Hello Folks,
I'm new to this Forum and it's great being part of PilotEdge and this group. Also, thank you for the kind comments on the video that Keith posted. For my Sim Project, PilotEdge is a dream come true. Having an opportunity to fly within the ATC system is a huge advantage for any Sim builder. I greatly appreciate the serious nature of all the Controllers and their professionalism, yet as it has been stated - they are not over bearing. It was great fun flying with the other pilots this last week, and I learned a lot over the last five days.
In my case, I am totally new to 737 Sims and the 737NG flight deck. One look at the video will show that
I'm at the very beginning of learning from scratch 737NG flight deck management and the myriad procedures to correctly fly this aircraft. Great fun, but a huge challenge. Although I have flown GA for close to 30 years (mostly in SoCal), I am no longer actively doing an real-world flying. Over the years, I have also enjoyed building a couple of experimental aircraft - hence my interest in building a full-scale 737NG flight simulator at this point in my life (65 years old). Fortunately, my wife Carol is also a pilot and shares this interest in the 737 Sim. She also tends to be much better at ATC communications than me. Funny how the mind can blur in certain flight modes when you get more than three instructions from ATC
My Sim Project is at its early stages. I first decided to build a Sim at the first of this year. I purchased FSX for the Sim Server, and Sim-Avionics for the 737NG Flight Model. These run separately on their own computer. The FSX computer is high-end and very fast to realize high frame rates. I spent a few months getting the computer systems operational and the software talking correctly, then initially exploring the 737NG MIP displays and reviewing the PMDG 737 documentation. I started with my hardware this last April setting up my FDS hardware and outside displays. I'm using an FDS MIP setup with three 70" HD LED displays in a 3-window mode within FSX. The LED displays offer simplicity and clarity and give about a 120 degree horizontal FOV. I have limited my FSX scenery to UTX in order to minimize problems with FSX, which has been a successful strategy as the FSX system has proven fairly reliable, with very few crashes. At this point in my Sim Project, I am getting ready to build up the flight deck Base and assemble the Nose Section. I have real 737 Yokes/Rudders which I need to configure/setup for use with FSX. I'm currently using a MS FF Joystick. I am also using 737 Weber seats. My Throttle Quadrant is an FDS JetMax TQ - low cost, but a nice emulation for the money. I am also in the beginning stages of building my FWD Overhead from an FDS kit. I hope by the end of this year to have most all of the building completed. That's a brief look at my setup and Sim building plans.
The good news is that at this point, my Sim is able to fly so I can begin to take more seriously learning 737NG systems and procedures in order to more correctly fly this aircraft. And there is nothing like being in an ATC environment to help demonstrate weaknesses in flight deck management - so in this regard, I really appreciate the high quality services that PilotEdge provides to help speed the learning process. Also, I'm always open to constructive comments.
Anyway, I am planning to fly with PilotEdge on a regular basis now, and I try not to repeat my mistakes. I'm guessing that there is a lot of experience on this Forum, and over time, I hope to participate constructively. If any of you are ever out to sleepy Las Cruces, NM - you have a standing invitation to stop by and fly the Sim. - operation hours are 24/7 - free food, and there is always gas in the tank
Keep your airspeed up!
Best Regards,
Mike Sherick
!!