DEChengst

Option #2 please: AAP ENVIROMENT ELEC PWR OXYGEN EXT / INTR LIGHT AUX LTG FUEL EMERGENCY KY-58 SAS STALL

Sorry about that. I spend so much time gawking at Mars I wanted the additional challenge of guessing where on Mars the pictures were taken.

The plan for now: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/msl/120817mslroute/

Very much interested as I can't machine them myself. Would love to have some stuff to continue my build during my November vacation. EDIT: Option 2 please.

I would say Mars: #2: Gusev crater, possibly Husband Hill #3: Meridiani Planum #6: rim of Gale crater #8: top of Burns cliff #13: Mars Odyssey picture of possibly active gullies

In .nl we actually have a guy that build himself an Ark: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan's_Ark

How about making the screen smaller by not making it a sphere but just using the canopy of the cockpit for it ? That would probably also allow for a smaller motion platform.

First four switches peeking through the frame: Fourth switch soldered in place. I suck at this and I'm too ashamed to show you the other ones. Not sure I'll continue this weekend. Really want to have the joystick controller boards so I can test every switch right away. I also plan on getting a loupe because the connecters on the switches are really tiny:

Time to start building the CDU. Don't have all parts yet. Joystick controller boards are on their way. Haven't decided on the monitor to use. Found some that looked nice but those were direct from the factory with a big minimum order. Parts I have so far: Step one. Drilling holes and lining up the circuit boards: Hope to do some soldering this weekend. More images will come when there's progress with the build.

Awesome to see it being cut :) BTW, If you're under Windows 7 you can easily rotate the image. Right click and edit on the image, and it will drop you in a simple image editor.

Tiny update for today. Installed some pieces of timber to sure up the bottom of the left and right console bays, and with that the entire construction. Couldn't go to the electronics store for the CDU switches today as I'm on call for my work. Plan to do that next friday. No soldering next weekend though as I'll be celebrating my nephew's birthday. Had to turn the simpit on it's side for today's work, so I made a photo of the bottom. Now you can all see how horrible my building skills are ;) In the end I guess it will be functional though, and that's what counts for me on my first shadowy flight into the dangerous world of simpit building.

Today is the last day of my vacation and I installed the front covers for the left and right consoles. Left console without the top looking back to front: Left console with the top installed looking front to back: Next step will be to get switches and assemble the CDU I bought. After the CDU is done I rely on some of the CNC gurus here on the forum to cut the other remaining panels for me. I hope to have the parts for my fall vacation so I can pretty much finish the build in those four weeks.

Back cover installed: Peeking into the left console bay:

Just a small update from today. Added the inner and bottom cover for the right console so it's really becoming a bay where I can stuff the electronics. Turned out the pit isn't perfectly straight so I used a piece of 9mm plywood as a shim to fill in the gap in the front. It's really hard for me to build accurate. I live in an apartment so I can only use hand tools. I also have to hold all the stuff myself and that's not easy when you have two left hands. Now you know why it's called the "might resemble a cockpit" build ;)

Awesome. I flew sailplanes for one season when I was 19 or so. Was forced to quit after I failed the required sport medical examination. Heart murmur was found and I got a diagnosis from a cardiologist. No more flying for me and I still miss it. Flying sailplanes is so beautiful, quiet and relaxing. Next best thing I can do is simulators. It's great but I still miss the feeling of total bliss sailplanes gave me.

Today I added the left console: Pilot view of the right console: Pilot view of the left console:

I heard geneb's simpit is really good at simulating the feeling of crashing: MfhWbcTawac ;)

I use a Phidgets 1031 board to drive the LEDs and used the cables that came with that.

Today I put the covers on the outer rails for the left and right console. This is the right one: Start of the right console. I already cut out the hole for the CMSP and caution panels. Bought an electric jigsaw with a laser guide for that. Seems that even a two left handed person like me can saw in a straight line with that. Didn't extend the hole for the CDU as I still need to build it. I guesstimated the width of the side console. Turns out I could have made it a bit more narrow, but in the end I think I'm happy with it: Really tired now so my heart needs a bit of rest now as I don't want to get zapped by my ICD ;) Will continue work on it next week. I think I'll start the left console and put the the front and back covers on it. I guess I'll also be running to the electronics store to grab switches for the CDU.

Another vacation so more work done today: Outer rail for the right console: Outer rail for the left console: Mockup for the left console just to show what it will be like. Pipe sticking straight up shows my plan for the front console: After a day of hard work I'm hungry and thirsty. I think I deserved some world class Belgian beer and some world class Dutch old cheese: @Supersheep, Missed your post so didn't answer it yet. For details about the caution panel just ask pitbldr. He's the one that made it. I just soldered all the LEDs and assemled it.

Picked up mine and she looks cute:

After giving the package a long cold stare for about a week customs finally decided to release mine. Postman tried to deliver it today but I wasn't home. I will be picking it up at the postoffice tomorrow. Tax is EUR 56.96 *yikes* In .nl they even put tax on shipping cost :(

Interested ;)

I guess/hope I can do that. Vacation coming up in two weeks. Consider me officialy interested, so let's switch to PM mode ;)

I may be interested. What needs to be done to get this working ? Just add a back plate with switches ?