| Send us your flight sim pictures and stories! DIYflightsims@RogerDodger.net |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Copyright (c) 2005-2012 Roger Dodger Aviation, LLC All rights reserved Items sold by Roger Dodger Aviation, LLC are governed and protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America and international intellectual property agreements Privacy Policy |
Davis sent us this story about the DIY Flight Simulator that he built for
his Eagle Scout Service Project. This is his email:
Mr. Thomas,
If you remember I approached you via email way back around March/April about using some of
your flight simulator plans to build my Eagle project for my local EAA chapter’s Young Eagle
program. I was very appreciative of your gracious donation of the plans; I was on a tight time
schedule and my birthday was fast approaching. I also promised to send some pictures and
word when the project was done.
Well of course deadlines snowballed and I almost didn’t get the project done due to senior year
final projects and other commitments, but 3 days before my birthday I finally got the binder turned
in and officially completed the project. Approximately a month or so later I completed my Board of
Review and officially became an Eagle Scout on July 20, 2011.
The detail of the project were pretty straightforward, I followed your PACS design mostly except for
a few modifications to fit cost/design needs. Changes were:
* Attached seat with industrial Velcro to plywood board on seat base, allowed for adjustable
seating
* Went without paint on the polystyrene skin, instead had shiny metal skin side of the insulation
facing out, mimicking polished aluminum
* Added plywood shelf behind keyboard console to house computer (1/2 height business class
Dell w/ Nvidia 8400 GS card) and gameport splitter/adapter, hole under monitor mount on top
front for cables.
* Made joystick and throttle mount on sides of mid-section interchangeable (Velcro again) thus
making the simulator theoretically ambidextrous
* Added extra bungee cord around monitor mount combined with Velcro to secure it yet still allow
it to be quickly disassembled for easy storage.
* Added custom sticker on the back ;)
The sim now permanently sits in the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, CA. It is brought out every
Saturday for use during the Young Eagle program, much to the joy of many young children. It
sees near constant use during the event (except for the occasional time when it shuts down due
to overheating from constant use). Some children even want to forgo their actual plane ride to
spend more time flying the simulator. While I am not around to manage the simulator anymore
(because I started college), it is supervised and maintained year-round by volunteers from Boy
Scout Troop 180 who continue to perform upgrades and optimizations of the simulator. It is quite
possible that the simulator will be there for many years to come, and sometime in the future
another scout from the troop may make his Eagle Project significantly upgrading or crating
another simulator of a similar nature (this idea has been tossed around by many of the younger
scouts.
As for myself, I have gotten accepted to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (the top
undergraduate engineering school in the nation) in Terre Haute, IN; where I now study
mechanical engineering as a freshman, with a minor in robotics and possibly computer science
as well.
I want to thank you again for your generous donation that helped make my entire Eagle Project
possible.
Davis
Great work on the flight simulator, Davis!
Congratulations on getting your Eagle Scout and for starting college
at Rose-Hulman!
his Eagle Scout Service Project. This is his email:
Mr. Thomas,
If you remember I approached you via email way back around March/April about using some of
your flight simulator plans to build my Eagle project for my local EAA chapter’s Young Eagle
program. I was very appreciative of your gracious donation of the plans; I was on a tight time
schedule and my birthday was fast approaching. I also promised to send some pictures and
word when the project was done.
Well of course deadlines snowballed and I almost didn’t get the project done due to senior year
final projects and other commitments, but 3 days before my birthday I finally got the binder turned
in and officially completed the project. Approximately a month or so later I completed my Board of
Review and officially became an Eagle Scout on July 20, 2011.
The detail of the project were pretty straightforward, I followed your PACS design mostly except for
a few modifications to fit cost/design needs. Changes were:
* Attached seat with industrial Velcro to plywood board on seat base, allowed for adjustable
seating
* Went without paint on the polystyrene skin, instead had shiny metal skin side of the insulation
facing out, mimicking polished aluminum
* Added plywood shelf behind keyboard console to house computer (1/2 height business class
Dell w/ Nvidia 8400 GS card) and gameport splitter/adapter, hole under monitor mount on top
front for cables.
* Made joystick and throttle mount on sides of mid-section interchangeable (Velcro again) thus
making the simulator theoretically ambidextrous
* Added extra bungee cord around monitor mount combined with Velcro to secure it yet still allow
it to be quickly disassembled for easy storage.
* Added custom sticker on the back ;)
The sim now permanently sits in the Nut Tree Airport in Vacaville, CA. It is brought out every
Saturday for use during the Young Eagle program, much to the joy of many young children. It
sees near constant use during the event (except for the occasional time when it shuts down due
to overheating from constant use). Some children even want to forgo their actual plane ride to
spend more time flying the simulator. While I am not around to manage the simulator anymore
(because I started college), it is supervised and maintained year-round by volunteers from Boy
Scout Troop 180 who continue to perform upgrades and optimizations of the simulator. It is quite
possible that the simulator will be there for many years to come, and sometime in the future
another scout from the troop may make his Eagle Project significantly upgrading or crating
another simulator of a similar nature (this idea has been tossed around by many of the younger
scouts.
As for myself, I have gotten accepted to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (the top
undergraduate engineering school in the nation) in Terre Haute, IN; where I now study
mechanical engineering as a freshman, with a minor in robotics and possibly computer science
as well.
I want to thank you again for your generous donation that helped make my entire Eagle Project
possible.
Davis
Great work on the flight simulator, Davis!
Congratulations on getting your Eagle Scout and for starting college
at Rose-Hulman!
