My Flight Simulator Cockpit



Here's the evolution of my efforts to make my Microsoft Flight Simulator 'playing' experience as real as it gets. I always keep old computer hardware rather than throwing it right away.This is an earlier FS2k2 based setup with two video cards each running one monitor and a laptop running the Glass Flight Deck (free glass cockpit panels that can displayed on another computer). Actually, the very first experience with multiple monitors involved two PCs with Wideview (display additional outside views using another computer running a copy of MSFS), but one of the desktops was so old it couldn't properly run FS2k2 even at the lowest resolution. So I decided to use the extra displays only for instruments and later also for the Squakbox(Online ATC, see VATSIM) window.



Since now I have a video card that can display on two monitors, plus the onboard video card, I decided to add another display for instruments running from the desktop, rather than use the laptop. The only completely free instrument that can run on a separate computer was Glass Flight Deck, and most GA aircraft don't have glass cockpits. Our club Piper Archer certainly doesn't. Also, I didn't like the position of the laptop, next to the monitor. I wanted something in front of the monitor with the forward view, to make the arrangement more like a real plane. I looked for a cheap small LCD display on Ebay but found nothing like that. I did find a small monochrome SVGA monitor at an unbeatable price and went for that. I made a custom FS instrument panel and placed it on that monitor, and also a "frame" which made it look more like a cockpit.


The two CRT monitors really close to eachother create some interference. However, I am planning to get a 17" LCD soon and use that for external view, an arrangement which will also free up some space on my desk.




Above is the current configuration as of 8/6/2006. A nice cardboard panel covering all but the monitors would make it more realistic.



Major upgrades starting in September 2006


I made a radio/autopilot/nav control panel from a Microsoft Strategic Commander. See pics below that show elements and progress.


This is the MSC circuit board with buttons.Three are shift buttons. Only one will be used.




This is a rotary switch thatw as originally used to input the motion transmitted from the top part of the MSC. There were three switches, two for movement and one for rotation, but you can only use one independently. So I made it into a knob of sorts (it has only 3 encoders: right, left and off)




I placed the MSC elements into a tupperware container and drilled holes reaching to the buttons. I needed a transparent container to see where to drill :)




The completed panel, wrapped in black tape to match the rest of the cockpit. The rocker swithc goes over a shift button and when depressed (it has to be held) it makes the buttons perform the commands shown in the bottom labels. The buttons have been ripped from an old remote, and the knob is a medicine botttle cap. The control panel uses keyboard inputs to control the following functions through each button:

- Normal mode: <-> Shift Mode:

Autopilot On/Off <-> Transponder Select

A/P Altitude Hold <-> Localizer Hold

A/P Altitude Select <-> Omnibearing Select

A/P Heading Hold <-> Nav Hold

-Increase selection/Decrease selection for selected instrument

-Comm/Nav cycle

-Freqency Standby/Active

-The rocker switch activates the shift mode when depressed.

-The knob controls heading (increase/decrease) on the gyro compass.



This is the cockpit as of today, 10/8/2006. I bought a Nostromo Speedpad too seen under the homebuilt panel. The throttle is used for flaps (runs a macro for all flap positions to correspond with certain degrees of movement), and the D-pad is sued for elevator and rudder trim. And I have 10 buttons left to play with! :)



I added a panel in front of the PFD monitor. It has a clock gauge (a functional clock I bought from the dolar store, painted black and slapped a white on black face on it), and a real fuel gauge from a Piper. The fuel gauge is not functional, but it looks cool. Finalized setting up the buttons on the Speedpad, and there's still 3 unassigned. The next upgrades will concern the computer and maybe minor asesthetic changes. It's time to fly this thing now!


This is the cockpit as of October 20 2006


Follow my adventures building a second 'cockpit' here

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