• Which the release of FS2020 we see an explosition of activity on the forun and of course we are very happy to see this. But having all questions about FS2020 in one forum becomes a bit messy. So therefore we would like to ask you all to use the following guidelines when posting your questions:

    • Tag FS2020 specific questions with the MSFS2020 tag.
    • Questions about making 3D assets can be posted in the 3D asset design forum. Either post them in the subforum of the modelling tool you use or in the general forum if they are general.
    • Questions about aircraft design can be posted in the Aircraft design forum
    • Questions about airport design can be posted in the FS2020 airport design forum. Once airport development tools have been updated for FS2020 you can post tool speciifc questions in the subforums of those tools as well of course.
    • Questions about terrain design can be posted in the FS2020 terrain design forum.
    • Questions about SimConnect can be posted in the SimConnect forum.

    Any other question that is not specific to an aspect of development or tool can be posted in the General chat forum.

    By following these guidelines we make sure that the forums remain easy to read for everybody and also that the right people can find your post to answer it.

looking for panel designer

C

cheetahdriver

Messages
4
Country
unitedstates
just finished (i for the moment) getting my AA5A cheetah refitted with new radios and an Aspen MFD. looking to start back on my IFR again, and trying to find someone who could do a panel to match my airplane and perhaps tweek some gauges a bit. i am a more a pilot than a developer, and don't really want to take the time to learn FS programing (more than enough on my plate). would be willing to pay for the work as it will be custom to my installation. you can send me a msg with some examples of work done.

thanks,
 
Is this one your's, or somewhat similar?

http://www.aspenavionics.com/index.php/customergallery/n9967u/

You need to be a bit more specific about what you actually want done... ;)

1. Which sim version, FS9 or FSX?

2. 2d panel only? What resolution, 4:3 or 16:9?

3. VC panel? If so, a model would need to be built as well, increasing costs significantly.

My rate for custom work is $85/billable hour. After evaluating the scope-of-work, a firm quote with a maximum will be tendered. On acceptance, a 20% deposit is required. Should the contracted project take less time, only the actual hours are billed for the balance. If the project takes longer, then I eat the difference...
 
Last edited:
thanks for the quick response

i currently have FSX, although i would be willing to entertain going to FS9 if there were advantages/capabilities that would make a change worthwhile. similar aircraft as above, mine is a "hypercheetah" mod (200HP, C/S prop), and i have a slightly different stack (picture attached). the only difference from this pic to current is the addition of a Stec30 A/P in place of the Century I.

don't really need a VC (if this is Virtual Cockpit, i had to look it up) as i will just be shooting approaches (view of instruments and out front is fine), only.

my current displays are all 4:3, if i went to a 16:9 later i would just accept that it didn't quite fit the screen.

if you have any more questions, feel free to ask.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0210.jpg
    IMG_0210.jpg
    96.2 KB · Views: 550
cheetahdriver said:
i currently have FSX, although i would be willing to entertain going to FS9 if there were advantages/capabilities that would make a change worthwhile. similar aircraft as above, mine is a "hypercheetah" mod (200HP, C/S prop), and i have a slightly different stack (picture attached). the only difference from this pic to current is the addition of a Stec30 A/P in place of the Century I.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you told me about the Century I, as the contrast of the picture wouldn't allow me to identify it! ;) I see what appears to be an EDM700 to the lower left of the Aspen, right?
don't really need a VC (if this is Virtual Cockpit, i had to look it up) as i will just be shooting approaches (view of instruments and out front is fine), only.

my current displays are all 4:3, if i went to a 16:9 later i would just accept that it didn't quite fit the screen.
Click to expand...

What about the a/c model? Would simply having "your 2d panel" using something such as the default Mooney be sufficient?

Depending on just how "realistic and authentic" you wanted the panel and gauge system to be, I can see such a project ranging from 10 hours (minimum realism) to 40 hours...

For example, while there is a "freeware" Aspen available at AVSIM (dnlk_efd1000.zip), there is no Stec-30 already coded. Likewise, I already have an EDM700 coded, as well as everything in your avionics stack. Other switches and controls would require artwork and coding.

The most time consuming part of such a project would be the panel artwork. I'm also assuming that you would be able to supply any photos required from which such artwork could be developed, otherwise a lot of time searching for suitable photos would be required. ;)

What I'm trying to achieve with all these questions is to make the scope-of-work desired more clear, so that any others who might be interested in bidding for your project will already have the data in hand.

As for my own bona-fides, you need look no further than http://eaglesoftdg.com :)
 
Last edited:
excellent...

i do control systems work, so i know exactly what you mean about scope of work<G>. more questions up front are always better, and they help me formalize my thinking as well.

you are right, from the left to the right, upper is a an Astrotech LC-2, lower is an EDM700 with Fuel Totalizing. then upper airspeed, lower is now the Stec30. then the Aspen unit. everything else is pretty much standard except the combo MP/FF gauge.

i can supply all of the photos you need with a Nikon D60. aircraft is an interesting question. can the panel be moved into a different "airframe" with minimal work? i know there is an AA5A FSx model out there, but not entirely sure how good/detailed it is. also, since mine is a modified AA5A, it may not help.

the Hypercheetah is alot like a Mooney without the retract gear, so that would probably work. i would think (as long as moving the panel isn't a stretch) we could try it in a Mooney or a AA5X model and then if modification is required that would be a separate project.

i know Flight1 also has an Aspen unit available. again not sure how well it works, and know it has a Century 55x autopilot with it.

other questions?
 
Piglet's AA5 should work just fine as a basis for a custom 2d panel.

Here's a few minutes work using a mixture of default and some of my custom gauges. The Aspen is the freeware one from AVSIM.

The aircraft is Tim "Piglet" Conrad's FS Award Winning AA5:
http://www.flightsim.com/file.php?cm=SEARCH1&fsec=0&fname=AA-5B.ZIP

I think though that the panel background is way too wide, with the result that the Aspen would be extremely difficult to see, much less control. I'd prefer to work with an actual photo of your panel, and create the artwork from that.

At first blush, I my "guesstimate" is about ten hours.

If you wish to discuss this in more detail, email me at n4gix@comcast.net.

aa5000002.jpg
 
Last edited:
Sorry about the delay in replying, as I've been literally buried in work for the past few weeks...

Email reply sent...
 
Hi Bill

The bitmaps for the BK receivers and also the ASI on that panel were originally mine; if you want the originals FOC please let me know and I'll email them. And the code, if it's any use.

-Dai
 
Thanks, Dai. I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to have Scott take some hi-res photos of the actual instruments in his a/c as well as a good photo of his a/c's panel so I can use those as the basis for customized instruments.

The entire radio stack I already have "in stock" as shown in the earlier "test WIP" image.
 
Hi Bill

Minor correction; the ASI bitmap has been sufficiently altered that I can't lay claim to it as specifically mine any longer. However, the two nav indicators (supposedly Bendix-King but are marked Garmin) are definately mine. They were part of a paper called Gaupaint.zip that I released years ago; I accepted that someone would lift the pics and reuse them so I'm not fussed to see them again unexpectedly.

-Dai
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top