Hello everyone! It has been a while since my last blog post here, as most of my work is now done on Patreon with regular updates and video logs. I have been busy preparing the Single Seat 737 for the European Flight Sim Expo, which is happening next week in Lelystad, Netherlands.
We will be attending two flight sim expos this year, with the first on March 16th and 17th. Our setup is almost complete, except for some issues with the EFIS and MCP, which I will explain later. We will have a stand at the Lelystad expo and would be happy to meet you there. In less than six days, I will be heading across the UK with a car and, hopefully, an almost-finished unit to display or as close to finished as possible. I will then take the overnight ferry to Amsterdam and am very excited to see what this year offers. As of right now, the simulator looks like this:
There is still a considerable amount to do in a short time. I have been on this project nonstop since Christmas. The biggest problem I seem to have is that once the design is done, I immediately think of a better way to do it, leading to delays. So, right now, I've stopped designing and just started building!
Unlike last year, I won't be trying to run a heli simulator while trying to talk to everyone simultaneously. This year, I plan to take a more reserved approach and focus on chatting and showcasing.
We will meet and share a welcome drink in the hotel bar each night for those attending for multiple days. After attending last year's expo, the after-party meet-up was just as fantastic.
For my Patreon attendees, coffee, soda, or beer will be waiting for them. The evening meet-ups are usually held in the Van der Valk hotel bar.
The second significant event of the year for flight simulation enthusiasts will take place on June 21-22 in Las Vegas, USA. I was thrilled to receive an invitation to attend this event across the pond. Initially, I applied for a display stand to showcase some of our new ideas, mainly the AH and Huey sim and parts. However, after learning about the high cost of rental space at the expo, we had to decline as it would have exceeded our actual sim build and flight cost.
This year, we have decided to go as general public and meet our US friends at designated locations daily. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to meet you and catch up over a coffee. This will also allow me to step back and see what others are doing in the sim world.
It's also an excellent opportunity to see the differences between European and stateside expos.