Intro

Welcome. Most likely you have arrived here by being a good friend of mine so I want to say a hello. This website is the proof that for the last 5 years I have actually been working on a flight simulator and not a weapon of mass destruction as some of my neighbors have suspected. I have finally arrived at a point where I am not too embarrased to post a few pictures and notes.

The simulator was to be built for a flight school/entertainment venue but took far too long to complete before that business was sold and disappeared. Initially at about the time that the simulator was just starting three things happened. First a great guy call sign "Doc" took a look at the incredible pile of hydraulics, electronics, metal, etc., laying on a hanger floor and said "no problem, lets build it".

Second the top test pilot for Boeing at the time (who had flown every military and civilian aircraft up to the 777) stopped by and shot the breeze regarding the future of cockpit design. Basically everything would be computer monitor touch screens. It was even possible that a pilot in a future transonic design would never have a real window to look out of because of design restraints! (sounds like the distinction of simulator and plane gets a little blurry). No millions of miles of wiring for buttons and switches. Aircraft cockpits could be updated just by changing the software and the GUI (graphical user interface).

And finally third, a great "super geek" programmer Josh got his hands into writing and developing of code and even making handmade circuit boards thus bringing the airship into reality..

Anyhow a brief description follows with more detail on additional pages.

Stats:

Description- 4 seat, 6 degree of freedom hydraulic motion flight simulator using 8 networked water cooled computers running XPlane flight simulation. The seats and control columns (yokes) are out of a 737 and a center pedestal throttle quadrant scratch built from the original 74 (short for 747-X). Aircraft type communications via headsets linked to each other and to the outside world's virtual air traffic controllers.

Visuals- 5 monitors for out of cockpit window views, one overhead for overhead panel, one for Heads Down Display and two monitors for Primary Flight Displays.

Avionics- one APFDS or autopilot flight director system scratch built. Overhead and HDD are touch screens. .

Look over the various pages and please drop a line to say hello or to fire off any suggestion or comments. If you have time to come by in person I would love to check in and see how everything is going and go for a hop.

Clear Skies

Curtis "Shark" Platt