Research & Development Completed - MIP & Yoke Ordered — Flaps 2 Approach

R&D mode has taken considerable time with the last two weeks being almost full time. It takes time to double check everything, scour the Internet, and wait for e-mail replies from various manufacturers.

Starting

Every project must start somewhere and I wanted to use as many OEM components in the build as possible, however, procuring components takes considerable time and I was keen to begin. Therefore, rather than wait until everything was found, a decision was made to begin the project with a number of reproduction items. This at least would get the project started, and as OEM components were obtained these would replace reproductions. It would also enable me to fly the simulator more or less from the beginning of the project.

I researched a number of companies to supply the Main Instrument Panel (MIP) and two companies stood out from the rest, Flight Deck Solutions (FDS) and Fly Engravity.

Flight Deck Solutions was chosen mainly because of support availability in Melbourne Australia, and a more reasonable Australian to Canadian monetary exchange rate. Fly Engravity were a very close second, however the Euro is very strong and freight so expensive from Europe, that using this company became financially prohibitive.

In addition to the Main Instrument Panel, FDS will also supply some of the avionics and the avionics software (Sim Avionics).

ACE Engineering (another Canadian company) will be supplying the reproduction 737 yoke and control column.

I already am in possession of a the Mode Control Panel (MCP) and EFIS, both manufactured by CP Flight in Italy. These will eventually be replaced by a more upmarket MCP and EFIS.

I've been told that delivery of the yoke and MIP will be late September (2011).

Now that the main part of the simulator has been ordered, I can begin to widen my search for additional component..

Presently, I'm talking with an individual who has a OEM Boeing 737 throttle for sale. If negotiations are successful, I hope to purchase this quadrant.

Update

on 2011-12-01 02:22 by FLAPS 2 APPROACH

Its taken some time, since my August order, to receive notification that the MIP I have ordered from Flight Deck Solutions is "almost" ready. I've been told it will ship late this week so it should be in Australia by December 22 (2011). Once the MIP has arrived, it will allow me to begin to develop the simulator.

Update

on 2011-12-07 11:25 by FLAPS 2 APPROACH

At last I've been told that the MIP I ordered from Flight Deck Solutions (FDS) in Canada has been completed. The MIP is currently on the way to Australia via DHL air cargo. It's been a long wait and I hope the product has been worth the lengthy waiting time.