Simviation Forum

Jul 30^th, 2006 at 4:45pm

Airshow_lover Offline
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LaVergne, TN

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Well, we are starting on a home built cockpit!

We plan to get rid of most of the frame.

Are there any suggestions or problems you have come across while building your home cockpits?

« Last Edit: Aug 5^th, 2006 at 6:52pm by Airshow_lover »

C/SMSgt - Civil Air Patrol

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Reply #1 - Jul 30^th, 2006 at 6:20pm

beaky Offline
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That's pretty interesting so far. Where did you get the yokes?

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Reply #2 - Jul 30^th, 2006 at 6:28pm

Airshow_lover Offline
Colonel
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LaVergne, TN

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Quote:

Where did you get the yokes?

OshKosh at the fly market. Thats how we bought it. Really all well keep is the black "T bar" and the yokes. the frame we will more then likely scrap. We have decided to wait till FSX comes out first to make sure they havent changed any major things.

C/SMSgt - Civil Air Patrol

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Reply #3 - Jul 30^th, 2006 at 9:01pm

expat Offline
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Care to share how much you parted with for it?

Matt

PETA People Eating Tasty Animals.

B1 Boeing 737-800 and Dash8 Q-400

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Reply #4 - Jul 30^th, 2006 at 10:59pm

Airshow_lover Offline
Colonel
I'm back........!
LaVergne, TN

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Quote:

Care to share how much you parted with for it?

Matt

This is the Great part Grin

ONLY $35 bucks! Cheesy

C/SMSgt - Civil Air Patrol

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Reply #5 - Jul 31^st, 2006 at 2:45am

expat Offline
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Quote:

This is the Great part Grin

ONLY $35 bucks! Cheesy

Respect!

Matt

PETA People Eating Tasty Animals.

B1 Boeing 737-800 and Dash8 Q-400

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Reply #6 - Aug 5^th, 2006 at 4:07pm

masmith Offline
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Bristol/Liverpool uk

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Nice,

please keep us updated as time goes on. Cheesy

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Reply #7 - Aug 5^th, 2006 at 6:48pm

Airshow_lover Offline
Colonel
I'm back........!
LaVergne, TN

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Posts: 1740

Quote:

Nice,

please keep us updated as time goes on. Cheesy

will do

We plan on making it so that:

1) its easily deconstructably for travel
2) Able to take out the yokes and replace with a stick (for aerobatics and biplane-like aircraft)
3) Create a throttle system that locks into place on one side (middle) for two-person/with-the-yoke flying and lock on to the other side (left) for "stick" flying

Also, we are trying to figure out how to do the Rudder pedals but still make them transportable.

We are going to have a flaps switch (click down, center, click up) and a smoke switch.

We are having problems figuring out the gear....since there is no sperate "gear up" and "gear down" in FS ??? How does everybody else get around this?

Airshow_lover,

A happy, but confused, person.

C/SMSgt - Civil Air Patrol

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Reply #8 - Aug 5^th, 2006 at 9:04pm

chuckcrc Offline
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Simpit builder
Australia

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Hi airshow
looks good so far -- a very good purchase.

Question about the yokes-- I can see in the pic how the aileron control works with the gears etc but how is the elevator control attached to the yokes-- is there a cable inside the yoke sliding shaft that we can't see ?

The gear operation question-- in the sim the gear operation is via a toggle function on the keyboard.

To replicate this function with switches will depend on what electronic interface you are going to use for your pit. To hook up a toggle swicth to a bashed keyboard to operate the "G" key will not work as you will get the key repeat problem.

You need to decide on the electronic format of your pit very early in the design process as it affects how you build your controls.

cheers
chuck

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Reply #9 - Aug 31^st, 2006 at 8:39am

JBaymore Offline
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Quote:

We are having problems figuring out the gear....since there is no sperate "gear up" and "gear down" in FS ??? How does everybody else get around this?

Airshow_lover,

First of all... now that I am back in the States again after a long absence......... welcome to the insanity that is known as "Homebuilt Cockpit Construction". You do realize that it is a terrible, and possibly permanent affliction, don't you? Wink

Second....... GREAT SCROUNGE JOB!!!
This is the type of thing I mean when I tell people the cost of such projects depends a lot on your personal situation and abilities to scrounge and build stuff. For some....... those two yokes and the connecting frame would have cost hundreds of dollars.

As to the "gear down / gear up" situation.........

Darned if I can remember how it is set up with my gear control (have to look at the pit "manual" for reference Wink

) ....... but I thought there actually was separate gear up and gear down key commands....rather than the toggle concept. But maybe I am not remembering correctly.

In any case, I use a a checklist for "aircraft" shutdown that makes sure that the gear handle is in "sync" with the sim when it boots up again (gear down). Basically if the "aircraft" is left on the ground (with gear down) when you shut down, and the sim is set to default to starting with the aircraft on the ground...... the handle will always be in sync. Starting and ending that way is far more realistic too.

The best general advice I can give you is to look around at all the possible reference materials that you can find. Look at LOTS of simpits. Check out all the available hardware options available....and decide what you might use BEFORE you really put saw to wood or metal. Planning out stuff in advance is about 50% of the battle. My biggest issues came when I didn't adequately plan ahead....... and then found that I had to rip out something that I had already done.

Keep us posted,.......and continue to share pictures.

best,

..........................john

Intel i7 960 quad 3.2G LGA 1366, Asus P6X58D Premium, 750W Corsair, 6 gig 1600 DDR3, Spinpoint 1TB 7200 HD, Caviar 500G 7200 HD, GTX275 1280M, Logitec Z640, Win7 Pro 64b, CH Products yoke, pedals + throttle quad, simpit

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Reply #10 - Aug 31^st, 2006 at 9:55am

Professor_Fate Offline
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"Push the button, Max!"

Posts: 49

Another suggestion for scrounging to keeps costs down is to visit your local metal recycler. You can often find good usable lengths of steel and aluminum tubing, sheet metal, wire, etc. that they will only charge you the scrap value for. Beats going to hardware stores and paying top dollar for new stuff. You will be surprised at all the scratchbuilding goodies you can find for cheap.

Fate

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