Wow!

[born_2_fly]

Howdy Peeps!  ;)

Just having a browse around a few other forums and noticed a few people talking about this site. All I can say is .

The only problem is that they only ship to Japan  :'(

Looks like a possible start-up business for Derrin?! (Xyn_Air)?!  ;D

Defiantly would be at home in a homebuilt cockpit, but I put it here as it falls into normal hardware also!

Aerosoft might be striking a deal to distribute for them, so this looks like something possible in the very near future!

Fingers crossed that this will be available soon!  :D

[JSpahn]

very WOW  :D

[JBaymore]

I did some translation about the prices for some of these units for the folks on another cockpit building board that I am involved with.

[JSpahn]

A bit of R/D could produce one of these puppies for about 75-100bucks and a few hours of your time.

Im bookmarking this so I might build my own. $499 [cough]rip off[/cough]

[JBaymore]

Here's my reply from the other forum:

---

Also the prices unknown--doesnt looks cheap to me as seems to be high quality

You just have to have the Japanese character set installed and know how to read a tiny bit of Nihongo (Japanese) to navigate around the original Japanese website . I do:

The FX-1V, the FA-FX1, and the FA-FX2 are all the same price at 39,900 Yen each (actually pronounced "Enn" in Japanese). Current official exchange rate is about 118 Y to the $..... so the effective rate you might actually find (not being an international bank yourself ) might be 108 Y- 110 Y for a $. (Varies daily.)

So they sell for about $365-370 USD.

Now don't forget shipping. EMS is pretty much the ONLY way to ship out of Japan to the States and Europe that is trackable and fully insured...... and it is generally EXPENSIVE!

You can go "sea mail" to save money....... but it takes about 2 months or more and is a pain to arrange and has to be packed VERY well. There are also private shipping companies like Yamato and Nippon Express.... but they are expensive too. Also Fedex. It is much more expensive to ship something from Japan to the USA than it is to ship from the USA to Japan via carriers like this.

Figure on about $75-100 bucks to get one of those units to the States in about 7 days, well packed and padded (large box), and fully insured via EMS.

So the overall damage for one would be about $450 -ish.

To give you a comparison, the Saitek rudder pedals are 21,000 Yen and the CH Yoke is 20,790 over there.

I could not find anything that obviously said that they will sell outside Japan or that they won't. But I am FAR from fluent!!!!!! Kindergarten is more like it. But there is NO English on the site except in the manner that there is English sinage all OVER Japan; adds a decorative and "sophisticated" element to advertising.

[Xyn_Air]

Well, this certainly adds a new twist to my plans for a home-built virtual cockpit.  If only I hadn't promised my workmates I'd go climb a mountain this evening for stargazing I would be happily translating away.  At first glance, it looks like they have some great products.

I did see that they are based out of Mie Prefecture, which means they are a bit more than halfway across Honshu (the big island).  In fact, they are a bit beyond the Tokyo region, as far away as Osaka.  This means that I won't be popping in to their production facility any time soon to get a first hand peek (the round-trip cost for me would be about the same as buying one of their products).

It also looks like most of the products are geared towards FS2004 and XP (there were and awful lot of disclaimers regarding FSX, Vista, and whether or not their products would work).  Also, it seems that some manipulation of the .cfg files is called for.

Well, I see I have a translation project ahead of me in the near future (and something to spend my money on should I ever find any to spare ever again).  Also, if there is this much product development for flight simulator products, that means there is somewhere a hard-core group of flight simulation enthusiasts here in Japan.  One thing I have learned is that the Japanese really, really like pursuing their hobbies and interests as part of an organized club.  An extremely organized and active club.  I am going to see if I can make some contacts with any such flight simulation clubs while I am here in Japan.

I should also check to see if they have any shops or distributors in other locations around Japan.  A trip down to Sendai wouldn't be too bad for me, and I do have a scheduled trip down to Tokyo next month.  When in Tokyo, I might go to one of my favorite simulator supply stores in Akihabara and see if they have and info on these products.

I mean, part of my job is to establish international communication and relationships between Japan and my home country.  Nothing says I can't establish those relationships doing something I like!  ;)

[born_2_fly]

The FX-1V, the FA-FX1, and the FA-FX2 are all the same price at 39,900 Yen each (actually pronounced "Enn" in Japanese). Current official exchange rate is about 118 Y to the $..... so the effective rate you might actually find (not being an international bank yourself ) might be 108 Y- 110 Y for a $. (Varies daily.)

So they sell for about $365-370 USD.

Shipping and packaging aside, thats not as much damage as I thought!

With the weak dollar at the moment that would be only around

[Mictheslik]

Goint to Japan in October.....place your orders now :D:D

I might have to get these instead of a nice new lens in the cheap electronics markets.....

.mic

[expat]

Also they are starting to talk to Aerosoft about exporting.

If they do, I can check this out for quality and feel, Aerosoft and about 200 meters up the road from my hanger. Unfortunately, knowing how the Euro works, I think that you will be looking at a good price double on what it would costs in Japan.

Matt

[JBaymore]

Also they are starting to talk to Aerosoft about exporting.

If they do, I can check this out for quality and feel, Aerosoft and about 200 meters up the road from my hanger. Unfortunately, knowing how the Euro works, I think that you will be looking at a good price double on what it would costs in Japan.

Matt

matt,

That's pretty typical even in the USA too.

[JBaymore]

[quote]

[machineman9]

what told me that John would come shooting over here  ;D

alot of very nice stuff. cool find

[a1]

I could use one of those Boeing model Throttles any day. I am really tired with the on board throttle of my cheap $10 joystick.

[Xyn_Air]

John,

Thanks for the heads up!  I will definitely start looking into those sites/groups.  My biggest challenge is that I live way out in the inaka, so I don't have much connection with most of Japan.  Yargh!  Heh.  ;D

Also, the dedication that goes into being a part of an interest group in Japan borders on the fanatical.  I am not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, because what a person is interested in doing here in Japan they often do very well.  Unfortunately, in addition to being a gaijin, I am wildly eclectic in my interests, and this even bewilders people back home.  To the Japanese, I am part schizo and part live entertainment.

Fortunately, I am thick as a brick and pretty stubborn, so if I try to find out or participate in a group, most of the time they eventually just give in and let me go along.  I mean, hey, you guys let me in SimV, ne?  ;D

As for Japanese flight simulation, here are a couple of arcade style simulator games I thought you might like to see.  I have flown them both.  They both have adjustable realism settings, and once you crank up the realism, they are challenging to fly.  Where my family lives in North Dakota, there is a Landing High Japan at the local arcade.  These two games I photographed at Narita Airport.  Even though I have seen much better home-built's (and hope to build a better home-built myself at some point), I still wouldn't mind having one of these at home.  ;)

The simpler Landing High Japan.  Don't let the name fool you; they actually expect you to land correctly.  This game is notable because it tells you whether or not the passengers are distressed by your flying.
     

The more complex and detailed Airline Pilots game.  Thankfully I didn't see any actual pilots brushing up on their skills here before I boarded.
     

Another, closer shot of Airline Pilots.  Hm, I think I could probably fit one of these into the living room, no problem.  ;)
     

Still, as big as those arcade systems are, you really got to check out the cockpit at http://web1.kcn.jp/soujukan_koubou/mt_cockpits/ffy-v/ffyv.htm that is featured in the site mentioned above in the OP. /droollovedrool

I'm rambling and dreaming.  Time to stop typing.

All the best and biggest dreams,
~Darrin

[JSpahn]

Ive actually played that second one, it was at a Dave&Busters