737 cockpit will satisfy even the most discriminating simulator afficiandos

posted Jan 6th 2012 3:01pm by
filed under: home entertainment hacks

This isn’t an airplane, it’s a simulator. But you won’t find it at a flight school as this labor of love is a home build of a 737 cockpit (translated) that has been going on for more than two years.

It started off as a couple of automotive bucket seats in a room with two computer monitors to display the view out the windscreen. From there each piece has been meticulously added for a wonderful overall reproduction. The range of skills needed to pull this off is impressive. The seats have been rebuilt with padding and upholstery true to the Boeing factory options. The support structure that forms the domed front of the aircraft was built from wood with a metal bracket system to hold the overhead control panels in the right position. The only thing missing here is the rest of the plane. Take a look at the simulated landing run in the video after the break to see what this thing can do.

Looking for something that will take you for a bit more of a ride? Here’s a collection of motion simulators that might satisfy your craving.

[Thanks Andreas]



38 Responses to 737 cockpit will satisfy even the most discriminating simulator afficiandos

  • jordan says:

    now jsut get some bendable OLED screen and form it to the window :)

    • mess_maker says:

      The problem with that is you would lose the depth out of the window. Good idea, but ultimately a curved projection screen with a passive 3d projection would give a really great effect.

    • slightlyMad says:

      the visuals dont matter a stuff for what this sim is designed for, which would be 99% IFR. the only important things to see are the lights on the ground or emergency signals from the tower.

      i fly a simulator with zero visuals most of the time its cloud or black nothingness.

      that all said, visuals are great for flying smaller planes, but not enough people go this far in cockpit detail if all they are simulating is a C152!

  • Dino says:

    THAT is an awesome build! Well done sir!! :)

  • anthony says:

    This is awesome … but what software does he use to run this ? I tried to read the page but the translation isn’t all that great

  • Whatnot says:

    This probably cost him more than flightschool and a 737 license I bet.

    • macs_rock says:

      A standard private pilot’s license is about 50,000$. Getting ILS, Jet, Multi-engine, and 737 endorsements would add roughly another 100-200,000$ to that cost. Not to mention about 10-15 years of your life. Depending on how you value your time, that’s another $400,000.

      • Jim says:

        A standard private pilot’s license in the US costs about $5,000, not 50k. Big difference, that! It would be more fun and less money to go that route, but I can certainly appreciate the quality of work this guy did. It’s an awesome build.

        But I can’t figure out why the digital display indicated his airspeed at 138 knots when he was stopped and looking at that propeller at the end… and the stormscope should not have been able to see anything on the ground. So maybe he has some software work left to do. But this made me want to build something for a C172 to get some cheap practice time in.

      • Jim says:

        Wish I could edit my post. Of course a private pilot’s license doesn’t let you fly a 737. I can certainly believe an ATP license costs 50k.

  • Philippe says:

    Believe me, motion is not what makes it “a hell of a ride”. You can get plenty sweaty flying a non-motion simulator when the inspector who will give you your check (or not) is breathing down your neck!

    Visuals are enough to give you motion sickness…

    Beautiful build!

  • Queeg says:

    Amazing.

    Other than not wrapping around, the visual is amazing. Clouds (and evening sky shading) are better than the ‘latest and greatest’ visual we just had installed at work.

    Flying a sim with the motion off can make you feel weird if you’re used to the real thing. Putting this thing on six stilts would take it way beyond amazing.

    Count me impressed.

    Queeg

  • Patrick says:

    Awesome, but now days you build stuff like this and our government will deport you to Guantanamo for suspicion of activities.

  • Alex Rossie says:

    I was hoping he’d crash just to see it

  • Denbo says:

    Why does the digital display say the altitude is at 4800 while flying but when they land it is at 5000?

  • wetomelo says:

    Excelent project! +1 hack: make the real magnetic compass spin acording the direction of the plane, using electromagnets behind the panel!. Cant understand from translation if stick shaker works too

  • artemonster says:

    Is this me, or they are playing Castle of Wolfenstein on this cockpit? :D

  • signal7 says:

    Needs a magnet on a stepper motor arm mounted above the cockpit so that the compass shows the right heading. Cool build though.

  • CriticalLook says:

    Wonder if he is aware that his name is on a terrorist watch list?

  • Rob R. says:

    Impressive Sir!!

    [Sorry didn't mean to double post, just can't delete the other one which shouldn't be there]

  • sio2 says:

    Afficiandos? you mean aficionados?

  • Ronnie says:

    is it that noisy inside a real cockpit, that would drive me nuts all those beeps and alarms going off all the time.

  • digi_owl says:

    Some years ago the Norwegian national broadcaster (NRK) mentioned a retired military officer that had built a similar simulator in his basement.

  • 737NG-Info says:

    Very Nice Work! My Respect!!!

    My Blog:

    http://www.737ng-info.blogspot.com

    And the 1. Sim- Search Engine – find all about Homecockpits http://www.homecockpit.org

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