Single seat cockpit

[Shawn]

Thanks Ronson but my issue is with seeing the monitor for starting up programs? With the panels installed I have to guess at where the folders are. The material I built the mip from is soft enough that I can actually just push on the panel where the monitor on/off button is and it works.

[Ronson2k9]

If the computer(s) is FSX dedicated then you could have FSX/FSWide boot from startup and then you don't need to go into folders and the like. It will boot up already loaded. Just add FSX or FSWide to your startup folder in windows to have it boot at startup.

[Shawn]

I'll look into adding the gauge files to the startup menu, that would save some effort setting things up. I got the engine panel almost finished, added a single com/nav radio and the weather radar, just have to cut holes for the buttons.





All the photo's I've taken so far have been with my blackberry and don't do the gauges justice. It's not that easy to take photo's of a computer screen but after a few attempts I think I got a decent one. For those interested in these gauges I've attached a link to a high resolution photo. Laurent did a fantastic job and I hope we see more freeware gauges from his shop.

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/...d/IMG_3256.jpg

[Shawn]

Just let me know when you guys are tired of me updating this post twice a day I got a hydraulic dampner in the mail this morning. Eventually both sides of the pedals will have one but I wanted to make sure they were going to work before spending more money. They fit as planned with more than enough clearance. I think two will provide some decent resistance to the pedals.





Shawn

[roppeca]

That hydraulic damper will add a lot of real effect..good idea !...Shawn, still posting , knowledge is knowledge and as I said , thanks for sharing ! ( by the way , beautiful garden , jeje ! )

[Ronson2k9]

Never going to get tired of the updates so long as you find time to do them. Every bit helps. Not only us but others that may want to build something similar. Nice addition with the dampers.

Cheers
Ron

[Shawn]

Just playing with ideas

[Ronson2k9]

Floor is always cooler then desk. Cold air sinks. So I would put the computers on both ends of the LCD TV cabinet. That also puts all the cables behind everything too. So a power bar and so on could go in the middle of your LCD cabinet and the associated control cables for all your hardware seats and so on go forward. If you want your Helo and non Helo seat to be interchangeable then a interface plug in/USB Hub could be a good idea. Then you could connect/disconnect the one your using/not using and set it aside.

You could also hook in DVD player to watch your favorite flight DVD too. When you need to kick back from all the work you've been doing. LCD tv's have a multitude of input choices. You could run S-Video (Super VHS) out of the DVD player and two RCA/monster audio cables from there to watch your movies with.. So win win and win.

As my sim is in my living room I already have a TV for movies and the like. My sim video will be dedicated to sim unless my TV breaks down then there could be trouble. My 'regular' TV is a 32" sharp CRT that has never failed once but it's not a spring chicken anymore.

So..

- Coolness keeping your sim computers cool is important
- Modular (plugs and clips) to make changes fast and painless.
- Concealment. To keep cats/dogs/kids from tripping and or yanking/chewing on cables and to keep things neat and tidy.
- wireless mouse and keyboard would also be useful.

Looks pretty cool..

[Shawn]

I have been working on the idle release mechanism for my generic cockpit. I've still got some work to do but I thought I would share the progress so far.

The button consists of a bolt, compression spring, washer and a rounded off nut.





The throttle handle is a piece of aluminum tube (seatpost from a bike) with a hole drilled to allow the bolt to fit through. The collective shaft is a section of steel tube with an outside diameter that closely matches the inside diameter of the seat post. I drilled and cut a notch in the collective shaft that allows the rounded bolt to slide inside, a short section of the notch is left skinnier than the rounded nut so the button must be pushed down to allow the shaft of the bolt to slide through the constriction.





Its still not as smooth as I would like but I have a few ideas that I will try to smooth out the action.

Here's a short video showing the throttle in action.

http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/...0901-00024.mp4

[Ronson2k9]

Pretty cool vid. I've never been in a helicopter I could touch the controls of so I don't know if the throttle is spring loaded or not? Looks good though.. If a solution isn't found readily perhaps you could look to a motorcycle throttle. Just a thought.