bpgolferguy

Any of this still available?

Was just reading over what I said above in the second bullet point and realized I don't think it's logical to believe that I could build a cockpit/dash/panel/avionics that would allow me to bounce between several different aircraft. I think I may end up with fewer headaches and a better all around set up if I choose to model my cockpit and setup after a specific aircraft. Again, I'm totally new to what the sims/software offer nowadays in terms of available aircraft and all of the avionics/gauges, but I don't think it'll be as easy just to "switch" between aircraft like I said I wanted to in my original post. Unless someone advises me different, I think I'm better off choosing what type of aircraft I want to simulate, and then build THAT specific cockpit.

Hi all, been stalking this forum for several months now, love reading up on and following progress of a lot of you and your builds! I've always been a flight enthusiast...model r/c airplanes will my dad as a kid, Microsoft flight sim with a laptop and Logitech joystick during my college years, and now that I'm all grown up (haha) and actually have some money and a little bit of time, I want to build a proper home simulator. Hoping it will be a fun project for my 9 year old son and I, and bring YEARS of entertainment. Side note: my son has really taken an interest in aviation the last couple years, but he's not really latching on to models, he wants the REAL thing haha, so hoping maybe this will help fuel his passion. I'm posting this in the newbie thread because as I said, my last experience with flight sim was WAY back in the 2003-2005 days, so I know a lot has changed. I thought it might be best to just list what I "want" below, and also a few major questions I have that'll really help shape the route I take. Like I said, I've been sleuthing these message boards for several months now and I've picked up a ton of info, but I know everyone kind of has their own situation/wants/desires with their sim setups, so I thought I'd just share mine and if anyone has any knowledge to share I would gratefully be willing to accept! Thanks in advance for any replies and please if I'm way off on anything listed below stop me before I make a terrible decision! :p My Ideal Setup - Cockpit build (not necessarily modeled after a specific aircraft, but I know for sure not fighter or jetliner aircraft, preferably a 2 seat cockpit similar to a PA-28 or more modern Cirrus aircraft) - Realism/immersive experience is KEY...with the visuals/flight dynamics...but as I stated above not necessarily in terms of every single switch/gauge/dial needing to be 100% accurate for a certain type of aircraft. I guess my goal is to be able to get in the cockpit and be able to fly a PA-28 today, then tomorrow maybe i'm in a King Air, then the next day a Cirrus SR22. Again, that will be 99% of the flights I plan to make in it. Sure just for the hell of it we may pull up a Citation or Dreamliner in whatever sim we're in, but that'll be few and far between and again will just be for hell of it, not for a realistic experience. - The most realistic/immersive display. By now you probably understand my goal here isn't to just pull up a flight sim on the desktop computer or widescreen tv, my goal is for my son and I to step foot into this cockpit and be able to look out the front and side windows and feel like we are in the real thing. I have read TONS of posts and watched countless videos of these kinds of set ups, from sticking a tv/monitor in every window opening to full on 270 degree wrap around seamless displays using projectors. - What software/simulator to use? This is probably where I need the most help. I've obviously become quite familiar with a few sims reading these boards, but I know there's probably still tons of stuff out there I don't know about. So based on the novel above I think you can see my goal would obviously be one that provides the most realistic experience in terms of flight dynamics and just as importantly visuals. I know Microsoft Flight Sim 2020 is supposed to be second to none in terms of visuals, but it seems like all the guys I've seen tend to go with x-plane for these home cockpit simulators, especially those that use multiple displays/multiple projector set ups. Does Microsoft Flight Sim have issues dealing with multiple displays, or do they maybe not cater to that type of experience? Also, and maybe this is separate from the sim software itself, but when we get ready to fly somewhere I want us to be communicating with these virtual ATC's I've seen in so many videos. I've never been able to tell if those are sim software specific, or if that is something completely separate...regardless, interactive ATC is a must have for us. If you've made it this far, God bless you. Again, I just wanted to get a post out there because for months I've just been reading but I'm ready to start this project and so I wanted to finally get out there. If anything I said makes no sense or if you have any questions please let me know, and again ANY type of feedback is appreciated. Thanks again guys, looking forward to being a long time member of this community.