A new showcase for Aces High?

[Traveler]

Hey kids. I need your help. I have been given the task of putting together some interactive stuff for a display at a local air museum. We recently got an airframe that was recovered from the bottom of lake Michigan. One of the things they want to have for the display is a section with 6 or 7 screens with a flight sim allowing visitors to try taking off and landing from a carrier.
So who has some ideas about how to do this? Could I use Aces High in practice mode? How can I get it to default to that specific scenario? Is there another, better option? What about hardware. Is anybody still in the business of making a joystick that could handle the abuse? What haven't I thought of? Should I just run away now?

What is the name and location of this local air museum?

[dBeav]

Yankee Air Museum
Located at historic Willow Run Airport.
http://yankeeairmuseum.org

[Shuffler]

For such a short presentation it may be better to just air launch and let them fly.

[Nefarious]

For such a short presentation it may be better to just air launch and let them fly.

That's why I suggested the Herve Map. Air Spawns from 1K to 20K along with regular fields and a few Task Forces.

[Shuffler]

That's why I suggested the Herve Map. Air Spawns from 1K to 20K along with regular fields and a few Task Forces.

A fine suggestion. I was just throwing my herd in with yours.

[Brooke]

Yankee Air Museum
Located at historic Willow Run Airport.
http://yankeeairmuseum.org

<S> to a Michigander.  I grew up in Troy.

[Brooke]

By the way, for hardware, you can a setup that runs AH just fine for $297 for the computer, $98 for Windows, and $150 for graphics card as described here:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,392522.0.html

Best stick for the money is Thrustmaster T.16000M for about $50.  It's a twisty stick.

Best pedals for the money (in my opinion) are CH Products pedals for about $130.

[Brooke]

I've thought about doing something similar for Seattle's Museum of Flight or Flying Heritage Museum if they are interested in it, or maybe a class on on-line flying at one of those if they are interested (but that would take either more computers or people bringing in their own).

[dBeav]

We already have a couple of "sims" setup using Microsoft Flight Sim in custom built boxes that visitors climb into. They are very popular but require constant attention.

I never got a response back from the folks at Hitech so I guess I just start playing around with some options, starting some of the great one presented here. Hopefully I can come up with something presentable.

PS
<S> fellow Michigander! 

[dBeav]

The decision has been made to go with Aces High. We can get visitors to "take off" pretty quickly and the graphics are great. I picked up a VKB Gladiator Mark II which looks like it will work great and hold up to some abuse.  Now to start putting together a PC. Once I have it all figured out I'll build 4 more (or so).
Another fun part of this is that the AF museum down in Dayton is building a new flight sim as well. Not that we're officially in competition but... my sim will win. 

[Brooke]

Way to go!  Awesome! 

In case it is of any use, here's some info on what I think is the cheapest computer setup that will run AH at 60 fps with slider set to "none".

I've done 3 of them so far -- working great.

The one quoted below, I bought the parts and put it together.  However, if you want the machine assembled for you and with a 1 year warranty, you can select all the stuff from superbiiz.com, and they will assemble, install the OS, and give you a 1-year warranty all for a $50 fee.

computer system was $266; GTX 1050 graphics card was $150; Windows 10 was $103.

From Superbiiz.com:
1    Crucial DDR4-2400 4GB/512Mx64 CL17 Memory    CTD424UA4G    $44.99   
   1    Intel Pentium G4400 Dual-Core Skylake Processor 3.3GHz 8.0GT/s 3MB LGA 1151 CPU, Retail    G4400BOX    $51.79
   1    Microsoft Windows 10 Home Operating System 64-bit English (1-Pack), OEM    MSKW900140    $103.49
GIGABYTE GA-H110M-A LGA1151/ Intel H110/ DDR4/ SATA3&USB3.0/ A&GbE/ MicroATX Motherboard   $48.49

From Amazon:
APEVIA X-QTIS-BK Micro ATX Gaming/HTPC Case, 1 x 120mm Blue LED fan, $34.99
 EVGA 500 W1, 80+ WHITE 500W, 3 Year Warranty, Power Supply 100-W1-0500-KR, Black, $39.99
 WD Blue 1TB Desktop Hard Disk Drive - SATA 6 Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch - WD10EZRZ, $45.90
Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 2GB GDDR5 128 Bit PCI-E Graphic Card (GV-N1050OC-2GD) $149.99 
Sceptre E248W-1920R 24 Inch Ultra Thin 1080p 75Hz LED Monitor HDMI VGA, Metal Black 2018, $99.53

Miscellaneous stuff that folks often already have:
1    Logitech K120 Wired USB Keyboard for Business (Black)    KB-K120    $11.29 <--- suberbiiz.com
   1    Kensington K72356US Wired USB Optical Mouse (Black)    KS-K72356U    $6.29  <--- suberbiiz.com
 Koss CS100 Speech Recognition Computer Headset, $14.40  <--- amazon.com
 CH Products Pro Pedals USB Flight Simulator Pedals ( 300-111 ), $120.99  <--- amazon.com
CH Products Flightstick Pro USB 4-Button Joystick 8-Way Hatswitch, $82.86 <--- amazon.com
 Belkin 7-Port Plug-and-Play Powered Desktop Hub with USB-A Ports, $22.32 <--- amazon.com

Although if want a twisty stick instead, I'd remove the CH stick and pedals and substitute Thrustmaster T.16000M.  That would also be a savings of about $140.

[1ijac]

You could always have two CV task groups, one following the other, with a little distance between them.  They take off from the following CV and land on the leading CV.  Zeros or FM2s lift very easily.

One-eye

[dBeav]

I've put some numbers together and sent it off to the higher ups. Brooke, I've been looking at your specs and using them as a baseline for the build. I started high so I have some wiggle room as they ask me to spend less. I'm looking at 3 27" curved monitors at each station. That should provide a fair amount of "immersion". 

One-eye, that's a good idea! Thanks