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FWD Overhead SE-BOH

Overhead status:
All wireing is now ready via 9 lines flat cables to the FDS SYS1x card.
The wires run in U shaped alu "rails" with LED strips attached to the bottom of the "rails" for backlighting.
In this way and with the very thin wires the backlight is almost undisturbed.

The annunciator LED:s are soldered on a piece of experiment cards since Poldragonet OH does not use annuncioator holders.
Annunciator LED:s are flat top HI-Brite LEDs with 120 degree light angle (bought via eBay from Hong-Kong).
The backlight itself is 3 meters of HI-Bright LED strips.
Gives enough light to be modded later with acrylic color filters over the LED strips to change cold white into yellow/orange light.

Servo wires from the Open Cockpits gauges run in those to the top of the overhead "lid" where all I/O cards are mounted.
Our SIOC script for the gauges will be uploaded here as soon as it is tested.
All gauges are Open Cockpits and backlit by attaching four 3 mm LEDs to each gauge (= 12V over a dimmer circuit)

The AC/DC panel is only eye candy with fixed green 7 segment led numbers when BATT SW is ON.
The Cabin Press panel is equipped with a fully working controller and software from our friend Pim van Vrijaldenhoven in Holland.
PMsystem does not use the controller so with PM it is "eye candy" , but the new ProSim B737 glass cockpit suite can use the controller.
.

The TQ/Radiobox floodlight is made out of LED:s and their holder from a 4.5V dismantled LED hand torch attached to a dimmer.
24 mm in diameter and 15 mm thick assembly mounted in a Lexan frame.
As "a bonus" the rear end of the torch looks exactly like a real Cocpit Voice Recorder microphone (can be seen in the picture)

Approximately 60-70 hours was used for fitting all electronics in the OH.

Backlit with LED strips :

Overhead Backlight on

Intro pdf for sim SE-BOH

This is a familirisation folder for "new pilots" and explains briefly the specific procedures and systems that you will encounter in this simulator.
Also sample Loadsheet, Flight Report, B737NG Checklist, B738 Datasheet.
Can be downloaded or viewed HERE - 1.8 Mb in Adobe PDF format.
This pdf file is updated whenever new additions are made to the simulator. Latest revision is August 21, 2009

Recent Tech Problems & Solutions :

Tiller assembly on sim outside

Seat Rails and CPT chair (modified Volvo chair)

Simulator pneumatic lifters ( - one in each corner )

SE-BOH Overhead Panel welded steel stand. Center part = front window center post.

Yoke assembly

Framework under the cockpit:

The frame is welded steel and the corners have a "compressed air lifter", the latter for future "movements" of the cockpit.

Aileron potentiometer assembly:

Sim Control Panel (for radiobox) finished.

TSR Autobrake Pro installed.
This nifty program from Thomas Richter (TSR) fully emulates the B737 Autobrake via PMsystem.
It simulates the Autobrake and Brake Accu, also with settable runway conditions (DRY, WET, SNOW and SLUSH, ICE ).
The take-off and landing distances will be affected accordingly.
It can through an offset run the Brake Accu Meter on the MIP.

TSR Fuel Handle from the same programmer simulates the APU fuel consumption as well as its source
(LEFT or MAIN tank) depending on the fuel pump configuration.

TSR Electronic Checklist installed.
Controlled via FSUIPC offsets by a hat switch (HIDE/SHOW, UP, DWN, CHECKED) in the Center Pedestal.
Fully Automatic where possible - e.g. autochecks that all items correctly set on Overhead Panel in PMsystem.

SA-WXR Radar is a true Collins WXR2100 radar emulation software that takes its echoes from FS9 - What you see in FS is what you get.
The Radar Panel in the Center Pedestal (below the ADF) will control TILT, GCS, OPF and Radar Modes through Pim van Vrijaldenhoven software.
Radar echoes are transferred via LAN to the ND (Navigation Display).

Center Pedestal for SE-BOH
It is slightly shortened and has only two rows (as in the B737-200) due to space limitations.

Contains - 1 x COM, 2 x NAV, Dual ADF, XPONDER and the following B737NG panels:
ENGINE FIRE, CARGO FIRE, RADAR, SELCAL, AILERON TRIM, STAB TRIM and Lights Panel.
The CP Flight "Old" module ADF was stripped from its encasing and then cut to standard B737 size.
Completed after the photo with a non-B737 "control panel" for the Electronic Checklist, Sim Push-Back and an extra PTT button.

All panels will get as full fuctionality as it is possible.

The Engine Fire Panel box with its panel and electronics.
The top panel comes ready from Open Cocpits - all other parts are DIY in our workshop.
Handle tops were cut out from red and black thick fibreglass.



The real thing:

Full functionality will be achieved through Pim van Vrijaldenhoven software and Phidget 8/8/8 card.

"Mini Starter and Light Panel"

Size 382 x 38mm for SE-BOH
Due to the temporary need while waiting for the Overhead Panel we had this panel located below the glare shield on SE-BOH.
It is a 50% scaled down version.
Taken out of service now as the new overhead is in place.

Full functionality via e.g. a CP Flight MCPEX1 card or Bodnar card.

The panel front is printed on adhesive paper then affixed on a 4 mm plexiglass ( drillable Lexan ) backing.
The Boeing light switch head replicas were purchased unpainted from Engravity in Holland.
The two starter knobs are standard knobs from our local electronics supplier (ELFA) - can of course be replaced with B737 knob replicas.
13 standard mini switches and 2 standard 30 degree rotary switches are used.

MIP "Placards" :

We have made the MIP (and other parts) a bit more real and lively by adding printed "placards".
There are no exact science on placing them, but CAA requires some of them to be attached to the MIP so we made a printed sheet :-)

Computer Setup :

SE-BOH now have four new Shuttle-XPC computers for Project Magenta.
They are excellent for the sim since very small (shoebox size) and quiet.
All have AMD 64 processors, Gigabyte LAN and extra graphics cards (needed for Open GL)
We use "bottom line" 50 € Nvidia graphic adapters since PM does not need sophisticated hi-end cards.



FS9 and PM MCP run on the "server" - a very fast PC.
PM ND and EICAS on dual screen (WIN desktops) Shuttles,
EICAS is displayed on a 15" TFT, PFD/ND on a 17"WS TFT and the CDU display on a 7" VGA TFT.
All "extras" = Active Sky, VATSIM client, B737 fueller, and an EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) runs on the second Shuttle which have a 17" Touch Screen.
PM CDU and PM Sounds alone on the third Shuttle PC since the CDU needs "focus" in WIN at all times.

CP Flight "Old Modules" users - Look here !

Their size is non-standard, and give problems when you have a standard B737 "Radiobox" (Center Pedestal)
Retrofitting is very easy, but requires you to use the modules without the metal cover in the back.
To get the size right for the Center Pedestal the original CP panels can be cut in the sides and also remove the metal box enclosure. See the picture above where an original "old" version CP Flight ADF is mixed with Open Cockpit NAV and CP Flight new Transponder and COM1 modules. The ADF front was cut down on all 4 sides.

Screen remote access

There will be MANY computers and screens and a KVM switch to run them from one central keyboard/mouse is a
clumsy method. There is a software solution available = Team Viewer which is freeware.
Via Team Viewer you can access every computer in the LAN from one computer/screen/mouse/keyboard and work remotely
on the connected computer (s) with ease.
Team Viewer can also transfer files between all computers.

Dual Controls without interconnected columns (SE-BOH):

With FSUIPC you can now have multi "joysticks" as well as the "ground steering tiller" connected and working even when attached to the same function.

Seats:

SE-BOH will get two brand new "almost Boeing" pilot seats from a Chevvy van :-)
SE-LEH (see pic below) have two "retrofitted" Volvo seats on J-rails so they can move backwards/forwards and sideways to get in without smashing the radiobay.
They also have the "steering column slot"

Yokes:

Recently a new CPT side Boeing 737 Yoke arrived from ACE (Aircraft Controls Engineering) in Canada.
Great feel and looks! Aluminium die casted, heavy construction.
The ultimate single B737 Yoke solution.
Very rapid delivery in a wooden 30 kg crate.
Not installed yet due to clashes with the TQ card.
More info in maybe 1-2 weeks when that is solved (the TQ is the culprit)

MIP Electronics:

CP Flights MIP737 card is used for all MIP functionality.
We have successfully used HI-LED:s 2-3V 20 mA with flat tops = 120 degrees light cones - available from Hong Kong via eBay,

Modified Rotary / Encoder combi :

New 45 degree rotaries arrived from Engravity and then we have made the center panel rotary/encoders combination.
(The "degrees" are the angle between the switching positions. A B737 A/B panel uses 45 degrees! )
Two of those had to be retrofitted with digital encoders - Speed REF and manual V1 - they both have adjustment knobs on top of the rotary switches.
Not easily available so we had to modify the rotary switches and fit the digital encoders behind them. See the pics below.

Software Programs :

Project Magenta Boeing 737NG Glass, PM Systems   - www.projectmagenta.com
VATSIM clients
Top Cat Dispatch Program, Luis Gordos Instructor Station, TSR Autobrake Pro, SA_WXR weather radar, Active Sky, Ultimate Terrain, FS 9.1
SIOC for Open Cockpit Overhead Panel gauges. InterfaceIT for OH Panel annunciators and switches (SYS1x card)

MIP construction:

The two MIP:s/CDU boxes/Glare shields were built with MDF boards on a wood frame support.
MIP back support is a 4 mm MDF onto which the 4 mm MIP itself is glued.
Sides 12 mm MDF interconnected in the back by 2 wooden L-shaped balks.

The monitors and the gear assembly stiffens up the construction.
Glare Wings were cut out from hard foam plastic.
All instrument "frames" (PFD, Standby Instruments etc.) made of 4 mm MDF.

MIP Power :

A standard PC 450W ATX PSU delivers 12 V DC to the following:

MCP floodlight, MIP floodlight and MIP backlights via 3 dimmers.
Overhead Panel backlight, flood light, annunciators and related interface cards.
Center Pedestal backlight   
Master Warning / Fire Warning light bulbs via relays.

The simulators, are run on dedicated computers in a LAN
and connected to the FS computer via WideFS. 

Hardware :

Flow Chart for Jeppesen FliteDeck attached to FS9 :
This gives you a fully functioning moving map.

You will need the following payware :  Jeppesen FliteDeck, WideFS, Eltima Virtual Com driver.
The ini-file values you need to add are stated below the components.

Backlighting :

12 V DC LED Hi-Power LED strips and LED discs are connected to a 12V computer PSU via 7 dimmer cicuits.
One dimmer each for MCP flood light, MIP Backlight and MIP Floodlight.
Separate dimmers fitted for : Radio Bay backlight, Overhead Flood Light, Overhead Instrument light, Overhead backlight.
LED dimmers are found very cheap from Hong-Kong on eBay

For general backlighting such as the overhead panel, MIP and the radio bay we use HI-Power 12V "LED strips".

Another good source for self assemble (easy soldering) 12V DC LED dimmer kits ( 10 € ) : http://www.molectric.com/