Your president's birthday present...

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Can't remember how public I've been about my birthday present from my parents to mark my 40th year within the planet's gravity well, but it's been on order since February. Well, it finally arrived on Wednesday and took me an hour to unpack from it's shipping container. Spent last night partially configuring it and will be getting it fully working tonight with the assistance of one of the guys that builds them.

Lots of photo's to come and, if I can make my camera work to record it, a video on YouTube later tonight. You're all going to be quite jealous, I'd wager, but you're only 40 once in a lifetime... No hints or spoilers yet though (my camera's at home with all the photo's for a start )  other than to say it cost the best part of €3000 and it looks and feels stunning.

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

My guess is it's dual seat panels for 737 - not everything, but I reckon the main panel shells plus some bits to go in it, with integrated backlighting.

Shotgun! (assuming I'm close)

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Wrong, but I like your thinking. Here are the first six photos, almost up to the "unbagging". Once I have it fully working, more pictures and the promised video will also be added.

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The proud "father"... and yes, the box is massive, but didn't weigh very much.

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Unboxing part 1. Hmmm... lots of polystyrene it would seem.

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Two layers of polystyrene in, a first view of something not polystyrene... Intriguing, isn't it.

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Another layer of polystyrene later, I came across three USB cables and two wall warts.

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Having removed the cables/wall warts, and more lumps of polystyrene, the item in its plastic wrapping (still entombed in much polystyrene)

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Finally, out of box and polystyrene, and you get some idea yet?

(and if you care, I ended up with four large black bin bags full of polystyrene and a chopped up cardboard box)

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Personal Motion Platform

[EHM-2155 Mariano]

Well it's not an authentic T-Rex skeleton as I first thought...

[EHM-2589 David]

No idea I'm waiting video

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

The suspense... 

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Right, two more photos, then the video

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No guesses yet?

Details

How about now?

No, OK then, how about...

El Presidente's Birthday Present

Now? Don't bother telling me off for my many procedure breaches... I need to practice hard on my B738 procedures again.

UPDATE: Just realised that I didn't add a link to the manufacturer for those that want to have a look - [ http://www.revolution-simproducts.com ]. Suffice to say, even if they did take most of a year to deliver the item in question, they are a great bunch of guys and I'm now saving up for a rudder kit and yoke from them.

[EHM-0654 Jean]

I take it you are pleased with said pressie?
Moi
xx

[EHM-2589 David]

  What a gift As you said Mr. President

but you're only 40 once in a lifetime...

good for you and take advantage a lot

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

You're right. Jealous! 

I know it works with MSFS, any luck with x-plane?

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Only the "buttons" (TOGA and A/T disconnect) don't really work as there's no way (I can see) to set the Project Magenta offsets from X-Plane; certainly, XPUIPC can't do it... Otherwise, the throttles, reversers, speed brake and flaps all work correctly.

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

Wonderful. Been using the x737 then eh

- have you tried mapping those buttons directly in x-plane (if it's recognised as a usb device)

[EHM-0654 Murray]

Well, I started the engines at CYCG and did a rejected take-off to see what would happen...

And looks like I'm going to be reading the XPUIPC documentation in a great deal more detail: just came across the following on another forum...

• Available FSUIPC Offsets -> please refer to "XPUIPC Manual" included in the new package
• Offsets up to four engines coded, over 400 offsets available
• You can add offsets via XPUIPCOffsets.cfg file

[EHM-2155 Mariano]

Great toy Murray, congrats and happy birthday!

Fun to know that it costs more than my whole car ( a 1996 Renault 19 ) but totally worth it. xD
Now you have to start cutting wood and things to make a realistic looking cockpit 

[EHM-1829 Trevor]

 

   No guessing where the next Flight Simulation weekend is going to be held.
   But are you going to have it all built and ready by then Murray?

[EHM-1997 Alexander]

I'm currently saving up with a consideration for a DSDT from FlightDeckSolutions to start off my cockpit build (I have neither the talent or time to build myself at the quality I want).

Been umming and arring on it, but while the 737-NG is a very popular model (with lots of choice for parts as well as nice motorised throttles), I'm not entirely sure the aircraft itself does it for me. (I prefer the A320 avionics display over the 737) - a lot of pilots who have flown both seem to be of the opinion that if they could, they'd put the A320 cockpit inside a 737 (which has a slight performance edge and guzzles a little more fuel).

I'm currently leaning towards an A320 cockpit build, and hopefully (touch wood) I may even be in a position to order one 2011/2012 - thankfully the DSDT A320 is a fair bit cheaper than the 737-NG (but doesn't include as much ie: the FMS's as they are on the console, monitors).

The A320 also doesn't have motorised throttles and the FDS model only has appearance trim wheels at the moment. However, the joysticks mean no special chair required and dual link pedals are available without under-floor runnings.

I still have plenty of time before I can afford anything, so I shall continue to mull it over. I've also found whenever saving for something, that life tends to pop up and priorities shift. Still, it's a nice dream.