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 26 December - Glareshield Dimensions Added UPDATED Thursday 23rd June 2009
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   737ng.co.uk - The BOEING 737NG Main Instrument Panel (MIP)


First of all my apologies to Marcus at Lausitz Aviation who's image i stole to create this masterpiece :o) - thank you Marcus for your kindness.    And I also have to add that no two cockpits are the same for various reasons i.e. expectations versus budget versus skill level.   I did this my way for the reasons I did and by sharing my experiences, just maybe if you don't agree with the way I have done something, it just might give you an idea of your own.   And of course I have built this as a fun thing and not as an obsession. The fact it turned out pretty damn good is a bonus. I don't pretend to be a Jonathon Richardson or a Matt Ford, but Jeez do I have fun :o)
Well how do you get it all working. In a nutshell it's not so bad if you plan it all. What i have done in the above diagram is to try to group everything into colored categories.  This will help me to explain where the display comes from or where the annunciator get's it power from or where the switch sends it signal.
If you look at the above diagram, the colour coding is as follows......

RED = FSXPAND ( www.flyware.nl ). BLUE = PMDG ( www.precisionmanuals.com/ ) GREEN = Own Circuit
YELLOW = CPFLIGHT
( www.cpflight.comMAGENTA - L =LAUSITZ ( www.lausitzaviation.com )  H = HISPAPANELS  ( www.hispapanels.com ) and X = Experimental that is i am playing around with some ideas.

31000ft Over the Alps inbound Innsbruk Step Into My Office :o)) Landed LOWI (Phew ! ) After Landing In the Descent to be RTT @ 9500'

Right if you have the rest of your life free, i'll try to explain what goes on in a little more detail, especially the Annunciator Sources which will be at the end of the page.

PMDG The most important source of information for the pilot is the PFD (or Primary Flight Display) where all flight parameters are displayed. Flight Mode Annunciators, Heading and Track Information, Rate of Climb or Descent, MCP Selection Information - it's all contained here.  Then there is the ND (Navigation Display) where all the Navigation Map, Rose, VOR & ILS Indicators and Route Information is displayed.  The PMDG instrumentation is really good and if you buy the Aircraft, you get it for free, now that's value :o)
SVGA Display Splitter So how did i get these displayed.  I created a second cockpit view in FS and re-wrote the PMDG panel file for the aircraft model i use in the cockpit. I also deleted the Panel Background bitmap because i didn't need it. This then meant that i could close the view of the outside world on the window that contained my panel.   This panel window was moved to a second monitor whereby adjusting the position and size of the PFD & ND gauges, i could place them exactly where i wanted them to fit the screen frames in my MIP. I initially was using 17" monitors, but these have been upgraded to 19" so they fill the display frames.  The second video output is run thru a 'Y' cable so it feeds 2 monitors, one for the captain and one for the F/O.

FSXPAND The Centre EICAS display, the 3 Standby Instruments and the Rotary Flaps Gauge are all generated using FSXpand.  This is one of the best pieces of programming that i use in my setup. It is a 2 part program developed by Gert Heijnis at www.flyware.nl .   FSXpand (the server) lives on the FS machine and communicates with FSClient which I have on a separate networked computer.  Part of the package is a 737NG Eicas panel (ok it doesn't fit your MIP) which can be resized and configured to fit any monitor/screen resolution/display position.   I configured one of the panels to give me the Eicas, AI - ALT - HSI and the Rotary Flaps Gauge.   Then there is the Panel Switching function which Gert has included in the FSC;ient Options on the client machine.    This has allowed me to build 5 different Eicas screens.  Each of the 5 Screens contains the 3 standby Instruments and the Rotary Flaps Gauge as they are displayed irrespective of whether the Eicas is operational or not.        But the Eicas element is different in each Screen.   I have OFF - Normal - Engine Primary with Text Annunciation - Condensed and INOP. I've simply connected 2 Rotary Switches thru a USBKeys Card to send the key to select the required panel. Switches are fitted to the Capt & F/O DU Panels on the MIP
  So we can now change the Eicas Screen to whatever we want at any phase of flight.  And the added bonus is that FSXpand will now allow multiple clients, so I will look at repeating the above for the lower Eicas screen. ( i found a cheap 10" monitor on e-bay :o).

 

The CPFlight MCPEX1 Expansion BoardThe CPFlight MIP737 Expansion BoardCPFLIGHT I have the CPFlight MCPEX1.  In addition to the functions described on the MCPEX1 page, it also allows for certain inputs and the output of certain signals and annunciators which are detailed at the end of the page.   Also i have the CPFlight MIP737 Board. This is controlling all the annunciators on the MIP very successfully and allowing me to set the Autobrake accurately.     Take a look at the MIP737 manual HERE to see what you can do with this board and the PMDG 737.

H = HISPAPANELS  OK I use several items from Manolo at www.hispapanels.com on the MIP.  I have the LEVEL and BALANCE Gauge just above the 3 standby Instruments and also the Brake Pressure Gauge to the right of the Gear Annunciators.  These are both 'Dummy' Gauges to fill the Holes in the MIP.   And finally I have the Chronometers on both the Captain and First Officer Sides.  These again are dummies because although you can get them up and running with Digital Readouts, I just haven't got the time right now, maybe next year.   They are actually running as Clocks and here's how to do it real cheap.  Apart from the actual Plates, it cost me GB£2 (about 2.80 euros each)

737NG Chronometer     Hispapanels 737NG Chronometer     all the time in the world :o)

L = LAUSITZ The mechanical Gear lever I originally got from the LUCHVAART HOBBY SHOP in Holland, but it has been discontinued.   Since that time, Marcus Menzel at Lausitz Aviation has started production of a lever to compete with the existing products available.   I have seen this lever real close up and have no hesitation in linking to Marcus site.  He is a very dedicated, small manufacturer of extremely high quality products.

ANNUNCIATORS I light all the MIP annunciators from the CPFlight MIP737 board (except the Landing Gear which is lit from the MCPEX1. The MIP737 output will be used for the Rear Overhead Gear Down Lights).  Here's what the MIP737 gives me.
BELOW GLIDESLOPE - P/Inhibit on both Sides of The cockpit.
LEADING EDGE FLAPS - In Transit and Extended.
A/P, A/T and FMC Message Annunciators on Both Sides (With Test and Reset)
AUTOBRAKE DISARM - Set the Autobrake, LED Lights then after the Self Test, Extinguishes
SPEEDBRAKE ARMED - Based on the Position of my Spoiler Lever Axis.
SPEEDBRAKE EXTENDED - Lights When Spoiler is Used in Flight and When Auto Deployed at Landing.
SPEEDBRAKE DO NOT ARM - Lights as advisory when instructed.

BUILD YOUR OWN EFIS Units For The PMDG Thats right.  The BU0836 now supports encoders, so it has become possible to emulate the actions of the EFIS Units in the PMDG.  So i set about building a couple. Click on the image on the left for a full explanation of 'HOW TO DO IT'

Build Your Own PMDG Hardware EFIS EFIS Connection Diagram encoder configuration for the BU0836

MASTER CAUTION / RECALL / 6 PACK  We can't get this information from the PMDG, but now we have full control of the Overhead with FSUIPC v3.81, everything has changed.   We are now able to accurately control the systems on the overhead without seeing it.  So the 6 packs are merely an 'in view' reminder that something needs your attention somewhere else.  Therefore,  based on the lighting behaviour of the Overhead Panel Annunciators, it is now possible to light some of the 6 pack LED's.     I have 6 of the 12 working right now and i'm looking at what i can do with the remaining 6.   Further Information is available on the OVERHEAD Page and in the left column.

#NOSE WHEEL STEERING...Just a Quick Note about this (I Have Dealt with it elsewhere).   Both Pilots have a Steering Tiller, but when they are both connected, they 'interfere' with each other. So the simple solution was to isolate them from each other and only allow one pot to be instructing the controller card at any one time.  So in the normal position, the Capt steers the Aircraft and in the Alt. position the F/O has control.
#N1 & SPD REF Because I'm using FSXpand, I have no way of controlling seperate NI on the engines. However I am able to set the V Speeds manually and display this information on the PMDG PFD.  Using a dual encoder attached to a BU0836X board and then 'Mousetrapping' the Gauge Hotspots in FSUIPC. Result, on this control both the outer and inner sections can be controlled by configuring the BU0836X inputs to see the encoders as button inputs and then assigning the button inputs to the 'Mousetrapped' macro's.  If you use the PMDG EICAS, it is possible to use both SPD REF and the N1 Set controls by using the same technique.
#EFIS FUNCTIONS I have now had the opportunity to 'mousetrap' all the controls on the EFIS that I wanted.  FSUIPC is much more reliable thru the BU0836X board than it is thru the GoFlight click here for the macro fileRP48 remote kits, so we have retrofitted new connections. Result - brilliant.  Here's a copy of my 737 MIP.mcro file with all the mapping done for you.  Just drop it into your FS2004/Modules folder and the next time you run FS, FSUIPC will have all the switch options available to you in the dropdown menu as 737 MIP: followed by the option.  You must have a registered version of FSUIPC to do this v3.81 (for FS2004) or later.   

ELMA Dual Rotary Encoders Fitted To My EFIS Dual Roray Encoders Fitted to the EFIS Boeing 737 Captains Seat 737NG Eicas and Standy Instruments from FSXpand My Boeing 737 Cockpit another view of the Eicas 737NG First Officer Position 

Thanks for your interest and comments, corrections and criticisms are always welcome.