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-   -   Anyone use a sim at home? (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=175957)

dreed 10-11-2019 11:13 AM

Anyone use a sim at home?
 
Was catching up on some old Flight Chops on youtube yesterday. In one, they had put together a pretty nice sim setup and it got me thinking it might be good for me to do something similar. I am still building, rusty (getting current again) but may help get some of the rust off now, and work on other skills in the future.

Just curious if others have a decent home setup, if so what they recommend for hardware and which software you are using.

Thanks!
dan

prkaye 10-11-2019 11:35 AM

I used to use XPlane (version 9), which was very good. I just had a basic joystick, saitek throttle quadrant and CH-Pedals Rudder pedals. I just read the other day that Microsoft is bringing back Flight Simulator in 2020! It will have incredibly detailed 3D-data for the entire globe... petabytes worth of data! Apparently the physics will be updated too.
I think the PC sims can be good for practicing instrument procedures, but for practicing basic stick and rudder, I don't think the skills are very transferrable.

dreed 10-11-2019 12:02 PM

Thanks Phil-

Agree, nothing like stick time in the real thing. Definitely would be used for instrument procedures and possibly some fun.

Good to hear about the flight sim 2020

SeanB 10-11-2019 12:24 PM

I setup a three screen system with Saitek Yoke and throttle quadrant. Running X Plane. Graphics are very good if your system can handle the upper settings. Sunrays, water reflection, smudges on the windshield....it's all there. Would post video of fun flight through Lake Powell, but too much bandwidth.

Agree...all good for practicing flight plans, learning Garmin systems, navigation, and other things. Not like real flying though.

BTW...someone recently posted there is an RV-8 package for X Plane. I bought it and am pleased.

tyconnell 10-11-2019 12:44 PM

I'm running X-Plane 11 on OSX, and mostly like it. Don't have rudder pedals or throttle, so that stuff is kinda clunky operationally through the joystick. That aside, it's pretty good for learning systems, and practicing procedures, navigation, etc. as others have said. And it's pointed out a few things I didn't know, and probably would not have thought of. Cheap way to learn that!

Thinking about signing up for pilot edge at some point also.

Paddy 10-11-2019 01:39 PM

I haven't used a desktop sim for a long time. Do any of the current ones allow the user to replicate a GTN/G3X combo?

tyconnell 10-11-2019 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paddy (Post 1379311)
I haven't used a desktop sim for a long time. Do any of the current ones allow the user to replicate a GTN/G3X combo?

X-Plane has a fairly vibrant community of 3rd party developers who supply scenery, aircraft models, etc. You might find that combination in a 3rd party airplane. That stack is pretty new though, right? Probably be pretty difficult. The sim ships with a number of aircraft, including a 172 with a G1000 in it. I haven't flown it in reality or in the sim, so I can't speak to it's "realness". The one I've been toying with (530/430 stack) is decent, but is not a true, full featured replica of the actual devices. That would likely be true of any simulated gear trying to model some of the fancier gear that's out now.

I've seen discussions somewhere (here? questions to g3expert?) about the Garmin simulators, and the difficulty of modeling the actual device with a simulated desktop GUI. There's no "dump the software out of the device, wrap it with some other software, and bingo, you have a desktop Garmin sim" process. It's likely more difficult for 3rd party people, who don't know the internals, and probably don't have an actual device to experiment with.

dreed 10-11-2019 03:21 PM

I did see on the flightchops they had some gear from "realsimgear" and when I looked at their site they did have a GTN650 and 750 bezel setup along with 430/530. Not cheap ($500?) and they also has some G1000 stuff.

It looks like there are some bezels so you can use and ipad as as the display for the Garmin stuff. Wish there was Dynon/AFS and Avidyne

Take a look at the video link. Flightchops (Keith) is an RV14 builder and I believe a VAF member too. Really nice setup-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-sDGbA-EOc


KRviator 10-11-2019 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prkaye (Post 1379288)
I used to use XPlane (version 9), which was very good. I just had a basic joystick, saitek throttle quadrant and CH-Pedals Rudder pedals. I just read the other day that Microsoft is bringing back Flight Simulator in 2020! It will have incredibly detailed 3D-data for the entire globe... petabytes worth of data! Apparently the physics will be updated too.
I think the PC sims can be good for practicing instrument procedures, but for practicing basic stick and rudder, I don't think the skills are very transferrable.

Tell you what, if the sim turns out to be anything close to the 4K videos they've put out, it's going to be something truly inspiring. Check out their Youtube video HERE.

N8DAV8R 10-11-2019 04:09 PM

[quote=dreed;1379326]
Take a look at the video link. Flightchops (Keith) is an RV14 builder and I believe a VAF member too. Really nice setup-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-sDGbA-EOc


Maybe a little more accurate to say that 'Chops will be an owner and unboxer, and to whatever extent he is also a buyer and 'influencer'. It seems like the museum crew is doing the building while he is elsewhere making flying videos.


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