Singer GA trainer

[gspannelljr]

Like most of you, I have flown MS flight sims for years from my desktop. Its time to up the game, so to speak. I lucked out and found a Singer GAT-1 flight simulator in my local salvage yard. The plastic body is gone due to age but all the framework, I/P, motion platform, and even all the gauges are still there and serviceable. Best part, the price.........$75 come get the @%%$#& off my property. I couldn't get there fast enough. Now the challenge is the Restoration/conversion to the new technology we have. My first decision is how to convert the gauges. Do I strip them down to just the faces and start over or integrate the existing motors etc. ? I will post a build thread w/pictures when I get started. Anyone with any iformation on this simulator would be a great help. A wiring diagram would be a gift from the heavens so I better start praying and searching. Wish me luck!

[RobiD]

I look forward to watching your progress.

[flyinjake]

JR, Welcome and there is a lot of information here to search through

Jake

[Matt Olieman]

Would love to see some pics of what you got. :)

Good luck.

Matt Olieman

[Joe Cygan]

Welcome to mycockpit! Looking forward to watching your project progress.

[linkuser]

Hi,
looking for informations about GAT-1 link trainer i found your post. Probably i can help you with a schematic. Which do you need ?

Greetings from Germany

[gspannelljr]

thanks for the response. Since I had no information I decided to start from scratch. I have been rewiring everything to fit todays circuit boards, driver circuits and so on. I will post some pictures as soon as I can. I could use some of the gagues that are mssing. The fuel gauges and the other stuff on the far left bottom are missing. Do you have them?

[linkuser]

i'm sorry, all instruments are still in use. It's difficult to get spare parts. We too have to improvise.

[gspannelljr]

I was thinking, If you could get me some pictures, close ups, of the instruments I need, then I could use the photos as the face cards when I build them from scratch. I know I need the fuel gauges for sure, I forget what else. I will look at it and let you know. Do you think you could do that for me? I would owe you one for sure!
Glenn

[UKV1342]

I was thinking, If you could get me some pictures, close ups, of the instruments I need, then I could use the photos as the face cards when I build them from scratch. I know I need the fuel gauges for sure, I forget what else. I will look at it and let you know. Do you think you could do that for me? I would owe you one for sure!
Glenn

Hi there - thought i would give some support here. I do voluntary work at a local air museum in UK
we have 2 of these 1 an origiinal gat1 (like the blue 1 you are discussing) and a red / black / white gat1a from 2 years later.
The later 1 is physically now fully restored and hopefully when i can get monies willl start the electrical restoration.
the older gat1 is in a container and will eventually have fs installed in it - initially without motion but eventulally - you never know!!
If you need any pictures of either then let me know and will gladly help - also have a full set of manuals for the sims

[Larry Mac Donald]

ukv1342
Would you happen to have a plotter for the gat 1 ?

[UKV1342]

ukv1342
Would you happen to have a plotter for the gat 1 ?

SORRY SIR - the plotter was not avail on either of the GAT1's when donated to the museum
I shall check the board numbers and the manuals to see if the plotter was ever installed on the sim

[737NUT]

I just bought 3 of these trainers so let the fun begin!! Two of them are good and one is for parts. Anyone have manuals available?

Rob

[gspannelljr]

I would be interested in buying some of the gauges I am missing, the fuel gauge etc,would you be interestedin seelling them?

[737NUT]

I would be interested in buying some of the gauges I am missing, the fuel gauge etc,would you be interestedin seelling them?

Sent you a PM. I may end up keeping all 3 so I can fly formation with my son's. Make one a glass 172 and one original?? Who know's with me! LOL
Rob

[UKV1342]

Have set of manuals - happy to help where possiblle short of copying the lot !!! the manuals fill 2 shelves of a double door cabinet. the main manuals in A4 and the schematics in A3
My experience with fixing the electronics is not 100% good
Spent some 4 months (2 days a week at the museum) fixing up the 3 main power supplies - the FET's are getting really expensive these days and all was looking good. Plugged in the sound card and on powering - got the tyre screech and the engine start and throttle control worked ok with the instruments.
Then one of my collegues decided to try out the motion boards when i was not around - Pop -BANG and end of power supplies again. Have now finished the mechanical restoation - will post some pics soonest - but I am going to go for new modern power supplies with crowbar protection before I go any further
Mike

[737NUT]

Thanks Mike! I am getting some manuals with mine, just not sure which ones yet. Will post pics when I get everything and see what manuals I am missing. What are the power requirement, Volts ans Amps??

Thanks,
Rob

[UKV1342]

HI Rob,
Well over here we are 240v of course and our power supply points have 13A max and the sim is well under that.
The onboard transformer is huge and feeds 3 main feeds, +/- 35v which is further regulated down to +/- 25V at I suspect about 10A judging by the size of the tracks, +/- 12V and + 3.6V
I reckon to feed the +/- 25V direct in from modern PSU's with crowbar protection similar with the 12volt supplies.
I will go to museum and get some pics today. (Sat) - Done

5757

5758

5759

5760

[737NUT]

I like that color scheme, looks cool! That is one big transformer for sure!! Any idea what the weight capacity is on the motion system? I found a very interesting document on the GAT-1. It tells how to modify several things in it to expand it's capabilities. I'mm talking down to circuit board level of what components to remove, add, or clip. It will be very helpful in the future. I'm just praying I will be able to get this thing into my basement! It is going to be close as I only have 36" of clearance down the stairwell!

Thanks again for the info and pics,
Rob

[Matt Olieman]

@Mike, VERY Nice, indeed!!! I love it :shock::D

Matt Olieman

[UKV1342]

colour scheme is as supplied out of the factory - early examples were in blue/white gat1A had several versions - search on web will show many variants with / without tail config etc. No weight limit in the handbooks and since the pilot is over the pivot point - dont see how there should be a problem - other than getting in and out. this could be mitigated by leaving off the stbd wing and building a set of steps to allow going in backwards and sitting directly in the seat. The wing / body connection is by massive steel girder that slips inside the wing for approx 18" but has to be packed out to fill the join so you don't damage the wing skin on stepping on it. - good luck with the basement lift - even the tub weighs heavy !!! the motion base - twice as much!!
Mike

[737NUT]

Im not worried so much as the weight as for the width of it. Sounds like it's going to be like moving an elephant through a toilet! LOL

Rob

[gspannelljr]

I have stripped out all the electronics from mine, going to replace with updated parts since mine is in such poor condition. Does anyone want the boards I removed? I wouud be happy to send them to you. The Powe3r supply might be exspesive to ship, it is quite heavy. Let me know.

[gspannelljr]

wow a beautiful restoration. I would have loved to have done the same with mine but it was much too far gone. The body was completely ruined from sitting in the weather.

[737NUT]

wow a beautiful restoration. I would have loved to have done the same with mine but it was much too far gone. The body was completely ruined from sitting in the weather.

I may have a good body for you. :) Also, maybe we could deal on the boards as well. PM sent.
Rob

[gspannelljr]

Awesome, that would be great. I can photograph the boards if you need me to.

[Larry Mac Donald]

737nut,
Do you have any idea where I might find the flight recorder for the gat 1 ?
Larry
lm4@juno.com

[UKV1342]

No sorry - but I will ask around my contacts
In UK - even in museum terms the GAT1 is a rare beast - as opposed to the original Link AN-T18 of the 1940's.

[Larry Mac Donald]

I have stripped out all the electronics from mine, going to replace with updated parts since mine is in such poor condition. Does anyone want the boards I removed? I wouud be happy to send them to you. The Powe3r supply might be exspesive to ship, it is quite heavy. Let me know.

gspannelljr---I will take all the spare parts you are willing to give. A local trade school quit there aviation program and gave us (Chapt. 44 EAA ) a GAT 1 link. As yet we do not have a plotter,Tv monitor, or any spare parts. So we are really hat in hand so to speak. Since any expenses will have to come out of my pocket I'll pass on the pwr supply. Thankds for your consideration.
Larry Mac Donald
lm4@juno.com

[remcosol]

You might want to take a look here:

http://www.vluchtsimulatie.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=86


It is in Dutch but a couple of good pics!

Best regards Remco

[remcosol]

And here some English info if you want to contact them:

http://www.vluchtsimulatie.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=50

[737NUT]

I have 2 plotters now if anyone is interested.

[Larry Mac Donald]

737nut
Can you send me a picture of them ? How much do you want for one of them ?
Larry Mac Donald
lm4@juno.com

[Larry Mac Donald]

I'll take any spare parts wou would want to give me.
Larry Mac Donald
lm4@juno.com

[martinchopper]

Hi,
looking for informations about GAT-1 link trainer i found your post. Probably i can help you with a schematic. Which do you need ?

Greetings from Germany

Guten abent mein herr.
I came across your post on this forum and would like to ask some assistance if you could help.
I bought 2x GAT 1 units recently but unfortunatly it came without any literature. I would be very greatfull if I can get any technical info for it, such as manuals, technical description, block diagram, schematics, wiring diagram ect.
If at all possible and you are willing to share, a wiring diagram will be # 1 on the list.
Regards.
Martin Odendaal.
Tennessee, USA.

eeumartin@gmail.com

[gspannelljr]

"martinchopper"
I don't know of anyone that has info on it that you need. However, if you decide to sell any parts off yours I would be interested. I am still missing a few pieces from the instrument panel. I have converted in to run using MS FSX

[UKV1342]

Guten abent mein herr.
I came across your post on this forum and would like to ask some assistance if you could help.
I bought 2x GAT 1 units recently but unfortunatly it came without any literature. I would be very greatfull if I can get any technical info for it, such as manuals, technical description, block diagram, schematics, wiring diagram ect.
If at all possible and you are willing to share, a wiring diagram will be # 1 on the list.
Regards.
Martin Odendaal.
Tennessee, USA.

eeumartin@gmail.com


Hi Martin

OK i have a complete set of manuals for same some of the cct diagrams are 11" high and about 30" wide and there are about 5 manuals of them plus the setup books
All of this belongs to the museum but I am happy to photocopy individual parts as you require them but I wouldn't want to undertake to do it all in one go - i'd be here for months
where do you want to start? will send you some photos etc of the machine we have so we can make sure wwe are talking about the same trainer - ours has a full set of power boards (but main PSU is now so unreliable I want to replace it with 2 x 25volt high current psu's with crowbar protection. I spent 3 months fixing ours (full of expensive FET's - then someone inserted a fualty motion board and blew it up again!!!!!:-x

Mike

[martinchopper]

hello mike, thanks for the response.
yes, my machines look the same as yours, just don't have the tail feathers.
my problem is with the altimeter. everything else indicate flight while the altimeter remains 0 feet. I have proven the instrument by swapping it around with the instrument from the second trainer I have and it works perfect in that machine and the altimeter from the second trainer also does not work in the first machine. the same goes for the altitude circuit boards ( position 19 ) in the back of the machines. in fact, I swapped all the circuit boards over for various tests. nothing fixed the fault. I also traced and proven continuity of the wires.
the machine with the problem is a little different than the other one I have. it has an extra ADF ( mounted to the left of the radios ) and DME ( mounted to the left of the clock ) on the panel with three more circuit boards in the front, mounted vertically on the flat aluminum plate to the port side of the yoke under the nose cone. judging by the wiring, i believe it to be a factory installation. there are no markings or indications on these boars as to what they would be for. the wiring is also way more involved and complicated than the lessor machine.
it seems the standard wiring was done and then more wiring added to which the altimeter plugs into and the new wiring also plugs into the original altimeter wiring plug.
well, if any of this make sense, I guess I would need a schematic or info around the altimeter or perhaps a description of how the altimeter is driven.
I shall send you an e-mail also soon.
many thanks.
martin.

[Majallen]

Hi are you still working on the link trainer. If so I also have one and looking for wiring info any help would be appreciated. My email is majallen@ij.net