Why your plan is awesome

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I really like this topic. Hopefully this isn't so late that it's useless.

Most people will tell you that a home simulator is useless or worse than useless for PPL training. I disagree, provided you use it correctly. Let me break it down a bit. When you're flying, this is basically what's going on:

1. Every 10ms: Adjust control inputs in response to the feeling of the controls.
   
2. Every 100ms: Adjust control inputs in response to the sight picture of the cowling and wings relative to the horizon.
   
3. Every 1-5s: Adjust the sight picture you're trying to achieve based on the information on your instruments.
   
4. Every 1-5m: Check engine instruments, navigation, talk to ATC, etc.
   
   So, that basic model isn't exactly accurate in all phases of flight, but it's a reasonable approximation. Here's the thing. A good desktop sim can teach you all of those but the first one. Why wouldn't you want a tool that can mostly teach you how to fly for $0/hr after setup costs? I did this for my PPL training and had excellent results.
   
   

   How to use a sim effectively
   

   
   You can definitely build terrible habits in a home sim, and that's why they have a bad reputation for PPL students. However, there are some easy things you can do to avoid that.
   
   

• Get your feet wet with the XPlane Learn to Fly tutorial. You'll make lots of mistakes, but starting with something fun will keep you motivated.
  
• Read the PHAK.
  
• Read the AFH. The AFH details all the maneuvers you'll need to learn during PPL training. Learn how to do them in your sim!
  
• Learn how an airplane actually flies. I recommend Stick and Rudder and See How it Flies.
  
• Do not fixate on your instruments! Practice maneuvers with the instruments covered or failed, then check to see how you did. E.g. cover the instruments, do a 360 degree 30 degree bank turn, and then uncover the instruments to see if you gained or lost altitude. Do this until your error is < 50ft. You MUST learn to fly by looking outside.
  
• Don't fly with trim. This is hard in a sim because our yokes are dumb. In a real airplane, you set the yoke where it needs to be and trim until the pressure goes away. The yoke never moves. In a sim, it's a tricky dance where you hold pressure and then slowly ease it back to the center while trimming. It sucks, but it's way better than flying by trim, which will cause endless pitch and altitude oscillations.
  
• Once you can fly a pattern without embarrassing yourself, get online with PilotEdge. Trust me, it's a fantastic training experience and just plain fun.
  
• Once you start real flying lessons, ask your instructor what you'll be covering in each lesson a few days before. Then practice those tasks in the sim beforehand. This will save tons of time in the air because you'll be polishing and transferring skills instead of learning them fresh. For bonus points, practice until you can meet the Airman Certification Standards in the sim where applicable.
  
• Use the sim to practice things that would be unsafe in real life. Engine failure on takeoff? No problem in the sim. Elevator failure? Sure, why not. Lost coms procedure? Hop on PilotEdge and do it.
  
  

  Hardware recommendations:
  

  
  

• Yoke / Joystick: If you'll be flying something with a yoke, I'd get a yoke. I 100% agree with XPlane's recommendation of the CH Eclipse unless you're ready to drop $1500 on an Iris. Saitek's yokes look nicer, but their pitch axis sticks, which is infuriating. It basically makes precise pitch control impossible, which is the single most important part of a yoke.
  
• Rudder pedals: I have the CH rudder pedals and have no complaints except I wish they required a bit more force. I've also used the Saitek pedals, and they're fine too.
  
• Trim Wheel: Unfortunately Saitek discontinued their trim wheel, and it's now a bit pricey used. You definitely need one. I don't have experience with other options.
  
• Throttles: The Saitek throttle quadrant is great, and I love the fact that it comes with a nice row of buttons underneath. Alternately, you can use the throttles built into the yoke. I did that for a while, but found that reaching over the yoke to adjust the throttle was causing strain on my shoulder and giving me headaches.
  
• Head tracking: Not sure if you'll need this with 6 displays. I've got 3 set up for a 180 degree FOV, and I definitely need it. For pattern work, you really need a 270 degree FOV so you can look back at the runway. Also, it's really helpful to be able to lean forward, backward, and side to side so you can spot things that are behind the pillars. Obviously you won't go wrong with a TrackIR, but I've had great success with the DelanClip which is much cheaper.
  
• Switches and radios: Once again, Saitek makes some reasonably nice gear here. IMO this is completely optional for PPL practice.
  
• ATC: A subscription to PilotEdge is AMAZING for learning radio work and how to navigate airspace.
  
  Since you said money is not an issue, you might consider some more expensive hardware options. I have no experience with any of those, but they sure look nice :)

I don't think there is such a thing as a dual directional spring. What I did was to use two of them, mounted so that they oppose each other.

These are the ones I used. They're a bit overpowered at 80N, but it doesn't matter too much if they are opposing each other. If you can find a 50-60N option, that would probably be ideal.

For additional reference, you can check out my project update posts in my Imgur page here

Good luck, and don't forget to post pictures here so we can see how it turns out!

Cheers

Thanks man. I need to do that still. I can say it was pretty basic. Though have not seen similar, usually people who use the VESA arms make it so they go up and down, not swing out and in like I found was really useful. The only outside involvement was the welding, not a welder myself, so had a guy at my local muffler shop weld the pipe pieces to the chairs arm mounting plates after I unbolted them from it. The pics do show that. Then it was just using the items listed below with a little customization, such as cutting the mounting plate on the long VESA arm to match the Warthog jstick circular base..etc. But here are the parts I used, along with a few pieces of pipe as seen in the pics and some paint and a couple USB hubs mounted underneath chair as well. The MFD mounting adapters I designed and 3D printed

Jstick arm used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OPC4BH2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is attached to the vertical pipe attached to the chair arm base plate.

Throttle arm used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PZDB2HM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is attached to the horizontal pipe piece on the chair arm base plate.

MFD articulated arms:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HCQDKCK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are attached to the chair arm base plate via one of the original mounting holes for the chairs arms, which I do not use(never like arms on my chairs)

The new thrustmaster fcs hotas is fantastic value, and means he can also fly space sims down the line with relative ease if he wants.

https://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-T-16000M-FCS-HOTAS-Controller/dp/B01KCHPRXA

You can get runs longer than 15 meters with some more specialized cables/repeaters. Prices right now are not terrible either.

For HDMI, a simple option would be an amplifier: Here is an example. Some out there have been verified to work well with the Rift at varying distances. (The one I linked has not, as far as I know. But if it can do 4K at 25 meters, I would imagine it would be fine).

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VR-Related USB inputs, I would probably stick with long USB 3.0 extender cables. Like this, but find one with the appropriate length.

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Non-VR related USB inputs and outputs are easy. Cat5e extenders work just fine. Example

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EDIT: Noticed the USB 3 extender link is for 25 feet and not meters... just changed a few words.

I've been using my folding chair instead of my nice office chair and this comment thread motivated me to find what I think is the solution:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QY7VWA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

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Could probably be found cheaper but the reviews convince me it's the correct product at least.

Also I need 5 and it comes in 4 packs FML

It's an Anker USB 3.0 14-Port Hub. Love it! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GSLMTQ8

Paracord sleeving is rather easy, a 15 foot cable might take you 20 minutes.

Another way to keep the cables off the ground would be a guide. Like a hook angled upward from the chair base to act as an arm carrying the cable. Or instead of going through all of this you could build from the desk instead of the chair, or put a c shape table on each end of your chair.

Why do you taunt me like this?

Seriously though, I'll have to dust off the old google skills and find somewhere that still has them in stock.

Edit for posterity: Found them here: https://www.smartdj.com/Odyssey-Cases-LSTANDCLAMPS-Black-Pair-Table-Case-LSTAND-Clamps.htm

and these are pretty similar too: https://www.amazon.com/CAMVATE-Universal-C-Clamp-Aluminum-8-Inch-16/dp/B018RLY6B2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1519666603&sr=8-5&keywords=table+c+clamp

I have 2 from Plugable. One with regular current, one high current (for running portable hard drives). I've been very happy with them.

Ah, thanks for that. I think this one might work too?

This might be an alternative: AmazonBasics Premium Anti-Fatigue Standing Comfort Mat for Home and Office - 20x36-Inches, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OUFX0YY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FLPQAbFY2Z2BA


And if it's not an optimal solution, they're always nice to have in the kitchen, if you have a bad back or knees. :)

One of the challenges is “printing white”.

This will do it (white print on clear labels):

DYMO Label Manager 280

I used it for my power panel

Cessna Power Panel

I always found these to be useful. You probably already know about them though: https://www.amazon.com/Razer-Nostromo-PC-Gaming-Keypad/dp/B004AM5RB6

fully programmable with the included software.

This is definitely NOT small, but I use mine on a chair arm for War Thunder and I can't recommend it enough.

ELECOM M-HT1DRBK Wireless Trackball Mouse - Extra Large Ergonomic Design, 8-Button Function with Smooth Tracking, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735584RM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z7xIDbBPA28QJ

It's like having a side-stick controller in a mouse-aim game. I got this one mostly because of the number of buttons. I have directional control, fire guns, throttle +/-, target lock, zoom view, target padlock view, flaps up, flaps down, full elevator displacement, and enemy view padlock all bound on this one device.

Elecom also makes some smaller track balls. If they're as good as the Huge, it'd be well worth getting one of those to mount next to your stick.