Help: DHC-6 Twin Otter Dimensions???

[Fuglsang]

Hi, fellow sim-builders!! ;)

I'm going to put the B737-700 sim on hold for a while, and start building a DHC-6 Twin Otter Simulator together with a good friend of mine!

But before we ever can get started with this lovely "Twotter", we need some dimensions of the cockpit!?

We have searched almost "the intire internet" :roll: But with no luck, it is so hard to find, when there isn't any "Twotter" builders that we know of... :(

So, is there anyone who can help with some dimensions of the Twin Otter cockpit, or know someone who can??

Thanks in advance!
And have a nice week every one!

Cheers!
Jesper.

[Matt_Thomas]

Don't we have any Canadian friends on here that can make a few vital measurements from a real Twin Otter cockpit?

[Michael Carter]

Try extrapolating from photos. THose are 3" (or 3-1/8") primary flight instruments.

Find the dimensions of the King or Narco radios from their website and use that too.

http://www.seabee.info/images/dhc6/LN-JMP-001-740.jpg

The black faced NAV/COM is a standard Boeing rack width. About 5.75"

http://www.marsonearth.org/images/2002/070202/070202.mars.coord.lg.jpg

Here's another angle using glass for displays. Find the dimensions on the manufacturer's site. I forget who makes this display.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z96/redlum5x5/Power_On_Press_Release_Photo_1_resi.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/boeing722/TwinOtter.jpg?t=1241401534

It's not hard to figure out the dimensions once you have a reference or two.

[fweinrebe]

The glass cockpit Twin Otter has the Honewell Primus Apex avionics system. Viking Air of Victoria, British Columbia operates these Twin Otters. Maybe you can contact their training department. They should be able to help with dimensions as well.

[ak49er]

ERA Aviation, Alaska operated five of these until their purchase by "Million Air". They were converts of the recent FAA CAPSTONE Project, and some featured Chelton Glass Cockpits. A friend said he saw one with Garmin G1000 avionics, but I never saw that one. I have dimensions for the Twin Otter, MIP, cockpit etc. If I run across these I will post them.

The Otter was my first choice when I got ino this hobby, but I couldn't get past the odd yoke mechanism, and never pursued it. Good Luck!

I used to fly on these back and forth to work. The pilots said you literaly had to fly these into the ground, and then raise flaps at touchdown to keep it form flying.

Always crewed by two.

These pilots would spend a spell on the North Slope, flying "Arctic" IFR , in the constant winter dark, and when rotated back to homebase and crewing our flights, would proceed to comfortably put this plane into some really exciting manuveurs, hot shot short finals, full flap take-offs, no flap full load lifto offs, simulate short field landings.

Now we fly in the Piper Navajo, while capable, lacks the sturdiness and capabiltity of this aricraft.

I downloaded the "Alaska Airlines Fleet", including ERA and Horizon Aircraft one time, excellent visual examples of these Otters, including one of a kind custom paint jobs. Great sounds, but I did not pay attention to the flight dynmaics...so I can't speak to those.

Enjoy!

[ak49er]

Ok, so I found my diagrams, but I have no scanner. I will post these dims, and when I can scan I will. (All dims in American Standard)

Usable Cabin Space for cargo (this would be the back wall of the cockpit)
54" Wide x 57 Tall

MIP Width= 49" Total

Center Pedestal = 9" wide

Floor to Captains Yoke spindle= 23"

Span of both yokes= Cap Port grip to FO stbrd grip = 60"

Overhead = 31 x 11 3/4 (not including staggered placement of the two panels just starboard of the OHP.)

MIP Engine Section 10" wide, (x14 1/8 at highest point of arc)

MIP Radio Section = 16.5 Wide (x14 1/8 at highest point of arc)


The Chelton Glass Display Measured 6 3/8 x 5 3/4.

Notes- The pitch and yaw trim is located by the Captains right hip, near the seat base and consists of Pitch= Roller, Yaw= momentary rocker.

The throttle levers have a friction adjustment, and you must rock the lever grips back to engage "Beta" when needed.

I have a digital recording of start-up form between the pilots heads, including a very toungue in cheek safety briefing. I will try to locate, and scan in my paltry schematics.

[CrashEd]

Hi, fellow sim-builders!! ;)

I'm going to put the B737-700 sim on hold for a while, and start building a DHC-6 Twin Otter Simulator together with a good friend of mine!

But before we ever can get started with this lovely "Twotter", we need some dimensions of the cockpit!?

We have searched almost "the intire internet" :roll: But with no luck, it is so hard to find, when there isn't any "Twotter" builders that we know of... :(

So, is there anyone who can help with some dimensions of the Twin Otter cockpit, or know someone who can??



If you still need any further info, then PM me as I work on board a Twin Otter as a technician. I can probably get you some cockpit dimensions when I go over to Finland in June.

[Fuglsang]

Thaks VERY much you guys, for the quick replys!! ;)

It was very useful information!

And thaks Ed, That surely sounds great! ;)

[CrashEd]

Thaks VERY much you guys, for the quick replys!! ;)

It was very useful information!

And thaks Ed, That surely sounds great! ;)

No problem. Great to see somebody doing a Twotter 'pit! :cool:

Good luck.

Ed

[Fuglsang]

Thanks!

And ak49er; that was perfect with those dimensions, now i'm going to use Google SketchUp, and use your inputs and import pictures of the Twotter MIP into SketchUp.

We intend to use the VRinsight Radio Stack, the BU0836X for hardware interface, the CH Throttle Quadrant, 2x CH Yokes, 2x CH Pedals, and bunch of swiches, and maybe korry for annunciators, and for instruments we use 3 LCD screens, and an LCD projector. Thats pretty much it! And it is a fairely simple, affordable, yet very fun project to build, and especialy fly!

Now we can really se progress!

Once again, thak you very much everyone, we couldn't do it with out your help!! :wink:

[ak49er]

You are welcome, I am glad to be able to finally render aid. I would be willing to answer any questions about operations and procedures as well.

Do some research here on VR Insight, it is not what some here have expected.

Of course, it is your project. If it were mine, I would save some money on the CH Yokes and construct the dual yoke mechanism myself, and use the saved 300.00 USD+ for pulleys , pots and springs. Even the most current 'Twotters use bent pipe for yoke grips, brilliantly simple IMHO.

One of the more memorable functions during start up, was after lighting off both engines, the engines/props would slowly rock and rumble the aircraft, as the gearboxes built oil pressure. The props would then "un-feather" and the airframe would stop buffeting and the engines would gain RPM together, smoothly. This followed by a loud click when the parking brake was unlocked, would mean I was twenty minutes from home.

Also, I was privvy to a full flaps take-off one time. The Captain lined up with his mains on the threshhold, held the brakes dropped the flaps, applied full power and released the brakes. What you get next is an immediate acceleration follwed by a helicopter like, nose down lift off. Once the nose and main gear came off the aircraft lifted smartly up with a definitely visible and felt nose down attitude. carrying this posture to about 500AGL 'till the falps were raised.

They say this is the biggest mistake rookies make on a Go-around, they want to pull the yoke back to gain alttitude, but at full flaps, one needs to apply forward pressure on the yoke to go up.

Cool project, can't wait to see it develop.

[Fuglsang]

One of the more memorable functions during start up, was after lighting off both engines, the engines/props would slowly rock and rumble the aircraft, as the gearboxes built oil pressure. The props would then "un-feather" and the airframe would stop buffeting and the engines would gain RPM together, smoothly. This followed by a loud click when the parking brake was unlocked, would mean I was twenty minutes from home.

Also, I was privvy to a full flaps take-off one time. The Captain lined up with his mains on the threshhold, held the brakes dropped the flaps, applied full power and released the brakes. What you get next is an immediate acceleration follwed by a helicopter like, nose down lift off. Once the nose and main gear came off the aircraft lifted smartly up with a definitely visible and felt nose down attitude. carrying this posture to about 500AGL 'till the falps were raised.

They say this is the biggest mistake rookies make on a Go-around, they want to pull the yoke back to gain alttitude, but at full flaps, one needs to apply forward pressure on the yoke to go up.

Cool project, can't wait to see it develop.

Sounds EXTREMELY amaizing!! :D
I wish I could take a trip it a real Twotter some day! ;)

About the CH-part, we already have a set of two, I forgot to mention that, wich we will convert, and use the potetiometers, and maybe some gasdampers or springs, as you say.
We also got the CH-T/Q and one pair of rudder pedals from CH.. ;)

It could be interesting to make the yokes out of bendt pipe, it should maybe be possible, if I can borrow a "pipe bender" (don't know what's the right word for it in english... Heh:roll:)

About the VRInsight-part, have also heard some different opinions.. So we will do that thaks! ;)

[jacobnielsen]

Hi,

I am building the twotter sim toghether with Jesper.

We just finished the annunciator panel ( thanks to Alan Dyer for FS2Phidgets )
and now we are goeing to build the actual panels. Thats why I used the last few weeks figuring out the right measurements.

A task that seems to be a bit harder than expected.

Never the less we managed to draw a schematic of the front panel that seems reasonable. ( I will upload an image of that later )


In the meantime we would very much like to hear your opinion about the
overhead panel and especially the measurements of it.

http://diamondair.org/OvhdTwotterSim.jpg


Jacob A. Nielsen.

[CrashEd]

In the meantime we would very much like to hear your opinion about the
overhead panel and especially the measurements of it.

Jacob A. Nielsen.


I'll be working next week, for a day or so, so if I get the chance I'lll try and take some measurements. I can't promise anything, but at the very least I'll be able to get some photos and possibly some basic measurements of the panel.

[Mr. Midnight]

Hello fellow simmers I to have found the dhc6 otter a very intriguing plane to fly, I have also started flying the otter over the level 767.

Because of the advancement of computers and software the visuals down low are so real to the eye.

I have been flying the otter for about a year now (sim flying that is) and I too am converting my pit to an otter style pit.
I have been running a several monitor set up for several years.

What software package will you be using?

I have the aerosoft dhc6 otter and I have a question on how you plan to interface with it.
So far with the aerosoft version I cannot get the engine start switches to work outside of using the mouse.
I tried through fuicp4 and could not get it done.

Perhaps you can help me there.
Or is there another way you are going about this.

Thanks……Robert

[Foothills]

Hi all

I am also starting to build the Twotter and have done some research to get the right dimensions.

I would appreciate if I could get in contact with some of the other builders especially on how to construct the main frame for the MIP.

Another questions would be: How are you integrating the FS Yoke into the MIP - I guess it will be too much work constructing the typical DHC yoke.

Any comments are welcome.

Thanks
Andre

[lordofwings]

Any news on this development? I am also using the Aerosoft Twin Otter and have been enlightened to read this thread. I too wanted to build a B737 cockpit but like others, am seriously considering starting with a simpler cockpit, in my case the DHC6 because I just love it. I think the -400 (Viking Air, glass cockpit) version is easier but I somehow like the -300 traditional look.

I am looking for dimensions. Down here we have a couple of local companies flying this bird all over the country. I will try to get in touch with operations/maintenance but I wouldn't hold my breath on that, people in this country are usually tight on getting you information.