Another Hobby....

[PuntoHowTo]

A guy at my flight club was obcessed with flight sims and built a whole motion set up with a kicker and VR to make a reasonably good assimilation of flying an actual plane, my only issue with it, was he set the thing up in the upstairs rooms of the club, meanwhile we had a row of aircraft sat out side on the tarmac.

Still pretty impressive. I like the set ups I’ve seen where people have installed and got working actual “steam” gauges in their set ups. That said these days I think a lot of the garmin glass cockpits can run in a simulation mode as well

 

[GettinBetter]

A guy at my flight club was obcessed with flight sims and built a whole motion set up with a kicker and VR to make a reasonably good assimilation of flying an actual plane, my only issue with it, was he set the thing up in the upstairs rooms of the club, meanwhile we had a row of aircraft sat out side on the tarmac.

Still pretty impressive. I like the set ups I’ve seen where people have installed and got working actual “steam” gauges in their set ups. That said these days I think a lot of the garmin glass cockpits can run in a simulation mode as well

Not sure if you've seen the site link (xsimulator) from an earlier post, but I've just bought a High Power Bass Shaker +200W amp to drive it, and all controls have Force Feedback, and it's a fully moving 6DOF rig, with a helo cockpit, which I'm in the process of building now.
I have two touch screens for the Dash panel, and radio stack, so controls are interactive.

Not a fan of VR, when I tried my mates kit it just wasn't for me.
I wanted to build a 270 degree dome, but don't have the space, as another of my projects is taking up all the room.
But it's all fun .

 

[GettinBetter]

Added Force Feedback (FFB) on cyclic and collective, so model changed a bit, plus the pulleys that actually turned up were bigger than my originals, so had to redo them... added the latest model.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I have to agree with you on the VR side of things.

I also know this sort of kit runs into many thousands of pounds which could go towards actual flying lessons.

 

[GettinBetter]

I have to agree with you on the VR side of things.

I also know this sort of kit runs into many thousands of pounds which could go towards actual flying lessons.

When I worked it out it was around 20k to get a helo licence, depending on how you went about it, then you'd need to hire a helo just to keep your licence valid. Plus I'm no spring chicken so can't justify it for any other reason bar fun.
Building a sim myself (being a machinist and electrical engineer) was a cost effective way around it, plus I can customise it till my hearts content.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

When I worked it out it was around 20k to get a helo licence, depending on how you went about it, then you'd need to hire a helo just to keep your licence valid. Plus I'm no spring chicken so can't justify it for any other reason bar fun.
Building a sim myself (being a machinist and electrical engineer) was a cost effective way around it, plus I can customise it till my hearts content.

I would still advocate getting yourself an introduction lesson in one. There is nothing quite like doing it for real but I fully appreciate for a helicopter the prices are effectively double that of a fixed wing

 

[GettinBetter]

Oh, I have. Twice in a Robinson22 and once (so far) in a Bell206. The Bell was the deciding factor. Had a grin on my face all week from that flight.
The company that own the helis, allowed me to spend a couple of hours surveying it.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Oh, I have. Twice in a Robinson22 and once (so far) in a Bell206. The Bell was the deciding factor. Had a grin on my face all week from that flight.
The company that own the helis, allowed me to spend a couple of hours surveying it.

I saw that on your thread, that is cool, will be very interested to see the finished article.

My passion is fixed wings which tend to be quite a bit cheaper.
I would love to have a go at flying a helicopter but I know my wife would have kittens if I suggested it.

 

[GettinBetter]

My reasoning was it was on my list of things to do before I die, and I can't take any money with me, so might as well spend it.
I mean, we all find ways of keeping ourselves poor, and this is mine.