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Planning Your Flightdeck & Setting Realistic Goals

The A320 Project started out as two brothers who as "Aviation Nuts" decided to follow in the footsteps of the likes of James Price & Kevin Saker. These two gentlemen are truly Pioneers in this field. While their projects were not exactly what Steve and I had in mind we found a great deal of inspiration and decided to take the plunge. Once we decided to go forward we began a year long planning stage. The two of us went about our normal daily routines but found that life had alot more passion all of a sudden. This has been the driving force behind the project. This is what was constantly running through our minds while driving somewhere, working and pretending to listen to the wife. . (oops!)
Halfway into this project we had the great fortune of meeting up with Joe O. Joe has been a big help to the A320 Project and Joe's technical understanding of the A320, its systems as well as his access to the actual aircraft made our lives alot easier.
Since Joe's arrival we have made another new friend in the way of Scott McMillan. Scott is a FS Panel/Scenery designer with an abundance of talent and a heart of gold. He has been working away dillegently on a "Glass Flightdeck" approach to panels which is truly custom designed for the A320 and the Flightdeck Builder. Scott's input to date has been amazing and we are getting weekly updates on his new "ND" interface.
In addition to Scott, we also had the good fortune of meeting with Don Lafontaine who is developing some Heavyweight Glass Flightdeck Software. We are likely to be using this software in our sim. (See the links page)
So that makes a small bunch of us. Equally motivated individuals with a pretty clear goal. Enhancing our Flight Sim experience, going beyond the limitations of a single monitor layout and truly "Entering" the simulation. With that in mind, lets talk about getting started and mapping out a plan for building one of these devices shall we?
I am often amazed at the topics of conversation that come up in the various Builders Forums (including our own!). Sometimes I wonder if some of the builders are being realistic at all. Talking about 14 monitors running from seven computers networked to the main IBM server in San Fernando Valley is not a realistic goal in my humble opinion. Thinking about the new Matrox G400 video card with dual output and a second card allowing three dedicated video feeds is. Think about it, one output for the front scenery, one for the Captains side PFD/ND (split for the First Officers side) and the third for the center ECAM area. That makes sense, for starters anyway. Adding monitors and new views later is easy, only takes the money and nerve to tackle the network portion of the system. If you are not in a position to obtain a LCD Data Projector then think that over from the start. Locating an inexpensive Fresnel Lense might be the way to go and no it is not going to cover the entire windshield but that is ok. It will give you a solid visual representation"out the window" and that is what you need. Keep in mind one main thing... REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM... Remember always that you started Simming with a 15" monitor, a keyboard and a joystick as your entire interface into the environment. Building a Flightdeck is a quantum leap forward. Nothing to cry about if you have a truly respectable looking Flightdeck and for starters a 17" monitor with a fresnel for front view.
Another common topic that we see pop up is backlighting. At the A320 Project we have started selling Panel/Lettering kits for others to build their own Flightdecks with. One of the most common questions we are asked is about backlighting. Steve and I would love to have every single panel in our sim backlit. No question. Trouble is reality. Building backlit panels is not easy, building them 100% accurate is another issue. Steve and I lucked out with the new parts we obtained (FCU and 2 x EFIS) these are all fully backlit with a simple 5volt supply. Great! What about the rest of the sim? Well, our sim is a multi generation sim. The first generation is the basis in which to grow. Our belief is simple, "Aim too high, never fly". Sounds funny I know ( I just made that up!).. but true. If your goals are so far out and so incredibly unrealistic then you may run out of time, resources or even spousal approval! Think realistic. Back to backlighting. Steve and I have established that for the first generation sim we are not going to backlight. Multi faceted reasoning behind that position. First and foremost we need to build the actual sim first. The overal structural elements are not a problem. The actual panels will be CNC cut from our files and easily put together. Once that is done we have "Lettering Kits" that are also available. These lettering kits are as accurate as I can get them. Once they are in place, the overhead and under glare lighting in place, we are confident the flightdeck will look all "Airbus". That is the goal. This approach is not 100% perfect with regards to emulating the actual aircraft but we are two guys and not spending 40 million US either! That is the point. Making it work and work well, then improving. We want to be flying in this thing in 2000.
Last of the areas we get alot of questions on.. Motion. Building a full scale A320 Flightdeck in my basement was a pretty tough sell in this household.. Picture that one,
HUSBAND: "Honey, I want to build a simulator in the basement ok?"
WIFE: Sure hun, Cessna or something?
HUSBAND: Something like that babe, thanks!!
Then comes laundry day or what have you and the chalk lines you drew are encroaching onto the linoleum you so lovingly applied down there prior to realizing that your $5,000 LCD Projector might need a few more feet to get the image size where you want it...
Now come the motion part, lets not even discuss the costs.
HUSBAND: "Honey, would you mind if I made this simulator with motion?
WIFE: Hmm... is it hard to do?
HUSBAND: Not really (mumbles something about hydraulics and a six foot pit for the mechanisms)
WIFE: *Sigh* well, if it makes you happy baby you do it...
This is where you should make sure that you utilize a real four point harness in your seat, if you think that last flight over the rockies was turbulent, you haven't seen anything yet!
(In case you are asking, I did not have the nerve to broach the "Pit" part, my Wife likes the basement floor all at one level)
So, in wrapping (If you are still reading at this point then I consider you a serious builder!)
1. Set realistic goals for the overall schedule of your construction.
2. Remember you are building this for YOUR enjoyment not the rest of the world.
3. There is no Flightdeck Builder award show on the FOX Network so suit yourself.
4. Think in stages, build with what is truly available to you today, not what you wish you had.
5. Think, think again, planning means not painting yourself into a corner later.
6. Use your resources, the A320 Project is merely one, Joe, Steve, Scott, Don and so many other talented people are around and often willing to help out in any way that they can. We are all as impassioned as you are so we understand the sense of urgency attached to all elements of your pursuit.
7. Remember... "Aim Too High, Never Fly". The realistic builder actually finishes and flies.
I hope this article is taken in the light it was meant to be. Our goal at the A320 Project is to build stellar Flightdecks to further our enjoyment of flight simulation. At the same time we are doing our part to assist the "Community" out here by offering whatever assistance we can. Above all though, we wish you the very best of luck in your endeavours. PC