Simulator Hardware & Software
The simulator uses elements (and eventually the entire flight deck) of a retired Continental B-737-100 along with other genuine Boeing 737 avionics and system components. The simulator will be of the fixed-base variety (no motion, just outside visuals) and is currently using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, interfaced with R&R Electronics' EPIC system. The epic system is the hardware that interfaces directly with the lights, displays, gages, and switches. Our simulator host program, Sim Control, talks directly to the epic system. The epic simply handles the hardware, the software in Sim Control is what makes the sim behave like the 737.
 

Below are some shots of the hardware:

Epic Hardware.  Sorry about the wiring :-)

Power Distribution Rack

Power Supply Rack

Below are some screen shots of sim control.  The sim control program is a stand alone program, not requiring Flight Sim to be running in order to operate.   In the early years of the sim, code would be written in EPL and uploaded into the epic card.  The disadvantage is that you could never really write and run code without being in the sim.  With this system, you could be anywhere and develop and run the code offline of the sim.

Here are some screen shots:

As you can see from the above screenshot, the modules on the 737 aircraft are represented and indicate either offline or online, connected to the sim, what the lights and switches are doing in the same aircraft.

Above is a screenshot of the hydraulics schematic, showing system pressures, hydraulic demand, etc.  This type of information is crucial in troubleshooting the sim.

Simulator Visuals

The visual system consists of a single channel collimated optical system off of a Boeing 747 simulator.  This is the same type system used in many professional simulators and provides a true 3D outside view.  The system works by bouncing the image from a CRT into a spherical mirror.  The monitor image is reflected by a 50/50 beam splitter into, sort of a one way mirror.  The pilot looks through the beam splitter into the mirror.  The mirror bends the image so that the light rays that make up the image are parallel, thus setting the image focal point at infinity, which is what makes the 2D image now 3D.

Side view of the collimated optical system, looking in from the copilot's side.  The nose of the airplane is at the left side of the picture (nose is painted black so it does not reflect into the optics).