Hi,
answering as many questions as i can:
* no, i'm not the only cucumber in the pickle barrel.
simpits.org is the most visible organization of cockpit builders. their projects reflect the imagination, technical ability & wallets of each individual who undertakes the challenge.
* i, too have that space shuttle owner's manual. i hope to flesh out various non-functional sections with similar panels found in that book.
* it's a work in progress - the whole thing is going to be torn down and tossed away, to be replaced with 'Sim 2'. when you don't know what you are doing, it pays to make a sandbox-prototype first.
speaking of sim2: here's a shot of some CAD work:
Matrox makes a spiffy adaptor that splits a single (albeit wide) image into 3 individual video streams. this allows you to connect 3 monitors (or 3 projectors in this case) to create a seamless panoramic image. this works in both Orbiter and Flightsim without modification.
This image helps understand how the images fit into your peripheral vision. i've made some basic tape-measure measurements in the basement, and the above image will extend beyond my peripheral vision when seated at the console.
the remaining bits (overhead console, possible windshields) need to be determined once the actual projector hardware is installed.
it's very much a "build, try, modify" type of situation.
Cheers,
Elden
