Dare I dream? I have found an internet forum community entirely devoted to building motion platforms for flight and racing sims, and they have a free software tool that will interpret the data from DCS to drive the motors, so all I would have to do is build the platform and buy make six linear actuators. The parts for that will not be cheap, but ( Read more... )

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After all the trouble I've had, something finally went right. I plugged the Jetseat in, followed the (short and simple) setup instructions, and it actually worked. Right out of the box. Imagine that! Hey Buttkicker, yeah, I'm looking at you, you worthless $200 paperweight ( Read more... )

Surprisingly quick, considering tracking put it in Moscow just two days ago.


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The Jetseat I blogged about here, I have just ordered it. The eight distributed haptic feedback motors will give me a tactile guide to what my aircraft is doing, not only increasing immersion but making me a better pilot. That's one down! Although, confession time, I already violated that promise and ordered the Mk III rifle back on March 29. But ( Read more... )

One of the reasons I want to move forward with actually building the front office is convenience. Right now, I need to do some laborious setup for every practice session. Mount the joystick, throttle and mouse console on my desk--two clamps each for a total of six--position the rudder pedals, reposition the monitor, and plug everything in. I can't ( Read more... )

Since posting about the Bergison Motion-Integrated G-Seat prototype back in December, I've learned more about what motion simulation options are available and how they work. There's also been an update on that project. Last Thursday Bergison announced in the DCS forums that the company he had partnered with had completed their testing and plan to ( Read more... )

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According to his website, the inventor has just partnered with a company big enough to produce this for sale, so it's probably 2-5 years from being on the market. Which is also probably how long it'll take me to save up the amount of money it's likely to cost.

2021 is, for me, going to be the year of the Front Office. (Which, if you recall, is the term I prefer over the rather gauche-sounding "simpit".) I already had plans for the framework and ejection seat, but I just stumbled over this new must-have:


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(side note: ribs are better, no worse than a bruise now)

Yesterday the desktop mounts I ordered arrived, and after many sweaty hours of assembling, checking height and fit, reassembling, and sometimes taking the damn things entirely apart again, I have a cockpit!


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