Simcontrol = RIP....?
Update 21.12.2009
Simcontrol will raise again! Got some inside confirmation that simcontrol is not dead. But will be back early 2010 with updated flight sim gear. Don't know anything more if they will re-launch at the old web site address - www.simcontrol.co.uk (link not in use now) - or under a new address. But I'll sure keep you updated!! ;)
This article changed a lot since I started to write the first cast of it. It was supposed to be about the absolutely best enthusiast/semi-professional simulator gear you can have - at an affordable prize! The Ranger 5s helicopter pilotseat; with a fully functional cyclic, collective with throttle and damper pedals. In the time of writing I discovered that the simcontrol web page has been taken down. You can no longer find this great piece of helisim hardware at www.simcontrol.co.uk! But even more disturbing (and what could be worse than not finding my favorite simulator setup???) was what followed. It seams like one of the great guys and the owner behind the awesome simcontrol portfolio M.R.V.C (Multi Role Virtual Cockpit), the Spitfire Cockpit Simulator and the latest Ranger 5s - Bill Trezise has died. Though I did not know the man personally, it is with sadness I realise he has passed away. Bill Trezise's company - simcontrol - made a huge impact for the helisim industry. The gear they produce is of high quality, great looking, and some of the best, if not THE best modular system, yet within an affordable price range, on the market. It has been sold both to private and military. The RAF (Royal Air Force - England) is one of several users of simcontrol's systems. Some of the latest news on the webpage was that they where working on a big order. And the webpages them selfs had not been updated since october 2008. But outdated web pages was nothing new. They spent most of their time focusing on building great hardware.
Just take a look at the pictures, they speak for them selves:
The Ranger 5S.
The older M.R.V.C.
A fully setup simulator with double pilotseat/Ranger 5s controls.
What's happening to simcontrol - I don't know. I do hope someway they will still be there, continuing producing these amazing simulators. As so to bring on the memory of Bill Trezise. In addition there still is, and will continue to be a huge demand their helisim setups.
If someone knows more about what's happening to the english company Simcontrol, I would appreciate any input or feedback.
Simcontrol you are the king of each enthusiast's helicopter simulator hardware setup - we need you back online!!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI have just read your article,and as Bill Trezise was my partner for many years I wanted to say thank you for your kind words,and as you said he was one of the great guys.
Thank you
Pam
Hi Pam!
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that the simulator controls he developed in fact changed parts of the helicopter simulator hardware industry. The industry has come a long way from the early simulator days (aka fs98 and fs1 to 5). And it made me (and hopefully everyone else) very happy to know that Simcontrol is continuing a great helicopter simulator "gear" tradition and coming out with updated hardware in this year!!!
Regards Jim/Admin
RC Simulations in Bristol UK are a main dealer
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jon Fellows, and I worked with Bill Trezise developing the Simcontrol hardware for over 15 years. Bill was brilliant innovator, and made some incredible flight controls. His prorotypes were all handmade - and were all very good - but not easily reproducable. My input was to production engineer the products so that we could make controls for anyone out there who wanted to feel what it was like to fly the real aircraft - or as close as possible to this ideal.
I inherited all of Simcontrols assets after Bill died, and have continued to supply most of the higher end products. RC Simulations are agents for all products from the Jon Fellows Partnership - although the MRVC range has been replaced with the new Cadet range.
The SpitSim Spitfire controls were engineered by myself in 2004 with a lot of help from Bill and these can be supplied with a full cockpit section of the fuselage, on a D-Box motion platform, with large projected extternal image and back-projected instrument panel. I have spares for some of the older Simcontrol products, and I can be contacted on
spitsim@yahoo.co.uk
Best Regards. Jon Fellows.
www.simcontrol.com.au can provide all of the new flight control systems and more. We work hand in hand with Jon and are the Australasian representatives for all of these great products.
ReplyDelete