Cool addition for the basement..Flight Guys

[RonJ]

I'm guilty,.....I stole this from another forum but it's too cool to pass by.

Man builds a flight simulator in his garage. [VIDEO]

 

[jlrhiner]

I am so jealous!

 

[Evil Dog]

Oh my.... I want one, especially if it's a P-51 or the like !!!

 

[rcnixon]

Many years ago I worked for an aerospace company in New Jersey. The next "cube space" over was occupied by a group that was building simulators for the then-new "glass cockpit" for the 757 and 767.

The chief technician, Siggy, was introduced to flight as an aviation gunner in the back of a TBF Avenger. He once said that "nineteen-year-olds fly like they drive" and his main driving ambition was to make pilots cry. He achieved that aim often running the simulators.

One of his favorite things was a photo of an aircrew peering into the cardboard-covered windscreen as if they could see anything out there instead of flying the "bottle" as the multi-function displays were called.

Sadly, I never asked for a ride in the simulator. I doubt that I would have been able to as they were the full-motion machines and were powered by rows of racks of computer equipment.

If anyone remembers the Clint Eastwood movie "Firefox", Siggy built the cockpit sets used in the movie.

Russ

 

[papajohn428]

My son is gonna lose his mind when he sees this! He has been adding to his array of simulator gear, upgrading joysticks and adding throttles, pedals, etc. There's a robotics convention here in St Louis this weekend, maybe they can show him how to build a "moving" simulator!

 

[MK]

Too rich for my blood.. I hear he's got about 300 grand in that
rig. I know of another guy in Las Vegas that has one almost as good
as that one, and he's got 100 grand+ in his, and still a work in progress.
I run the same plane "737NG" on my sim, but alas, no real hardware
like those guys use. All of what you see on mine is on one screen.
But it is very accurate as far as the airplanes systems. I'm using the
PMDG 737NGX, which was blessed by Boeing, and uses all their plans
and data to build the sim. Almost every single button and switch in the
cockpit works as real, including the overhead, radio panels, etc...
The FMC and CDU work exactly as real, and also all autopilot/autoflight
functions.
I use the actual Boeing manuals to fly the thing, which were supplied
in PDF format.
They will be releasing a Boeing 777 before too long, that will be as
good or better.
One advantage to my sim is I can switch planes, and go to whatever..
IE: I have P-51's, FA/18's, etc, etc, etc.. But the 737NG sim is by far
the most accurate as far as the systems.

A few examples..
Going into Corpus.. Southwest 737-700.
kcrp.mp4 - YouTube

Foggy morning into New Orleans.. Same plane.
I had the range rings turned on for the ND..
Southwest does not use that option, and I've since turned
them off.. They are off in the Corpus video, which was taken
later than this one.
msyfog.mp4 - YouTube

My private 737-600 BBJ.. Boeing doesn't actually make a
600 BBJ, but in the sim world, I can do anything I want, so
I bought one off China Airlines and had it converted.. lol..
In this video, I let the airplane land itself.. "Autoland"
Southwest does not do autolands.
quicky.mp4 - YouTube

An example of a nearly zero vis landing using the HGS for guidance.
The fog is so thick, I can barely see the runway lights even
on the ground. This is hand flown.. I'm not riding the ILS down..
I think that was also in the 600.. I have all four versions in several
liveries.. "600,700,800,900"
dark.mp4 - YouTube

Anyway, not in that guy's league as far as the sit down hardware, but
the airplanes systems are probably as good or better as his.
IE: He might not have the HGS.. I forgot to look in the video, but that
would be pricey as all get out to duplicate as far as hardware.
You would almost have to have the real thing, with the combiner, etc..

BTW.. those videos are 720p, so you can choose that res, and go full
screen for more detail.