Full home sim cockpit completed

JonH

JonH

Pre-takeoff checklist
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JonH

All you need is pitot heat :) Happy Easter, and April Fools.

It's pretty cool you can interface microcontrollers with flight sims. I don't plan on building a home sim but had fun playing around with ArdSimX.

http://www.simvim.com/ardsimx/
 
Thanks for the heads-up JonH! I had been considering a Bodnar board for similar functions, but balked at the $75 plus shipping from the UK. Using an Arduino clone and this software will make mistakes in the process more palatable. I hadn't run across the ardsimx before.

My goal is to fly the XP11 sim from a/c choice to shutdown w/o using the mouse. GTN750/650's on a touchscreen took me most of the way. This will help complete the process...major cool!

Jim
 
Ordered the bits and pieces this morning. $14 for a Mega clone on Az! Thanks again, JonH!

Jim
 
Oh you got a Mega? This should be cool!
 
Nothing new. Been playing with Arduinos connected to sims for years. You can make your own custom audio panels, radio panels, transponders, instruments, whatever you can muster.
If you are just starting with Arduinos, imagine that one day you will run out of inputs/outputs on the chip. (even with a Mega, yup) Then you can use off-board expansion HW to have as many inputs/outputs as you can imagine, by using just 5 digital ports. And for experts, 4 will do just fine. ;)
 
I mentioned a multiplexer earlier. Personally I would use one starting out, to reduce wiring (my micro doesn't have internal pullups) and add a layer of protection. Plus, no code change later.

The concept has been around forever, sure. This library is relatively new, as is the X-Plane 11 plugin ;)
 
Total rookie on Arduino's here...digital ports? Internal pull-ups? 'Layer of protection'? You're scaring me!

I'm not gonna get nutzoid on the thing. A T210 doesn't really have that many switches and knobs if you take the radios out of the equation (touchscreen/GTN's). The reason I'm focused on the 210 is that the panel matches our R182 pretty close for avionics (we have a r/w 650). It's wonderful to know there's some expertise here, cause I know I'm gonna need ya!!

First question (it's good to start with the basics)....what have you guys made switch panels (the panel itself) out of?

Jim
 
I've seen people use everything from foam board to metal. Personally I'd go with thin wooden sheet to keep it rigid, and cheap. Aluminum square tube seems like good support material. You can paint the panel with some cockpit grey or there are websites that sell giant decals to go on them.

The Arduino thing shouldn't be a problem. Once you wire up one switch or blink one LED it will make a lot more sense.
 
Just reporting back in on the Arduino progress. JonH was right...it's no biggy once you do a bit of reading/cogitating on it. This is not a home cockpit either, just phase one of a project. :) This little panel (aided by the touchscreen 750/650 for nav/com/transp/audio panel) will take care of 99% of the in-flight need for mouse/keyboard. The panel itself is the bottom of some drawers I was parting out.

Next phase, parts ordered, is sliders for the rudder trim/cowl flaps, and the dual rocker switches, etc, to make a cold-start flight possible without mouse/keyboard.0501181116.jpg
Jim
 
Hmmmppphhhh....probably not a drawer bottom in the whole thing!!

...but NICE! :)

Jim
 
WOW! Didn't know such things were possible. Now I've got ideas brewing for an unused room in the house...
 
I can pick up the entire front end for an F-4E for about $9 grand. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
 
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