Home Flight Simulator for Sale, 7 Ways to Choose
By Matt Thomas DIY Flight Sim Projects • • • • • • • 3 Comments

7 Ways to Choose the Best DIY Flight Sim | Home Flight Simulator For Sale

You’re looking for a home flight simulator for sale and you come across two similar DIY projects. How do you tell the two apart? The DIY Deluxe Desktop Flight Sim and the DIY Triple Screen Flight Sim are similar, but there are some significant differences too. Here are 7 ways to choose the best multi-screen DIY Flight Sim for you.

Note: for brevity, you’ll see me refer to the projects by their item numbers.
Item #D250: DIY Deluxe Desktop Flight Sim
Item #T440: DIY Triple Screen Flight Sim

1. Adaptability

The D250 Deluxe is much more adaptable than the T440 Triple Screen.
D250: You can build the D250 with a yoke and throttle quadrant, or pair it with one of the DIY floor frames so you can use HOTAS style controls or even a helicopter collective. Match the D250 with the #F311 Side Joystick Frame, the #F321 Center Joystick Frame, or the #F331 Easy Helicopter Collective.
T440: On the other hand, the T440 is great with a yoke and throttle quadrant as originally designed. But if you want a joystick and side throttle, you would need to invent some modifications.

 

2. Recent Work

The D250 instructional video is much newer than the T440.
T440: I produced the T440 video in 2011 as a part of a successful Kickstarter campaign. I had a very short amount of time to design and build the project and a short time to film, edit, and publish the video. It’s still a great project though.
D250: I produced the D250 video in 2016 so it has better lighting, better sound, I used a better camera, and I had more experience editing than I did in 2011.

 

Deluxe Desktop Flight Sim with Side Joystick Frame
Deluxe Desktop Flight Sim with Side Joystick Frame

3. Displays

The D250 has larger screens.
D250: I used 32” HDTVs for the three main displays. The combined screen width is over 6 feet wide.
T440: I used 24” monitors for the three main displays. The combined screen width is less than the D250, but still impressive.

 

4. Keyboard Modification

The T440 was designed to have an overhead panel like an airliner. For this reason, the T440 Triple Screen bundle includes the DIY Airliner Keyboard Modification. The D250 doesn’t have a place for an overhead panel.

 

Home flight simulator for sale, how to choose the best
Home flight simulator for sale

 

5. Styrofoam

The T440 has Styrofoam, the D250 does not.
Builders use ½” styrofoam sheets when constructing the T440 Triple Screen project. Styrofoam may be cheap or expensive depending on where you live in the world.

 

6. Instrument Panel on a 4th Monitor

T440: You will see several builders in the Customer Gallery added a 4th monitor to display the flight instruments. I didn’t include anything about that in the instructions, those clever builders modified their projects on their own.
D250: I included instructions to add an optional 4th monitor for the flight instruments.

 

DIY Easy Helicopter Collective
DIY Easy Helicopter Collective paired with the Deluxe Desktop Flight sim

 

7. Ease of construction

I think the D250 is easier to build than the T440.
D250: The project doesn’t require gluing any Styrofoam panels in place. But the D250 does include 1×8 boards. If your saw won’t cut 1×8 boards, you’ll need to get that done at the store when you buy them.
T440: The project doesn’t require you to cut any lumber wider than a 1×6. You do cut Styrofoam with a utility knife, but it is not difficult just a little time-consuming.

 

Home Flight Simulator for Sale

You have a lot of choices when it comes to your home flight sim project. I hope this comparison helps you.

Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf
By Matt Thomas Uncategorized • 0 Comments

Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf

Do you want to take flight lessons someday? Are you trying to use your home flight simulator to learn more about real aviation? Do you simply want to be a better sim pilot? I recommend you download a copy of the Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf.

Don’t Sabotage Your Training

Many people buy flight sim software and just assume they will learn by trial and error. I do not recommend doing this because of the real danger of developing bad habits. The bad habits you learn in the sim will follow you to the real cockpit. In addition, you need to learn why pilots do the things they do, not just what they do. The Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf is an important tool to help you build a fundamental understanding of flying and the national airspace system. The book includes an overview of flight training, maneuvers, night operations, emergency procedures, takeoffs and landings, and more.

On the other hand, maybe you just want to fly airliners in your DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod. Well, check out Chapter 12, 14, and 15 of the Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf. That’s where you will find important information about multiengine airplanes, turboprop airplanes, and jet airplanes.

 

 

Airplane Flying Handbook 2016 pdf Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to Flight Training
  2. Ground Operations
  3. Basic Flight Maneuvers
  4. Maintaining Aircraft Control: Upset Prevention and Recovery Training
  5. Takeoffs and Departure Climbs
  6. Ground Reference Maneuvers
  7. Airport Traffic Patterns
  8. Approaches and Landings
  9. Performance Maneuvers
  10. Night Operations
  11. Complex Airplanes
  12. Multiengine Airplanes
  13. Tailwheel Airplanes
  14. Turbopropeller-Powered Airplanes
  15. Jet-Powered Airplanes
  16. Light Sport Airplanes (LSA)
  17. Emergency Procedures
    Glossary and Index

Where to Find the Airplane Flying Handbook

In conclusion, this handbook is published by the US Federal Aviation Administration. You can buy a hard copy book, or download a free pdf copy. The Adobe pdf version is available at the FAA’s website or at the Builder Academy at this link: https://courses.rogerdodger.net/courses/take/builder-academy/downloads/2248361-airplane-flying-handbook Finally, sign up for updates so you will know about new content in Builder Academy and upcoming sales.

 

single engine procedure, airplane flying handbook 2016 pdf
Single Engine Procedure
DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator update
By Matt Thomas DIY Flight Sim Projects • Product Updates • • • 1 Comment

Free Update: DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator

Roger Dodger Aviation’s defining project is probably the Triple Screen Flight Simulator, item #T440. This project has sold well since it was published in 2011. In addition, hundreds of people have flown the sim at the KC Maker Faire and at the National Airline History Museum. I’m proud to announce this DIY project is now available as a online e-learning course. If you already purchased the DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator project as a download, you will be upgraded to the online course for free.

 

What is the DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator Update?

The new version is the same content, but in an online e-learning format. This means the student sees the video clip, instructions, pictures, and diagrams for each particular step. You no longer have to look through an hour long video or 100 page manual to find something. Furthermore, you can access the course on mobile devices like smart phones and tablets as well as standard desktop and laptop computers.

 

Build with materials from a hardware store
Build with materials from a hardware store
DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator online course
DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator online course

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do You Get the Update?

If you’ve already purchased item T440 DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator, the new update is FREE. Just email me at DIYflightsims@rogerdodger.net to get the new updated version. In addition, tell me what email address you used so I can look up your order. Then, I’ll send you a coupon code that allows you access to the update for free. Also, you get free access to the Builder Academy where you can learn all the basic skills for building DIY Flight Sim projects.

 

DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator free update
DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator free update

 

What About the Keyboard Mod?

You get it too! The original DIY Triple Screen Flight Simulator project always came with the DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod project, item #K140B. The reason was that it was so easy to install an overhead panel in to this type of cockpit. The keyboard mod is also in an online e-learning format.

 

 

If you bought DIY flight simulator build plans from a 3rd party vendor
By Matt Thomas Orders • • • • • • 0 Comments

If you bought DIY Flight Sims products from a 3rd party vendor

What Happened to the DIY Flight Sim downloads?

All DIY Flight Sim products are produced by me, Matt Thomas, here at Roger Dodger Aviation. These flight simulator build plans were originally sold as downloaded products. The customer would buy the instructional videos, manuals, and templates, and then download all contents in a big zip file. The customer would then open the files on a PC to view all the content.

That was a great idea in 2007, but not such a good idea 10 years later. Customers wanted better access to the content, and modern e-learning was the answer. With online tutorial courses, a student doesn’t have to sit through a giant video or sift through a 100+ pages of flight simulator build plans. I re-formatted all the content so each step in the building process has a short video clip, and the illustrated instructions for that step only. The plan drawings and printouts are presented with that step, instead of buried in an appendix.

You can now access the DIY Flight Sims courses with any device, even tablets and smart phones. This means you can bring all the instructions with you to the garage or workshop when you work on the project.

DIY Flight Sims made a huge leap forward in 2017.

 

How to Get the Updated Flight Simulator Build Plans

If you purchased an old Download version of a DIY Flight Sims product, you can get a free update to the new online course. The flight simulator build plans are in a better, learner-centered format, and many courses have additional material now.

Want the update? Simply email me at DIYflightsims@rogerdoger.net and tell me what product you bought and what email address you used. This will help me track down your order. Also tell me where you bought it if you purchased from a 3rd party vendor. I’ll send you a coupon code that will give you free access to the course.

New online courses are available for the following products:

 

What Happens When You Enroll

You will have access to the original content for that product, but in the new format as an online e-learning course. I’ve updated and improved some of the projects, so you also get any new material that I’ve added. In addition, you also get a monthly notification of any future updates I make to the products in the Roger Dodger Insider. Finally, you also get free access to Builder Academy, which is where you learn all the basic skills for building DIY Flight Sims.

Happy building! Happy flying!

Free Update
By Matt Thomas DIY Flight Sim Projects • Product Updates • • 0 Comments

DIY Flight Sim Keyboard Mod Update

DIY Flight Sim Keyboard Stickers and More

My finest keyboard modification project by far is the DIY Airliner keyboard Mod, item #K140B. This project replicates
an overhead panel and Mode Control Panel from popular modern airliners. This product is more than simple flight sim
keyboard stickers, this is a comprehensive DIY project complete with an online tutorial. If you have this product, you
get the update for free.

 

DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod, build it your way
DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod, build it your way

 

What is the Update?

The new version is in a totally online format. This means that you see a video clip, instructions, pictures, and
diagrams for each step. As a result, the new course is a much improved, learner-centered presentation. The printout
flight sim keyboard stickers are also included. In addition, you can access the course on mobile devices like tablets
and smart phones as well as the standard desktop and laptop computers. See the free trial version here.

 

How do you get the Update?

It’s easy! If you’ve already purchased item K140B DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod, the new version is FREE. Simply email
me at DIYflightsims@rogerdodger.net to get the new updated version. In addition, tell me what email address you
used so I can look up your order. Then, I’ll send you a coupon code that allows you access to the new version for
free. Don’t forget, you also get free access to the Builder Academy. Learn all the basic skills for building a DIY Flight
Sims project.

 

 

More about the DIY Airliner Keyboard Mod

I first created this product in 2008, and it has been a great help to many home cockpit builders. Consequently, I’ve updated the project several times. I also included it with the purchase of the DIY Triple Screen Flight Sim, item #T440. You can see a preview of the newest version here and also check out the demo video below…