[simpits-tech] XB-70?

[Rob Hommel]

Matt

While there may indeed be an XB-70 still in existence access to the pit may
be less than available. The Air Force Museum has the only one. They like the
Smithsonian restrict access to some objects, while your ambition is great
you have no idea what obstacles you would need to hurdle to overcome.
Contact the folks at the Air Force Museum and see if they will open it up
for you to see the interior and take photos and measurements. I would love
to see an article on the Simpits site on your experiences.

I undertook the challenge to get the Museum at McChord to open the cockpit
on the F-15 there. (They are part of the Air Force Museum) After a couple of
dozen phone calls they agreed to open the cockpit for Gene and myself to
take a look into. There was only one person on the Air Base authorized to
open the cockpit so we had to do it according to his schedule and access was
monitored closely. They made certain we knew that the ejection seat was
operational and we knew enough not to launch ourselves into oblivion.

Take it slow at first doing a generic general aviation cockpit is a great
idea. After your first couple of hundred feet of wiring you might begin to
think a second project is not in your future.(some of us just don't learn)
Even if you built the cockpit of the XB70 what software would you use to fly
it under? I may have a photo of the XB70 cockpit in my archive. (No promises
there)  That rare bird I spotted as a young boy, while it was undergoing
tests at the climatic labs at Eglin AFB. Only to see it again as an adult at
Wright Patterson AFB. Sure wish I had seen it fly.

Keep 'em Flying
Rob Hommel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Bailey" <mattb@rtccom.net>
To: <simpits-tech@simpits.org>
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2002 10:17 PM
Subject: [simpits-tech] XB-70?


> Just curious, have any of you ever heard of anyone building an XB-70
> pit? It's crossed my mind before but is very much out of my resources
> and current skills/knowledge (I have built NO cockpit yet!) obviously
> nearly all of the parts would have to be fabricated, but at least there
> is still one plane left for getting dimensions etc.
>
> My initial plan is a small, generic, general aviation-style single seat
> cockpit, but one of these days I'd like to make something based on a
> real plane. The XB-70 is fascinating.
>
> -Matt Bailey
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