This is the first post and general introduction to my new flight simulator project.
The Cessna Glass Cockpit (CGC) simulator project is something I have been working on for a a number of months. The project is based on a Cessna Skyhawk 172SP, which is a four-seat, single engined light aircraft. This current 'S' model was introduced in 1998 and features a modern glass cockpit, which replaces the more conventional mechanical gauges and avionics of the 'R' model. The 172SP includes the Garmin 1000 suite of avionics as standard. It features two LCD panels and one communications panel that replicates the basic flight instruments, navigational equipment and engine monitoring instrumentation found in a typical general aviation aircraft.
The CGC project is currently in the design phase and is more advanced than my previous flight simulator which can be found here: http://www.cessnasim.blogspot.com. I am using a professional CAD program and some 3D modelling software to pre-produce all of the panels and mouldings of the cockpit. I am hoping to iron out most of the problems that I came accross in my previous simpit by spending more time with the design of the simulator and not leaving it till later to find that a piece doesn't fit the way it should.
The project uses 2 x 10.4inch LCD screens with a 800 x 600 resolution. They are usually found in laptops or in kiosks with a touch screen panel attached. They are driven by circuit boards from EarthLCD (www.earthlcd.com) these come complete with a menu controller and an inverter (I put it in polycarbonate box, I really don't want to touch that thing!) Project magenta's GAGC software (www.projectmagenta.com) is used to replicate the Garmin 1000. Simkits makes up the instruments for the standbys, I have canobolised these from my previous project. I will be using a few of Leo Bodnar's circuit boards for the input/output of the switches and rotary encoders.
Please check back here for more news.
Rhydian
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