos of real aircraft, I then use basic timber materials to construct. I have strived to maintain 1:1 with life size thereby creating the best possible realism. In a dimly light room with good 5.1 sound the results are striking.
Time and patients are important plus a few spare bucks.
Is the cockpit ever finished ?! Only temporarily, one is always adding bits on or taking bits off ,tweaking and fine tuning. In reality the flying time is probably less than the planning and building time but such is the hobby. Time for the next leg .
Good Flying
