New Forum Survey: Homebrew Cockpits (see below)

[Smoke2much]

Simulated Home Interactive Technology

is a very bad idea.

I think Homebuilt Cockpits/Flight decks would be ok.

Will

[Vchat20]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention - if you're going to use any kind of C02 extinguishing system in an enclosed space (ie, your cockpit) make sure you're NOT IN THERE when it goes off. Hypoxia is a nasty thing....

Ric B.

maybe add another device to the C02 circuit that pops open one of the panels (whichever one is used for exiting/entering the cockpit) so you can get out without worrying bout fussing with opening the panel.

btw, im liking where this project is heading to. if I had the money, id like to take the pic Ric posted earlier with the 747 flight panel and expand on it. basically just simulate the WHOLE cockpit. including the full size door in the back for exiting which is used for going between the cabin and cockpit in real aircraft. have it all enclosed and eveything. like I said, simulate the WHOLE cockpit. but I barely have the money to start anywhere with this so im stuck at the idea stage.

[JBaymore]

My suggestion for a fire supression system would be a "plumbed-in" CO2 canister. You can get these at your local car tuners.

Ric,

WOW..... thanks!  Never even knew such stuff existed.... but of course it would for "modified" cars.  I'll have to look into it with the local "car buffs" around here.  The electrical cut-off function concept would be about the same.  I like the idea of undamaged electronics  ;).

Hopefully it would not be outrageous in cost to implement.  And even if it is a bit costly ... there may be ways to take the IDEA and do it more inexpensively.

And yes... I already thought of the breathing issue in the enclosed space with whatever fumes might get int there.  Gee....maybe I could have this little oxygen mask on a hose automatically drop down out of a panel in the overhead .......... hum......... wonder if that has been done anywhere........

I was already planning on needing some real climate control features when I decided to enclose it.  At the least, I will need a blower to supply cooler and fresh outside room air.... probably a bit similar to a car system.  (No AC though!)  All that electrical hardware generating heat will make the "box" an "oven" pretty fast.  In mine it'll be 5 monitors, five CPU's, and the associated support stuff.  So I probably will not need HEAT in there.  For venting, Simple 12 DC or 120V AC blower with a grille to the outside room for intake, set up on a rheostat/switch.........with some PVC pipe, and some nice looking fittings for the panel side of things.

Thanks for the ideas.

best,

...................john

[Craig.]

i havent got time to read the whole of this post, but reading some of the posts i do have one thing to say.
with all these features you want to add, it adds up to a heck of alot of money prob close enough to your PPL level and perhaps even into the IFR rating:) why not just do that and fly the real deal?? i know i would if i could afford that cost:)
Cheers mates
Craig

[JBaymore]

maybe add another device to the C02 circuit that pops open one of the panels (whichever one is used for exiting/entering the cockpit) so you can get out without worrying bout fussing with opening the panel.

Vchat,

Not a bad idea.  Mine will have a cockpit entrance door located right in back of the center console pedestal....... sort of like a real cockpit.  I know that they make fire door actuators for buildings that automatically open doors..... but I would bet that they are costly.  But if I set up the door on something like a a spring that wants to keep it open, then a simple solenoid activated latch to hold it shut could be de-activated to let it spring open.

Hum....... you got me thinking here.  Thanks.

btw, im liking where this project is heading to. if I had the money, id like to take the pic Ric posted earlier with the 747 flight panel and expand on it. basically just simulate the WHOLE cockpit. including the full size door in the back for exiting which is used for going between the cabin and cockpit in real aircraft. have it all enclosed and eveything. like I said, simulate the WHOLE cockpit. but I barely have the money to start anywhere with this so im stuck at the idea stage.

Really glad you are liking this.  I hope more are inspired to try their hand.  It can be less or more elaborate...as time, interest, and budget allows.  Even a small addition to the home cockpit will increase the immersion factor.

The idea stage is really good too.  it is full of endless possibilities  ;).

I will try to post a shot here soon of what others have done with sharing your idea above.  Some have started with buying a real cockpit from a scrapped 747 and then turned it into a home simulator.  Talk about extreme realism!  And extreme expense  :o !

Don't give up on doing SOMETHING....... just start a penny jar for the project.  And look for discarded monitors and PC's wherever you can...... for doing a glass cockpit, even old PII and PIII's running in the 200-500 Mhz range will drive external flight gauges.

best,

................john

[JBaymore]

i havent got time to read the whole of this post, but reading some of the posts i do have one thing to say.
with all these features you want to add, it adds up to a heck of alot of money prob close enough to your PPL level and perhaps even into the IFR rating:) why not just do that and fly the real deal?? i know i would if i could afford that cost:)

Craig,

What do you figure that a PPL or a PPL with IFR would cost?

The goal of this idea (for me only) is to do this as cheaply as possible.

[Craig.]

Howdy John
like i said i havent had the time to read the whole thread, so i dont know the exact costs your going to have to spend:).
if your gonna keep it cheap then cool:) like you said though it can go upwards of $30,000's though which would actually put you in the right seat of an RJ for Delta. as they would pay for the First officer training.
as for licensing costs, i have gotten quotes for $4000's for ppl and then roughly the same for IFR:) i dont know how much these cockpits can cost to make so it was a pure guess:)
Cheers Mate

[JBaymore]

Link to FreeFD Glass Cockpit Gauges Software

Here is the main website address for the FreeFD cockpit gauges that allow you to set up a "glass cockpit" using a LAN setup with multiple PC's.

http://freefd.homelinux.com/freefd/

This is one of a number of sources of main glass cockpit gauges.  I like the general feel of the stuff along with the "forum".


best,

.....................john

[JBaymore]

[glb]LET'S CLOSE THIS THREAD AS A DISCUSSION AREA[/glb]

I think that in order to make the transition to a new Forum dedicated to this whole general subject, that we should cease posting directly into this one massive thread.

As you can likely already see...... moving the various "topics" already jumbled into it over to some logical locations is going to be a bit time consuming already.

So please start a new topic here in the Forum for any new thoughts or continuations of what has been already started here.  Please leave the (repost) labeled threads for the transfer of only the old stuff.

Thanks!


best,

..................john