As my Boeing 737 cockpit building adventure continues on, I have discovered many online resources for information, assistance, guidance, and support. I wanted to showcase some links to the flight simulation community events, friends, sites, products, and forums I have seen along the way.
EVENTS
WorldFlight – A well-organized, global flight event supporting charity each fall.
FlightSimCon – Convention held in the United States each summer.
FlightSim – Convention held in the United Kingdom each fall.
FSWeekend – Convention held in the Netherlands each fall.
OTHER COCKPIT BUILDERS
HARDWARE
CH Products – Generic flight simulator hardware for all types.
CockpitSimParts – A bunch of cockpit hardware parts and more.
CockpitSonic – A bunch of cockpit hardware parts and more.
CPFlight – High quality MCP/EFIS, Overheads, panels, and other flight sim hardware.
Flight Deck Solutions – From CDUs to full cockpits, they build top notch hardware products for the home cockpit.
Flight Illusion – Realistic simulated gauges.
FlyEngravity – Good reputation, good quality cockpit parts.
GoFlight – High-quality generic flight sim hardware.
JetMax – Affordable home 737 cockpit hardware.
NaturalPoint – Provider of the ingenious TrackIR system.
OpenCockpits – A huge selection of cockpit parts.
Poldragonet/Symulatory – More cockpit parts.
Saitek – Generic aircraft flight controls for the home pilot.
SimParts – More cockpit parts.
Simujabs – Custom yokes, rudder pedals, and more for your sim.
SimWorld – Cockpit hardware supplier, and getting better each day.
Sismo Soluciones – Even more cockpit hardware!
SwissSimShop – Supplier of real OEM aircraft surplus parts.
VRInsight – Basic inexpensive hardware, typically for entry-level.
SOFTWARE
A2A Simulations – Some of the best add-on aircraft you can buy!
ActiveSkyNext – HiFi Technologies weather injection program for FSX/P3D. By far the smoothest weather engine I’ve found and provides weather radar information to ProSim and PMDG.
AeroSoft – Huge supplier of add-on aircraft, sceneries, and tools such as the superb PFPX and TOPCAT flight planning software.
Aivlasoft – Creator of the Aivlasoft Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). I use this every time I fly to provide charts, airport diagrams, moving maps, frequencies, checklists, and more.
Angle of Attack – Some of the best 737 flight simulator training you can find!
Carenado – Beautiful and detailed small and medium add-on aircraft, including business jets.
EZDok – The well-used EZDok camera add-on is excellent!
Flight1 – Respected provider of add-on aircraft, avionics (GPS), sceneries, Ultimate Terrain 2, and more.
FlightAware – While technically not software, it is a huge resource for flight planning, routes, schedules, and real FAA/NACO charts.
FlightBeam – A few exceptionally detailed airports.
FS2Crew – Want a virtual co-pilot? They’ve got one for you!
FSDreamTeam – The creators of GSX and other many great airport add-ons.
FSFX Packages – They provide immersion and texture products to improve the look of simulatred weather
FSUIPC – Pete Dowson’s incredible flight simulator integration program. Used by many add-ons and external hardware. Modules updates can be found in Pete’s SimFlight Forum.
JustFlight – Well-known provider of add-on aircraft, missions, sceneries, AI traffic, and more.
Prepar3D – Home of Lockheed Martin’s updated ESP version of FSX with numerous fixes and improvements.
Majestic Software – Home of the famous Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 add-on aircraft.
Navigraph – Provider of frequently updated FMS and Charts data to flight simulation pilots.
ORBX FTX – Full Terrain provides regional and airport updates to bring your simulator to life. They offer improved landclass and vector data, and even fixed the boring trees in FSX/P3D.
PMDG – Precision Manuals Development Group develops the fantastically detailed and complex Boeing 737, 747, 777 & MD11, BAE Jetstream J41 add-on aircraft for FSX and P3D.
ProSim-AR – Home of ProSim737, my great avionics suite. Also developing a Airbus A320 suite. Includes their dedicated support forum.
REX Simulations – Supplier of REX Texture Direct to upgrade most FSX/P3D default land, air, and sea textures to better, high-quality versions. Also offers the Weather Architect product for completely user-designed weather patterns.
OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES
aero.sors.fr – Helpful site with frequently updated NavAid, Fixes, and MagVar files and other Flight Simulator information.
AVSIM – Probably the largest flight simulation community and forums.
CockpitBuilders – A large cockpit building community and forum with DIYs and How-Tos. You can get almost any build question answered here.
FlightSim – Community and forums.
FlightSimWorld – Community and forums.
FlyAwaySimulation – Community and forums.
Intellicast – I frequently use their Interactive Weather Map to find interesting weather to fly in when using Active Sky Next.
MyCockpit.org – Another flight simulation community website and forums. Has a good builder sub-forum as well.
SimBrief – Respectable flight planning interface with detailed and printable flight plans.
SimFlight – News, community, and forums.
SkyVector – Interactive VFR charts and flight planning.