THIS AIN’T YOUR DAD’S LINK TRAINER
Or
Desk
Flying the Microsoft Flight Simulators
For the last few issues, we’ve been looking at the things you
can do with MS Flight Simulator. This time around I’m going to show you what
you can do to enhance your own level of flying by making it just a little more
real. By using just a little bit of ingenuity, you can go from desk top flying
to this!!!!!
Using some plywood, pressed board, some paint and hand tools,
you can easily make a flight station to be proud of.
At the end of this article, I’ll give you a link to my online
tutorial as to how this was built.
In the meantime, let’s discuss the set-up. My computer has a
video card with a dual monitor hookup. If you don’t have one like that, you can
use a splitter cable in order to use both monitors. I decided that I wanted my
Cockpit as a separate unit from my computer desk but at the same time be able
to switch back and forth easily. Having both monitors active is really cool
when you have friends over as you can “put them in the co-pilots seat”!!!! You
can do the same thing with keyboards and mice by purchasing a switch to select
which ones you want to use. You can see the switch sitting to the far left of
the monitor.
The seat I found in a local junkyard (
At the present time, I’m installing a “Surround Sound” system in
it. Since I usually fly wearing a head set, I’m not sure how practical the
sound system will be. (It does sort of drive my wife nuts when I pump up the
volume!!!)
There are many ways to set up your joystick. Some folks just
build a tall box in front of the seat. I chose to chop my Saitek
X-45 and extend the shaft to look and act more like a cyclic.
After I re-wired the joystick, all the buttons actually worked
(much to my surprise).
The stick is easily calibrated using the Windows Control Panel.
I still have a lot more to do yet (it’s an on-going project)
such as putting on the sides and back. I might even put on a small tail rotor
as a novelty. Then finish the paint job. I was originally going to do it in Air
Force Gray but since I really like green, that’s probably going to be the final
color.
Well, that’s how I spend my free time which unfortunately isn’t
as much as it used to be.
Pedro News has Steve and me pretty busy these days but we
wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!
For more information on how to build a cockpit or chop a
joystick, check out this site
See you all next time.
Paul M.
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