| Aircraft Simpits | | | | displays it has become easier to create highly realistic |
| A homebuilt Boeing style simulator utilizing generic | | | | panels. The displays on these panels can be driven by |
| hardware | | | | multi head graphics cards, or networked PCs running |
| | | | dedicated software that can read from the simulator |
| A way to avoid a lot of the pitfalls is to not replicate a | | | | spreading the processing load. Interfaces for switches, |
| specific aircraft, simply a class of aircraft. Thus | | | | knobs, and other elements needed can be purchased |
| creating a generic GA, airliner, or military cockpit, which | | | | commercially or created by dismantling existing |
| while it will not have every button or switch of the real | | | | hardware such as keyboards or joysticks. Feedback |
| aircraft, will have all the key elements for simulation. | | | | from the PC to the panel, for example to light warning |
| The other end of the scale is to build an exact 1:1 | | | | lamps or move real instrument is more complex and |
| replica of the real cockpit, utilizing real panels or even a | | | | normally completed through a commercial expansion |
| complete cockpit from the chosen plane. All cockpit | | | | board. |
| builds will be somewhere between these two | | | | Military Aviation |
| concepts, and even highly accurate replica pits will | | | | The 3rd common genre for a simpit is the military pit. |
| often make some concessions, if only due to limitations | | | | Like commercial pits these sims are more for |
| of the simulation software driving them. | | | | entertainment than training. Military based pits are |
| For replica pits the choice of aircraft will be key. With | | | | commonly based on a single aircraft, often the Falcon |
| the growth of home cockpits there are a number of | | | | due to the availability of highly realistic simulation |
| companies who sell complete kits for common aircraft. | | | | software (Falcon 4.0) of this aircraft. |
| Thus details of current Airbus and Boeing aircraft | | | | Software |
| panels are fairly easy to obtain. For older aircraft | | | | One of the first software requirements for a simpit is |
| museums or aircraft scrap yards can be valuable | | | | a suitable flight simulator to provide the graphics, sound |
| sources of information. However while research will | | | | and instrument outputs for the pit. To date, the majority |
| often locate a lot of information, sometimes it is a | | | | of civilian simpits are built around Microsoft Flight |
| minor detail that is needed. For example how wide is | | | | Simulator, and most military pits use Falcon 4.0 as a |
| the center pedestal, how far from the instruments is | | | | base. |
| the warning panel, and how large should it be? Where | | | | The choice is expanding as more simulation |
| the information is not in the public domain, more subtle | | | | developers include data-out facilities in their sims. Most |
| techniques have been developed to obtain the | | | | recently, Lock On - Modern Air Combat has added |
| information. For example pixel counting from a digital | | | | data export through Lua, making it a serious contender |
| photo of the aircraft. By counting the pixels in an item | | | | for a modern jet simpit. |
| of known size, for example a standard cockpit | | | | Voice communication (VOIP) software is commonly |
| instrument, a scale can be established. This can then | | | | integrated into a simpit, as this allows real-time |
| be used to estimate the size of unknown elements in | | | | communication with other virtual pilots. The most |
| the panel. Accuracy will vary depending on the quality | | | | popular choices at the moment are Ventrilo and |
| of the photo located, the angle the shot was taken | | | | TeamSpeak. |
| from, etc. However this can give a good guideline on | | | | Other software may be custom written to control |
| dimensions in situations where there may be no other | | | | hardware aspects of the pit; e.g. an interpreter for an |
| source of information. | | | | MFD or a custom listener to implement an AoA |
| The level of functionality will also vary within the 'pit'. | | | | Indexer. In many cases the need for custom software |
| Very realistic looking pits may have non functioning | | | | can be removed by using control hardware with a |
| instruments, simply in place to complete the 'feel' of the | | | | comprehensive SDK or API, but when you really need |
| cockpit. At the top end of realism would be individual | | | | that unique instrument and nobody has an off-the-shelf |
| real instruments, either modified from actual aircraft | | | | solution for it, hacking code is the only way to get it. |
| components or replicated. This approach provides the | | | | Examples |
| maximum immersion, but presents complexity with | | | | Helicopter simulators by Ryan Aerospace (Australia) |
| interface electronics and driver software needing to be | | | | Simkits gallery |
| fabricated. A compromise between the two is to | | | | F-15C Simulator based on F-15C 80-0007 |
| display the instruments on a monitor and mount this | | | | Airbus A340 Cockpit |
| behind the panel. The simulated instruments can then | | | | Generic Twin Engine Pit |
| be seen through the cutouts which can give a realistic | | | | F-16 Simpit |
| effect, especially if the aircraft uses 'glass cockpit' | | | | Video |
| displays in real life. | | | | A320 Cockpit (Ger/Eng) |
| Many pit builders go through the process of building a | | | | Control Loaders and Motion Bases |
| basic, low-spec compromise pit first, just to give them | | | | External links |
| a dedicated environment to practice their hobby. The | | | | Simpits: |
| lessons learned in this process can be put to good use | | | | Helicopter Simulators and Hardware |
| if they later decide to build a high-spec compromise or | | | | Helicopter simulators by Ryan Aerospace (Australia) |
| replica pit, which requires a great deal of time, effort | | | | Helicopter simulator |
| and passion to complete. | | | | Simulation Cockpit Builders Group |
| General Aviation | | | | Simpit WebRing |
| A homebuilt simulator panel utilizing commercially | | | | FScockpit: introduction to flight simulator cockpit |
| available instruments | | | | construction |
| Home based simulators have been a common training | | | | ViperPit Forum - the definitive forum for F-16 pits |
| aid for private pilots for many years. Recently the | | | | Frugalsworld Simpit Forum |
| increased power of home PCs and improvements in | | | | Home of F4Glass Falcon 4 glass instruments |
| graphics and simulation technology has opened up | | | | The Lua programming language (simulation data |
| further opportunities to utilize a PC as a training aid. | | | | export) |
| While early simulators allowed instrument approaches | | | | Do It Yourself Flight Simulators (DIY videos) |
| to be practiced, with photographic scenery add ins | | | | SIMInstruments simpit hardware (commercial) |
| pilots can now practice visual flights and navigation. | | | | Simkits simpit hardware(commercial) |
| Rehearsing a flight in the PC, before performing it in | | | | EPIC hardware interface (commercial) |
| the real world, making training sessions in the real | | | | Mike's Flight Deck - introduction to simpit building |
| aircraft more productive. | | | | The Akers-Barnes portable simpit design |
| Recognizing this market a number of suppliers provide | | | | Helicopter simpits at Hovercontrol |
| ready to go desktop simulation products. Radio stacks, | | | | Simpit builders forum |
| instruments, yokes, pedals, throttle quadrants, and | | | | Cockpit builders directory |
| seats are readily available from pilot shops. This allows | | | | Home cockpit |
| a highly realistic GA cockpit to be put together in a | | | | Electronics for - excellent basic electronics and helpful |
| matter of minutes. However an enthusiast is likely to | | | | forumbit-tech forums - active modding forum with lots |
| extend well beyond the functional cockpit a trainee | | | | of useful topics |
| would require, adding in items to enhance the sense of | | | | Mike's Flight Deck Books: source for book on building |
| disbelief. Enclosures, projectors, even real aircraft | | | | simulated aircraft instruments (commercial) |
| components or nose sections are commonly | | | | TouchScreen application for building fully |
| incorporated in the drive to make the experience as | | | | programmable ICPs, MFDs etc |
| 'real' as possible. | | | | FSXpand - Simulates Aircraft Instruments |
| Commercial Aviation | | | | How to create an inexpensive generic panel with no |
| A home built Airbus simulator cockpit | | | | electronics knowledge |
| While General Aviation pits are often put together for | | | | Suppliers of parts (Plug and Play) for the simmers with |
| real pilots to train on, commercial aircraft pits are often | | | | no electronic knowledge |
| purely for entertainment. Very few people will have | | | | Sims: |
| the opportunity to pilot a real airliner, however a realistic | | | | FlightGear (free/open-source sim) |
| home simulator will provide a highly immersing | | | | Combat Helo (free sim in development) |
| experience. | | | | X-Plane (commercial sim) |
| Commercial airliner pits offer a greater challenge to | | | | Falcon 4 (commercial sim) |
| builders as there are more systems to model such as | | | | Falcon 4: Allied Force (latest commercial version of |
| the auto pilot, CDU/FMS, engine management, etc. | | | | Falcon 4) |
| Even the throttle quadrant is a complex piece of | | | | Lock On - Modern Air Combat (commercial sim) |
| engineering compared to the simply replicated push / | | | | IL2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles (commercial sim) |
| pull throttle used in the GA Cessna. However a | | | | Pacific Fighters (commercial sim) |
| number of commercial suppliers exist supplying replica | | | | FS2004 (commercial sim) |
| panels, controls, even complete cockpits to the | | | | Fighter Ops (commercial sim in development) |
| community. Where these or 'real' components are not | | | | Ventrilo |
| available or are out of budget builders will often | | | | TeamSpeak. |
| fabricate components at home out of wood or similar | | | | References |
| easily worked materials. | | | | ^ Herd, Andrew (2004-11-09). "Flight Training software". |
| With most modern aircraft utilizing 'Glass Cockpit' | | | | Pilot (Archant Specialist). Retrieved 2007-10-26. |