Hi, im Roger

[Fsxlover]

Hi im Roger, and its always been my dream to build my own cockpit, not for stiff-winged aircraft, but for rotorcrafts.

I love helicopters and i like how they fly, so i was wondering wat budjet i must have to build a cockpit. I already have a cycle and collective + rudder pedals hehe.. Just on a need to know basis :)

[Joe Cygan]

Great post Roger!:)

Welcome to mycockpit (the rotor heads).

Joe

[Fsxlover]

Hehe thanks, and yes im a newbie :P

i have a lot of questions and such on how to build my own helicopter cockpit..
I know the interior looks of a helicopter cockpit, just need to know were to start :P so if you could give me a lead, that'd be great .

- Roger

BTW: i have great expetations for this site. ;)

[Geremy Britton]

Welcome Roger. Not that many people cater for the heli, but there are certainly experienced members on here who will help you with information and tricks of the trade.

Great to have you with us, :)

[kermit]

welkom Roger,
just take a look on simkits.nl for instruments and ideas
greetz

[Fsxlover]

Hehe thanks, im one of the helicopter lovers out there, who dont like stiff-winged aircrafts.. its boring :P

And thanks kermit, i will check it out ;)

- Roger

[choffmann]

Hi Roger,

I don´t know how much work you want to put into your copter by yourself and if you consider to buy certain parts from suppliers. I know, there´s not many suppliers around for helis. I know that cockpitsonic are trying to manufacture cockpit parts and even the shell of a Robinson copter. They just recently made a fibreglass moulding from a real R22. (I think it´s a R22). So maybe you can enquire there to buy some parts in the hopefully not so far future.
Must be a wonderful thing to be in that small pit and have these gorgeous FSX photoreal sceneries wrapped around!:cool::cool::cool:

Good luck with your project and please keep us updated, as you come along.:-D

Chris

[Fsxlover]

Hi Roger,

I don´t know how much work you want to put into your copter by yourself and if you consider to buy certain parts from suppliers. I know, there´s not many suppliers around for helis. I know that cockpitsonic are trying to manufacture cockpit parts and even the shell of a Robinson copter. They just recently made a fibreglass moulding from a real R22. (I think it´s a R22). So maybe you can enquire there to buy some parts in the hopefully not so far future.
Must be a wonderful thing to be in that small pit and have these gorgeous FSX photoreal sceneries wrapped around!:cool::cool::cool:

Good luck with your project and please keep us updated, as you come along.:-D

Chris

Hi Chris, well, i got two problems at the moment, first one: im in norway, so shipping may be expensive. two: im in the military for a year, and i got like 7 mondths left of my duty. But i can promise you all this, i AM gonna build my own Helicopter cockpit ;)

[Fsxlover]

just a few things im wondering on hehe..

1: Can i buy my own buttons and connect to my computer and use those buttons in Flight Simulator ?

2: I have windows 7 as my OS, and when i download new rotorcrafts from simvation or hovercontrol, the aircrafts get transparent and in-complete, do you think it is because of Win7 ?

- Roger

[Ronson2k9]

just a few things im wondering on hehe..

1: Can i buy my own buttons and connect to my computer and use those buttons in Flight Simulator ?

2: I have windows 7 as my OS, and when i download new rotorcrafts from simvation or hovercontrol, the aircrafts get transparent and in-complete, do you think it is because of Win7 ?

- Roger

There are many ways to create a cockpit (interface) between you => your computer => the cockpit.

1 - Keyboard Emulation.

Basically that consists of a keyboard that has been 'hacked' (control card inside the keyboard is removed and reconnected to your switches) so that each switch or button is the same as pushing a key on the keyboard. That is one of the first ways it was done and it still works very well. Not to expensive and pretty easy to accomplish.

http://www.fscockpit.com/keyboardemulator.html

2 - Joystick Controller Card (BU0836X)

This is kind of the same thing but as a joystick emulator. It's a custom designed card that will let you plug in your controls and configure as a joystick.

http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/

Both of those will require a bit of up stream work to make sure the output from your various controls (switch/knob/button etc) match the input of that control in the keyboard/joystick. So it's not exactly plug and play per say but takes a lot of the guess work out of it. Then you will need to configure your (emulators input) to match what you want that control to do in FSX (control settings).

From there there are also custom interface cards you can install in your computer to act as a control input and display or instrument indication output. These are mostly used by those building very complex cockpits (heavies/airliner). As there is a ton of stuff going on there and a great many controls to handle.

From there comes the output side of things.

MIP (main instrument panel)

1 - Actual Instruments

You can buy and adapt actual aircraft instruments to work with your simulator. This was the first thing people were doing when building a cockpit. It's not easy but can be done. Instruments can be found on Ebay or at used aircraft parts suppliers there are a few large ones online. The instruments are a bit on the price side and converting is not easy task. It can and has been done lots of times and many here can help you in that area.

2 - Buy ready made USB instruments.

Simkits and other simulator suppliers will sell you ready to connect and configure USB instruments. You would need a USB Hub most likely to connect all the instruments you need but it's plug and play basically. These are replicas of actual instruments reconfigured for you to work with the flight sim. That convenience comes at a price though :) That is they can be a bit on the expensive side. In a pinch though they are a great option. If you are looking long term at your simulator and a gradual build they are a solid investment and worthy of looking at.

http://www.simkits.com/

3 - LCD instrument panel.

Perhaps one of the least expensive ways of getting a MIP. One I'm going to be using to start off with anyway. You can build a 'Template' that is a shield that looks like and perhaps operates like a MIP and in behind you place a LCD monitor to act as your main instruments. These are from FSX and you can customize and position them using software. You basically get your FSX displayed instruments in the box of your MIP. This works really quite well for a Helo sim as the box is just a bit bigger then the LCD.

Then you have your exterior display. (the virtual outside world)

This is usually done using a multi output VC or the Matrox #-TOGO add on hardware. The Matrox Double or Tripple head to go takes your single output signal and converts it to display on multiple monitors. Giving you a more panoramic view of the outside. You then connect up the monitors of choice (making sure they are compatible if using the Matrox box) and you have your display.

A really quite fine example of a helicopter simulator and perhaps a great resource for you to check out is this Bell 206 Jet Ranger sim built by a fellow simmer in Canada.

http://www.computerrepairs.ca/Simulator.htm

He got his 206 Shell from a scrapped 206. You perhaps don't need to go that far atleast to start off with but it will show you what you can do with time and patience.

Of course this site your reading this from is a great place for everything you need to know about building a sim. The knowledge pool is enormous and pretty well every problem that you could face has been faced before and answers can be found here.

Hope all that helps.

As for the FSX and Win7 display difficulties it's more likely a FSX and early version of the Helicopter model your looking at. The VC (Virtual Cockpit) is part of the model of the helicopter. In some cases an earlier version say FS9 or FS2004 won't display correctly in FSX. So you may be restricted to a 2D panel display in those instances if you are using an earlier FS aircraft model in FSX. If that isn't the case that it could be a video card driver problem with Win7. I am thinking that the Vista drivers should be compatable with Win7 but that may not be entirely true and perhaps waiting for a Win7 driver if you are working with the Vista driver could solve that problem.

Oh and welcome to the board. --- (almost forgot hehehe)
Ron

[Fsxlover]

There are many ways to create a cockpit (interface) between you => your computer => the cockpit.

1 - Keyboard Emulation.

Basically that consists of a keyboard that has been 'hacked' (control card inside the keyboard is removed and reconnected to your switches) so that each switch or button is the same as pushing a key on the keyboard. That is one of the first ways it was done and it still works very well. Not to expensive and pretty easy to accomplish.

http://www.fscockpit.com/keyboardemulator.html

2 - Joystick Controller Card (BU0836X)

This is kind of the same thing but as a joystick emulator. It's a custom designed card that will let you plug in your controls and configure as a joystick.

http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/

Both of those will require a bit of up stream work to make sure the output from your various controls (switch/knob/button etc) match the input of that control in the keyboard/joystick. So it's not exactly plug and play per say but takes a lot of the guess work out of it. Then you will need to configure your (emulators input) to match what you want that control to do in FSX (control settings).

From there there are also custom interface cards you can install in your computer to act as a control input and display or instrument indication output. These are mostly used by those building very complex cockpits (heavies/airliner). As there is a ton of stuff going on there and a great many controls to handle.

From there comes the output side of things.

MIP (main instrument panel)

1 - Actual Instruments

You can buy and adapt actual aircraft instruments to work with your simulator. This was the first thing people were doing when building a cockpit. It's not easy but can be done. Instruments can be found on Ebay or at used aircraft parts suppliers there are a few large ones online. The instruments are a bit on the price side and converting is not easy task. It can and has been done lots of times and many here can help you in that area.

2 - Buy ready made USB instruments.

Simkits and other simulator suppliers will sell you ready to connect and configure USB instruments. You would need a USB Hub most likely to connect all the instruments you need but it's plug and play basically. These are replicas of actual instruments reconfigured for you to work with the flight sim. That convenience comes at a price though :) That is they can be a bit on the expensive side. In a pinch though they are a great option. If you are looking long term at your simulator and a gradual build they are a solid investment and worthy of looking at.

http://www.simkits.com/

3 - LCD instrument panel.

Perhaps one of the least expensive ways of getting a MIP. One I'm going to be using to start off with anyway. You can build a 'Template' that is a shield that looks like and perhaps operates like a MIP and in behind you place a LCD monitor to act as your main instruments. These are from FSX and you can customize and position them using software. You basically get your FSX displayed instruments in the box of your MIP. This works really quite well for a Helo sim as the box is just a bit bigger then the LCD.

Then you have your exterior display. (the virtual outside world)

This is usually done using a multi output VC or the Matrox #-TOGO add on hardware. The Matrox Double or Tripple head to go takes your single output signal and converts it to display on multiple monitors. Giving you a more panoramic view of the outside. You then connect up the monitors of choice (making sure they are compatible if using the Matrox box) and you have your display.

A really quite fine example of a helicopter simulator and perhaps a great resource for you to check out is this Bell 206 Jet Ranger sim built by a fellow simmer in Canada.

http://www.computerrepairs.ca/Simulator.htm

He got his 206 Shell from a scrapped 206. You perhaps don't need to go that far atleast to start off with but it will show you what you can do with time and patience.

Of course this site your reading this from is a great place for everything you need to know about building a sim. The knowledge pool is enormous and pretty well every problem that you could face has been faced before and answers can be found here.

Hope all that helps.

As for the FSX and Win7 display difficulties it's more likely a FSX and early version of the Helicopter model your looking at. The VC (Virtual Cockpit) is part of the model of the helicopter. In some cases an earlier version say FS9 or FS2004 won't display correctly in FSX. So you may be restricted to a 2D panel display in those instances if you are using an earlier FS aircraft model in FSX. If that isn't the case that it could be a video card driver problem with Win7. I am thinking that the Vista drivers should be compatable with Win7 but that may not be entirely true and perhaps waiting for a Win7 driver if you are working with the Vista driver could solve that problem.

Oh and welcome to the board. --- (almost forgot hehehe)
Ron

Long and interesting hehe

Will just start with that i have flown FSX helicopters ONLY, for three years, over 1500 hours in it, so i know a bit about helicopters + ive read alot about the instruments, how to operate them and how they work :) i am helicopter lover, thats what i am hehe..

The LCD displays, are those connected on the graphics card or just ordonary USB ?? always wondered on that, because i see a norwegian computer site sells that, but dont say anything about the connectors :)

And about the USB hub: Yes, i am gonna buy hubs, but then again, i gotta buy a bigger powersupply, only have 650 W black edition, so i gotta buy a bigger one. (and maby a talk with the electric company hehe )

About the Cockpit and the buttons:
I've been thinking of buying:

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/fip.htm#../images/Product/flight_fip_turnjpg.jpg -> Pro Flight Instrument Panel

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfmulti.htm -> Pro Flight Multi Panel

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfradio.htm -> Pro Flight Radio Panel

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfhead.htm -> Pro Flight Headset

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfpanel.htm -> Pro Flight Switch Panel

OR

http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.aspx?sku=351657 -> Saitek Pro Flight Instrument Panel

Im gonna do it easy, im gonna disassemble Pro Flight Switch Panel and take the buttons and place them the way i think fit me best. That is not the problem, but this is gonna be:

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/x52pro.htm -> X52 Pro Flight System

X52 Pro Flight System: I was thinking of removing the joystick, and let the bottom part be, and then im gonna weld on a pole, just to extend the length of the pole, if you know what i mean.. Thats the real problem im facing, rest is just piece of work.

Btw, if i buy two sets of Pro Flight Switch Panel and i connect them to the PC, would it be the same hats and buttons on each of them, or is it like if the one Pro Flight Switch Panel have buttons 1,2,3,4,5 and the other Pro Flight Switch Panel continue with 6,7,8,9,10 ??

Oh, and btw, im not gonna buy lots of screens, ill just buy TrackIR for my cockpit :) http://www.naturalpoint.com/trackir/02-products/product-TrackIR-4-PRO.html

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AO0F5sLdVM (this is pretty impressing :D )

Sorry if i ask too much :P

And yes, Thanks (almost forgot too :P )