Introduction to my Flight Sim Home Build Project - BAe 146

My background - basically I'm a frustrated pilot.  I used fly helicopters and have a total of 560 hrs real flying time, but now I'm getting on a bit age wise and my hearing and eyesight aren't up to scratch anymore so I get my flying thrills through Flight Sim.  I've gone through the various versions of Microsoft Flight Sim since the 90's and like most simmers I've always strived for ultimate reality.

To begin with it was single screen, no internet and poor graphics, but as time went by and MS updated its program, so too did the quest for reality sink deeper under my skin.  Now I'm running FSX with a reasonably high spec computer and three, 23" screens using the internet and VATSim to get "as near as" reality as I can, flying the Just Flight BAe 146. 

But it's still not enough!

So after about 18 months of research and practice, I've taken to plunge and I've started building my own flight sim flight deck based on the legendary BAe 146/Avro RJ85.

Over the next few months (maybe years!) I'll aim to give you a detailed journal of my progress so that those of you like-wise inclined can follow this blog, learn from my mistakes and build your own flight deck.

It won't be to scale and it won't be the real thing (at least not to begin with), but at least it will be affordable, unlike the 737 modules and components that are available at hundreds/thousands of dollars.  What's more, doing it this way has created a hobby in itself, with the research, acquisition of knowledge and training to create the the programs to run the various modules....not to mention the electronics skills.

Hope you enjoy?