Seeking the ability to fly more frequently, a Sydney-based amateur pilot put his money where his hobby is. The man shelled out a staggering $230,000 to create the most authentic 747-flying experience outside of a cockpit.
The rig is uses 13 quad-core Voodoo PCs to project the flight simulation onto its 42-inch Philips Ambilight LCD and its controlled by a Saitek X52 joystick. But the experience doesn’t end with simple flight simulation, it’s very much sensory as well. Propped upon an advanced hydraulic system, the simulator moves with the action.
I wonder what happens if he crashes the plane.
$230k Flight Simulator Took 10 Years in the Making [via Born Rich]
I don’t get it. From the information available it seems like he is simply running (a modified version of?) Microsoft Flight Simulator. Why does it take 13 quad-core PCs to run that? And since there is only one display obviously only one of the machines actually provides the graphics, unless he developed some kind of virtual SLI cluster that uses the CPU power of 13 machines to render data for one box? I don’t see this working, though, because the data rates between the PCs would be way too slow to reach ultra-high FPS.
Yeah, it’s rubbish, there’s just one machine. Still, nice setup if you’re into that sort of thing. I would prefer some sort of spacey shoot-em-up instead though :)
Those computers alone would have the guy over $100,000.
So much about Boeing – why is a freakin Cessna on a damn screen?
Cheers,
Petar
http://www.VistaJuice.com
If you take 2 minutes to track down all the links, you’ll see that this article is completely wrong. The picture of the 42″ is of the Popular Science rig. The real gig is here:
http://www.hyway.com.au/747/
Highly irresponsible reporting on all parties involved.
Having flown in the one in the second picture it is simply an amazing experience, I was waiting for my ears to pop on take off and landing it was so real.
Why not get a pilots license for a lot less $$$$$
hi, like victor said do track down all link and see i have followed every single improvement that victor did on his simulator he is the best out there and just hope mine will look the same as his: here is my link
http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j54/pilot767/
marc
from mauritius indian ocean
please contact me on +27825220128
First off guys let me enlighten you abit. The reason for 13 CPUs I use 12 is because the CDUs and some sound software and a few other software types require 1 PC, the Overhead panel requires 1 PC, The PFD/ND software requires a PC additionally, Instructor Station requires a PC, Ecam and FCU or MCP requires a PC , Communications Systems for Vatsim and Weather programs require a PC etc etc so you see it adds up. Secondly its not Victor who built the 747 mentioned in the Article
First off guys let me enlighten you abit. The reason for 13 CPUs I use 12 is because the CDUs and some sound software and a few other software types require 1 PC, the Overhead panel requires 1 PC, The PFD/ND software requires a PC additionally, Instructor Station requires a PC, Ecam and FCU or MCP requires a PC , Communications Systems for Vatsim and Weather programs require a PC etc etc so you see it adds up. Secondly its not Victor who built the 747 mentioned in the Article its Matt Sheil out of Australia a good friend of mine. Now question was then why not just get a pilots lic, well alot of us hold commercial and pvt licences as well but the simulator gives us the freedom to fly around the world, see basically same scenery but on our schedule, our way when we feel like leaving it we can and if we crash noone dies so no responsibility. I have been building an Airbus 340 for past 8 years and its cost me personally almost $90,000 and Im still not done. So why did I spend so much on a plane that doesnt really go anywhere in real world? well for me I built mine to take children who are terminally ill and cant fly in real Air pressures at altitude and still give them a similar experience as well as teach them how to really fly the big birds and take their minds off the fact that they have maybe 7 days left in this world. We all built our sims for difft reasons also because none of us have 120 million dollars to get the same experience that we get now or close. So you may sit there and laugh and criticize matt, me and all other sim builders but at the end of along business day, we can escape to places and see things that will tke you waiting in hours of lines, security checks , reservations, time off work, suitcase packing etc and all you get is a bag of peanuts and a small window view. We get it all and the peanuts. So next time you to go to criticiz others or laugh, come fly with me, matt or any sim builder and you’ll change yur mind real quick. JMO
Rev Tim Henry D.D.S.C.
A340
Canada
Haha i feel so lucky right now.
That’s my uncle matthew. :P
He spent $230,000 on producing this thing and if you’ve been in it, you’ll realize how much effort he put into it. Simply amazing.
Though if you’ve never flown a plane before, its so hard to control haha i crashed it into the Sydney Harbour Bridge. =O
Farewell.
and what the hell is with the first picture?
That isn’t even the simulator.
There isn’t a freaking tv in there, its got plane front windows!