YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO FLIGHT SIMULATION Flight Simuation - Your complete qui¥A\ ” New Series by ASU) oe Ts sat : rary ASOBO’S JUNKERS JU 52, MILVIZ’S PC-6 Utara Seow. (e- 1 RCIA ae \eL@Ue ra ey Cong You haa nce you have a fully assembled ‘cockpit it's time to add the ‘component thet brings ital to if, hich fs naturally the software; in this caso wore looking at ProSim737 from ProSimn Aviation Research in The Netherlands. ‘The 737 suite of software featured here ls just one ofthe products it produces with others Including those suitable for home-buit anc commercial fight simulators, to solutions for airings thet includes plot traning, An alternative interface ‘The ProSim737 package consists of a number of elements that fistly populates with realistically rendered instruments and secondly takes control at every svi {gauge and button in the cnekmit When | say "takes contro? I don't mean that Reval, the software effectively interfaces wth all these diferent elements, then passes thelr current stato to whatever simulation software you're using. fm talking about Microsott Fight ‘Simulator (MFS), Propar3D or FSX and the hardware can be any switch, button or eves that you click, press, or move. It will lso handle any indicators or LEDs used to identiy ‘any change of state in the hardware. Fully integrated What was particulary atactiv to me with this software vias the fl integration of third- Peer ened rion 781 Pc por #197 AT BUIL! party drivers from diferent manufacturer's ‘equipment. This effectively makes the job of setting up the software and integrating the hardware much easier, not forgetting of ‘course that you don't ned to install any other (potentially conficting)crvers forthe diferent hharcware components For example, | have a large FDS SYS interface card to connect most ofthe ewitches and LEDS in my overnead panel | also have a Couple of Phidgets cards for controling the (gauges and a Leo Bodnar card that handles somo of tho rotary switches. The MCP and EFIS units are from CP Flight and my radios in the pedestal are customised Go-Flght ‘modules. Al ofthese different elements (and more) are natively recognised by ProSim by simply ticking the relevant boxes in the main systems configuration man, Installing and initial setup The ProSim737 Software suite consists of five main laments: the ProSim738 Syetem | men ater, ProSimB738 HardwareConnector, U, ProsimDisplay and ProSimiOS st exible softs not important how many computers you use to run your cockpat as long as theyre on the sarne network wll main computer that runs the simulator also rune tho ProSim system software and needs to com- municate with any computers operating the over modules. Before instaling the softwar, network of thre ‘modules needed to run the cockpit. They Consist ofa main faity powerfu) PO that runs both the fight simulator andthe main system software and it also displays the external view on three 42-inch 4K TVs visa GTX 10807; video card. The second lass powerful mactine Is fitted with 2 GTX 970, which outputs to tour monitors displaying the plot's and fist oficar’s MFOs, Finally, the third PC rans the CDU ‘oftware to handle the two FDS CDUs. setup a private While it's better to have hardware ‘components to Interface with the software also inciudes very realistic panels that can bbe used instead. These are ideal if you want to build a MIP using monitors Oehing a ‘metal of wooden frame With holes cut in the approxima locations ofthe real instruments. In fact, "ve seen touchscreen monitors used [Link] effect in such arole 23 wal Assigning the hardware Integrating the physical hardware is qute tima-coneuming but Prosim makes the job easier withthe dovelopmentof a more user- {renal and sem-inteligent intertace, Forha sing data into the Interf home cockpit lays The intument caps (MDs) are on the pot = and fist o Fo MFO, The default ce PFD and ND but the modu 37 Pc Por.1 you don't havea tho hardware, you can se the on-sreon pan. (of displaying any ofthe other avaliable instruments or variations of them. They are ‘normally selectable trom rotary switches on the MIP and EFIS units at each end of the MCP. The other two monitors Ihave are bare 10-inch screens mounted vertically in the Contre of the MiP and used for monitoring the various EICAS systems, Once again, the ‘crew has the facility to change the specific Information these MFDs are showing. You can tune the size and shape of the display elements to suit your monitors and naturally the quality ofthe output can b affected to some degree by the resolution o the monitors in use. Mine are something of mixture but overall the dlepiaya aa erep and shatp with no discemible lag in operation Flight model and in-flight ‘The ProSim73T package aso inoludes a custom fight model designed specifically for PraSim users, and available for MFS, P30 or FSX. Howovo, I's not just a fight mode, incorporates @ very detaled 3D 737 alrratt for those who lke to occasionally look at the alcraft whe they're fying. However, ths is just the external aha it dosen't include a virtual cockpit or instrument panel, because naturally YoU will use the instruments and hardware Controls inside your physical cockpit. ‘Although much ofthis review is concerned Wee ieeeross 7e/PC Puor 8197 With the installation of the software and Integration of tha hardware, the main purpose, ‘once this is completed, isto realistically ‘manage the simulation ofthe aicrat in ‘question, and ths s something that ProSim does extremely well ‘Obviously the 737 is a large heavy aircraft, yot youcan fy it exactly the same as you wauld {Cessna 182. | rememibor many years ago listening to the now defunct Air Wales on a relocation trip from Carli to Brsto:no setup, Ro ght plan, just a radio cal for olearanoe and ‘another forthe landing at Bristol However, for most pilots it’s more the authentic operation land setup that they look for and possibly why ‘hey bul thei emulator inthe fst ple he CDU is your method of communicating th the FMC, which ultimately controls the. MCP - sometimes referred to as the autopilot. roSim simulation ofthis quita complex itrument is about as comprehensive as you ‘Gt within the confines of a simulator the CDU may only 0 effectively get from .a9e8 Id not seen 0 the point where i's feasible to use ‘an original FMC manu ave yet fully acquainted ith all the nuances ofthis instrument, however, its something that | intend to ‘work towards. Having Said that, absorbing ‘ver 350 pages of information takes quite & Commitment in both time and concentration. Instructor Operating Station (08) repens Once the softwares installed and integrated with the hardware, tha 1S program allows youto setup and operate the arratt without recourse tothe fight simulation menus. So, Tre resin Osa uso alge MEDS fr for example, you can reposition to any airport, gate or approach in the world, You can also Create or import a fight plan, setup the fuel ‘and payload or make things more interesting by defining the failure of ust about any ‘component or system on the arora The 10S also provides a full data overview for the aircraft's systems and access to a variety of cockpit setup options. Conclusion In my opinion, ProSimT37 Is an easier to use ‘and a more comprehensive solution than its rivals in he sphere of cockpit simulation Italso natively supports more hardware products, which is quit important because ‘most bullae will use a variety of hardware ‘components in their bulls yout a regular reader yout know that | recenty completed a major upgrade to my Cockpit, so naturally seemed a good opportunity te ungrade the software as wo Yet, what began 28 a faily aunting task was completed much ‘mere easly and quicker than | had aniipated, The cockpits now tly operational, incueing some elements that were net so belora, ‘Curently, I'm running the cockpit with PSD V4.5 but | plan to move over to MFS when the simulator has multi-monitor support. ProSim737 is already fully compatible. Ifyouwish to check out the software before ‘making purchass you cen downicad a ta version from the compary’s website, Youcan ao have a look atthe manual whichis WIKl-oased. ml mpnetnery a Ld * ed ara gs cas its competitors lt Coors