C337 Flight Simulator

[Owen_FSD]

Originally posted by KyleTownsend
Owen:

Since you are actually in the business of making simulator aircraft, I want to get your opinion on a thought I have had.

I understand that microsoft flight simulator was viewed mainly as a "game" at first. However, the program is sophisticated enough now to be of real aid in practicing approaches and stuff like that. There is an increasing community of pilots who use it in that way. I know of several who will go and fly the intended approaches for a real trip on flight simulator before making the actual trip if they are not familiar with the destination.

However, for most pilots, the primary handicap of flight simulator is that (1) their airplane type is not available or is not well modeled, or (2) even if the type is available, the panel doesn't conform to their own airplane and so the utility of the sim is somewhat compromised.

I can't tell you how many pilots wish that they had their "own" panel on flight simulator. I wanted it so badly that I took the time to build my own crude approximation. But I doubt that most pilots care to take the time required to do that.

So, I have wondered if a "virtual avionics shop" would be a viable business to cater to this segment of the simulator market. I mean, if a guy is going to go out and drop $100K or more on an airplane, and tens of thousands on those little black boxes in the panel, I would think that some fraction of them wouldn't blink at dropping perhaps $10 to $50 per simulated instrument (depending on complexity) and perhaps $100 to have someone custom build a panel file for them based on their own airplane?

I know I would sure like it if I could just go buy the instruments and avionics I need, and have them all put in a panel for me.

Regards,

Kyle

PS: In regards to all of us flying "virtual" airplanes, there is a kernel of truth in this. For routine practice, it is far less expensive to sit down at flight simulator and shoot a few approaches than to go drop $150 per hour or more doing the training in the airplane. And as far as keeping your scan up to speed, the simulator is as good (or better) than the real thing. This doesn't mean that we stop or even cut back on the amount of "real" practice we do. It just means that we can get a lot more practice for very little money, and be a lot better prepared to maximize our training dollars spent in the airplane. This can only enhance safety; especially for the many owner-pilots who are not priviliged to fly several hundred hours per year due to time and money constraints.

Hello Kyle,

I certainly see your point about wanting to have a custom panel built into the sim that exactly replicates one you own in real life, so the realism of trying approaches becomes that much more an aid.

As a developer of these types of wares, I do have to say that it is quite difficult a challenge to create one or two panels of an example aircraft for use in Flight Simulator. Just one photograph if the panel is usually not enough to generate the correct look. I often take over 50 pictures of the instruments and panel when I do a walk-around of an aircraft. From these 50 or so pictures, a "composite" as you would say, is built taking pieces here and there and fitting them all back together to show a complete panel. It's a daunting task, and takes quite a bit of time. When we do create such aircraft panels, we try our best to accomodate most of the avionics that would normally be found in a said aircraft.

As far as complex avionics go, there is a company that we are partnered with that provides highly advanced GPS units. I invite you to check it out: http://www.reality-xp.com

Most of our aircraft come pre-configured so that if you own a Reality-XP unit, it will be selectable as an option in our configuration manager program.

I understand that there are a lot of avionics packages out on the market today. Developing an exact working replica of each of those devices is incredibly complex, many taking years to get done (Reality XP has worked for over a year now on their upcoming GNS 430).

A virtual Avionics shop is sort-of what R-XP is. But you see from their rather limited selection, that they take very long to develop. A good idea ... just not enough time or manpower to accomplish making them all.

Regards,

Owen