Simulator Project VIDEO ADDED

Wilco, thanks.

Thanks, the PVC is now on the roof and looking good. I'll hopefully get a bit more done tomorrow.

Thanks Heinz!

Slopey wrote:

Dunno about the panels, never ordered from there, but as far as I can make out, "unpopulated" is without the instruments, and populated would be with. But would be worth checking with them.

Got an email back last night, the "populated" means that the switches come with everything I just need to wire then up.

I've now cut out the spaces in the pedestal for the avionics and trim wheel, hopefully by Sunday the inside and outside will be fully finished, here is what I still need to do over the weekend:

Paint the top of the pedestal and screw it down.

Screw the perspex onto the front window.

Redesign the seat.

Fit the new carpet into the sim.

Add a few more leather strips down some areas.

Cut out the overhead panel.

A touch up paint job.

Alsim logo on the outside.

Colour the staples black.

It seems a lot to do, but some of the jobs won't take very long so I think by Sunday it will be finished. However I am not going to be installing the avionics or screens until the last moment. After Sunday, I will need to construct the curved projection screen...no idea how I might go about that...!

More to the point, (lets say nthusim for the software), what are your screen dimensions, throw distance, and which projector(s) will you be using? And how much physical space have you got to fit all this in.

Having a box resembling a cockpit is one thing, but placing it effectively with respect to the screen which satisfies the projector requirements is a whole different ball game.

I've not started my cockpit project yet (and likely I won't until after MS Flight is out now), but projector/screen placement is the first item on my list to ensure it'll give the desired effect.

Anyone know what kind of distance you need the screen to be at w.r.t the cockpit/seat in order to create the right sense of immersion?

Tom - note that projectors have limited throw distances - you can't just buy projectors then bank on moving the screen to see how it looks as you might end up with a small image at the center of the screen (with obvious screen blank around your view), rather than the bounds of the screen extend beyond the viewable area from the windows which would be what you'd want to achieve for immersion. And unless you have a throw distance of 3-5m, you're going to be on short throw projectors to get a decent size.

AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.

So if your projector is 3m back from the wall, so a 3m radius curve, you'd need a diameter width for a full semi-circle - i.e. 6m? Do you have 6 meters in width? Or are you not going a full semi-circle?

Or do you need the whole 3 meters? I'm interested to see how large you actually need the image to provide an adequate field of view out the window.

AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call.

Hi,

I've got the chance to get 2 projector screens for £55. One is a 8ft wide by 9ft tall (which would do the main window) and the other is 6ft by 9ft which would do the window. Do you think this would be good? It's obviously not curved by I think it would still look good.

Here are a few more pics of the simulator:

I've now got the sim working with the projector, screen and controls. I still need to increase the picture size from the projector a touch though. As for the side windows I'm not longer going to use a projector on each side but rather a 32" tv. Reasons being is that it would be the same price and take up a lot less room.

1 FLIGHT is after you have tested it out

It's easy to make a small fortune in aviation. You start with a large fortune.

Ok, Slopey, looks like I'll just use the projectors in that case.

Here are a few pics. Still some way to go before fully finished: