Viper SimPit has gone (functionally) Operational

The pit was finally moved out of the garage and into the office. It is now as functional as the old Next Level Racing setup. That was my benchmark for going operational. I
t has a long way to go regarding additional electronics and details. But, at least I can now sit in it and fly. Getting into and out of it is challenging. It's like pulling on a pair of pants that are too tight.

[@RainmanHST]

Fantastic job so far. I like that you are using quality where it counts such as Martin’s consoles and IP and the realsimulator stick etc. You are going to have a fantastic cockpit when you are all done. I will be following this project.

[@patmathew5757]

Mad props for rocking the wedding band after the divorce!

[@terrylaven]

Amazing work!

[@justinallen2285]

The only thing its missing is a cupholder for your beverage of choice when flying the unfriendly skies :) Nice job this is really cool.

[@SAINT-ANTONIO]

I could imagine turning a Viper Wing F-16 cockpit for an experimental craft like the German guy that made a flying bathtube with 4 E props and Maciv Air remote control, going shopping...

[@theVRpilot]

This is inspirational. Its funny when you said "its far from done". I just moved my Basic simpit from the garage to the office and I feel the same lol.

[@GDViperWorks]

The big move is a pivotal point in the construction! Congratulations. With every switch and part added over time, the pit becomes more and more epic.

[@GDViperWorks]

Hopefully you looked at the updates since this one.

[@theVRpilot]

I will check them out! the Viper is my go to fighter so I am slowly working myself in that direction to add more hardware that supports it.@@GDViperWorks

[@Sirmellowman]

your fit and finish so far looks probably the highest quality I have ever seen on a simpit, professionally made or not.

[@alcmann]

Very nice. Will be following. Most extreme pit builds run BMS, will be interesting and see the functionality of a pro pit build running DCS. Thanks for the upload and sharing !

[@SAINT-ANTONIO]

Excellent information, thank you! Didn't they say that they set it up fully ready to go? Interesting

[@johnathonmullis4234]

Sweet! You have the same problem that I do, I go overboard on everything I do. That being said I think what you’re doing is awesome. I like that you’ve packaged it in a cockpit for the added immersion.

[@Spiniker0056]

Lol I check in on your pit feature creep after a few months and you go full pit. Looks like excellent sir, I am envious. Will enjoy watching you build it out!

[@916chevyboy]

Awesome job bud🎉❤😮

[@edsondias1176]

muito interessante parabéns bela aeronave

[@ancientadastra]

Awesome job, this is really a great sim pit.

[@ALPHARICCO875]

Fantastic 👍 Congratulations

[@reload54]

Wish I was your neighbor :)

[@carstengraves5673]

Imagine adding an AR headset to this. That way you can actually look around while still using all the buttons and what not.

[@f15sim]

Excellent work! It's nice to see real dzus rails in a diy cockpit. it's a shame the panel builders don't understand that the mounting holes for panels should be on .375" centers. (if memory serves) :)

[@ericm3112]

Very nice!

[@jetdriver]

Looking good!

[@malthus101]

1:53 - let me guess - you turned the afterburner on before you were out of the garage, right?

[@rcoplien]

I love my Winwing F-16 throttle

[@jogge9903]

Hell Yeah

[@elorock6747]

Hey man, great video! Im also planning a simpit and want to use DZUS rails. Ive found some very affordable rails, but the fasteners i can only find starting at ~5$ per piece, and thats without shipping to europe (I need about 200, so thats just way to much). Where did you source yours from?

[@GDViperWorks]

Anywhere I can. Usually EBay.

[@SAINT-ANTONIO]

I think the USAF or MIL industrial complex could make more out of the seats for Pilot comfort ...and life support! For example why not adding to the chair, a drink compartment with a tube Pilots could drink from, like those backpacks have? Seat heater. Butt massage rollers for long transitional flights to move the blood vessels ? I know what I am speaking about cause flew hour long sailplanes, very similar tight as in jets where one can't move the butt! USB recharge pods. Deployable mini satelite dish. Other survival tools at the chair. Snack pack with 15 to 30 protein bars? Mini energy cell pack in case they have to bail out and camp ..to have recharge or heat up a bit ( with IR stealth sheeting)?

[@SAINT-ANTONIO]

...and where is the capsule Coffee machine ?

[@BeogardAoC]

Hey Boss, I love the Cockpit. Do you have any 3d print files for the Center console and shroud? or know where I can get them?

[@GDViperWorks]

I don't. Contact Martin at xflight.de

[@BeogardAoC]

@@GDViperWorks Thank you i reached out to him

[@robertmantell1700]

Hi! Question about the ICP mount. Where did you get it or did you make it yourself? I have SimGears updated ICP, the full version, and would like to find the correct mounting plate for it as well. Thank you! ~Rob

[@GDViperWorks]

It is screwed directly into my 3d printed HUD block.

[@robertmantell1700]

@@GDViperWorks Are you making them for public sale? If not would you be interested in a one time job?

[@GDViperWorks]

I purchased it from Airframe Lab in Poland.

[@robertmantell1700]

@@GDViperWorks Ok, thank you very much, I will check them out!

[@AiTelly-g4d]

How much does this cabin cost?

[@checksixivan4921]

Nice pit! Do you have a comprehensive list/numbers of all the type switches that will be utilized in this build?

[@GDViperWorks]

Not really. There are many manufacturers that make the "same" switch with the same MS numbers. The best place to find something like that is through a forum such as Viperpits.org or the pit section of the ED forums.

[@3rdDog173]

Nice...

[@lukagabrielnincevic2184]

😍😍😍😍

[@hsh172002]

Amazing cockpit TF-62. I hope to see more of your video like this. Does the Martin Pegasus left & right aux console as well as the side switch panel console fit perfectly with stang's f-16 plan? or do I need to modify stang's frame to make it fit? right & left panels were the hurdles that kept me from making my own cockpit. If they both are compatible that would make my progress much easier. [but it will be quite costly] lol

[@GDViperWorks]

The rear support was way off and needed to be raised and angled more. The aux panels needed to be notched into the underside for the canopy rails. The side support structures also need to be notched into the ribs. Of course, this weakens the rail and ribs and they must be reinforced. I needed to custom make many brackets to support it. I found many discrepancies is stangs design where parts just did not fit at all. Backward cnc'd pieces, wrong lengths. Tons of extra parts that cost me money to cut, only to find out they go... well I still don't know. Because there were insufficient or zero directions for construction. Another example of bad dimensions was the entire seat support needed to be cut back and moved 3" to make the IP and Aux consoles mate. The seat position impinged on the center IP. That made a few veins pop. If I started over, I would have used other plans.

[@hsh172002]

@@GDViperWorks seems like I wasn't the only one who found and suffered from discrepancies. what makes the matter worse, I got rejected from stang for the future support after pointing out those discrepancies. If you don't mind, may I ask what plan (or whose plan) would you choose if you were to start over?

[@GDViperWorks]

@@hsh172002 he is rather arrogant and I have figured out why. Also why he is not forthcoming with directions to build the pit. It's because he jacked the design off someone else. Then changed it just a little here and there. When asked how certain parts went together he eventually sent me a few diagrams. Those diagrams were from the original designer that he plagiarized. It also explained all the extra parts I had. They were from the original design yet never took the time to delete them from the plans. That also resulted in my increased cost to cut the kit for pieces I did not need. He was extremely difficult to discuss design issues with. When brought to his attention, he told me he had been selling these plans since the 90's and I was the only to have problems with it. Needless to say... I recommend everyone looking for plans get them elsewhere. Do not give money to him. I bought another set of plans from Sy Dodman. His design was very nicely put together with concise directions. The only reason I built stangs was it has a seat design.

[@hsh172002]

@@GDViperWorks Much appreciated! I heard that there were some drama back in the days in Viperpit and that's why they are no longer accept new comers from Asia. I'll see if I can find a way to talk to Sy Dodman. again, Thank you very much!

[@robby20126d]

Where can I find the plans for the base been looking with no luck

[@sporran35]

It’s coming on so well. Where did you get the files for the control grip mount ? - I need something like that too

[@GDViperWorks]

Through the magic of Shapr3D and a 3D printer, I had to custom design it and print it.

[@12b_engineer]

You have a link to that yahelli thing. Can't seem to find it.

[@GDViperWorks]

www4.jaheli.nl/

[@arielless1118]

Do you build and sell these?

[@GDViperWorks]

I don't sell anything.

[@lululala3771]

can you make a tutorial on how to make panels

[@GDViperWorks]

I just don't have the time to do so. Video production (something I used to do in the past) is very time consuming. It is like a whole hobby in itself. There are other that have made such videos already. But I will say this... it requires software to design them. It requires machines to make them. I use a CNC router and a laser engraver/cutter. It requires software to convert your designs to the g-code file that your router will understand. It requires other software that your laser will understand. Settings for all these things are complicated in itself. The shorter answer is that I have no plans to make a video about how to make these panels. They require a lot of self study and creativity.

[@lululala3771]

@@GDViperWorks ok thx for answering tho can you atleast tell how did you transfer the input to the computer

[@GDViperWorks]

@@lululala3771 DCS-BIOs. Can be downloaded on Github. Also requires Arduino boards and Arduino IDE software.

[@peterpaul5820]

is there blueprints you sell?

[@GDViperWorks]

Sorry but no.

[@stevo905]

Very nice!