There are many activities I’m interested in like boating, golf and electronics but the most interesting is flight simulators. In my 33 years with United they have gone from minimal to virtual reality. Even the home computer flight simulator software is more advanced than the first simulators. My first experience was with a Link Trainer that was simply a box shaped like an airplane that would totally enclose a pilot and had the basic flight instruments in it.
When I went to pilot training with UAL the sim’s were more advanced but lacked the visuals necessary to immerse the pilot in true virtual reality. They taught procedures very well but it still was necessary to train in the actual airplane to become truly proficient in it. The first visuals were movies projected on the pilots forward windshield. In fact you almost knew if you would “break out” on an approach because you could hear the projector start up. By the time I retired the visuals had progressed to true virtual reality allowing for the actual feel and sensation of flying. In fact it is no longer necessary to “check out” in the aircraft anymore. When I trained as a B-747 captain the first time I flew the actual A/C was on a line trip with a full passenger load. The only additional requirement was an instructor captain flying the right seat for my first 24 hours. In actuality the A/C was easier to fly. YouTube video of flight from JFK to BOS in Full-Motion simulator
For a more comprehensive article on the evolution of simulators goHERE.
My Simulator Design
A few years back I attended an ITEC simulation and training show in Orland Florida. While there I flew several different simulators, including a simulated Space Shuttle. In discussing one of the simulators with the company representative I discovered they were using a particular piece of software, for demo purposes, that is available online for $29.00. You read it right, it’s called X-Plane and is so good that the FAA has certified it for pilot training (for an extra fee of course). It can be flown using one monitor but in planning my simulator I felt I needed “side windows” so I could keep the end of the runway in sight while doing circling and visual approaches. To accomplish this feat it was necessary to have 4 monitors driven by 4 computers. Three for the front and side windows and a fourth for the instrument panel. It is necessary to purchase a copy of X-Plane for each computer you plan to use. Once set up the individual copies of X-Plane talk to each other and work in unison to produce the desired results.
Placing cursor on picture will pause the slide show
What Needs To Be Done
There is still much to be done. Although I have to admit that now it’s flyable I spend more time flying it as is, than designing my cockpit enclosure. I also need to “tweak” the settings so the three windows line up better. I am also planning to add a control wheel and throttle quadrant to give me the feel of the other aircraft included with X-Plane.
The software comes with a worldwide database of airports, along with many fighter, transport and experimental airplanes. There is a United B-747 that delights me and also the space shuttle to fly. There are instruments, switch panels and anything else you can imagine that are available through 3rd party manufactures to design your own instrument panel or cockpit and add additional realism to the project.
This is a work in progress and may never be finished. I’m at the point now that it’s already enjoyable, but then how nice it would be to have a cockpit to climb into.
Update Nov. 2022
It’s probably been 18 years since I published this page. However, I was very active in retirement with boating, golf, being a “Sunbird”, enjoying the “Quiet Birdman” activities and spending my winters in Florida. Doing that, I didn’t have the time to devote to making my cockpit. As I said, it was very enjoyable flying it as is. Now that I’m no longer a “Sunbird” and will be spending my time in one place year around AND not doing my other activities because of health reasons I will nave more time to spend on the sim. I’m building a bigger more powerful computer and want to explore virtual reality. Both X-Plane 11 and Microsoft Flight Simulator can do VR. I won’t need a cockpit since it will all be virtual. By the way X-Plane is now version 12 and sells for $59.99
