Boeing 767 Overhead Project

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

THREAD UPDATED 31st AUGUST 2013 - COLUMN 4 COMPLETED!

 

Hello there!

 

I'd like to welcome you to my second and latest Project - The Boeing 767 Overhead Panel Project!

Like the 767 Pedestal Project (which I'm also making, see the top of the General Forum for more details), I will be self-constructing a Fully-Sized Boeing 767 Overhead Panel for use with the Level-D 767 in FSX.

I will be building the overhead panel over a long period of time, and all updates to the project will be posted as a reply to THIS thread in a "blog-style" update post.

I will be making all the parts myself. Hydraulic Switches, IRS Panel, Air Con Packs... All home made, with no pre-built items!

I will be utilising Opencockpits line of products, in terms of their interfacing boards. The Opencockpits Master Card will interface switches, encoders, LED Outputs, push-buttons, etc. The Overhead also uses one USBLCD Card (IRS LCD DIsplay column 1), and a display card, which powers the digital fuel displays and HF radio displays.

The software receiving program (ie the program that receives the signals given by my switches and converts them for use with FSX) will be Registered FSUIPC. This is because FSUIPC is flexible, cheap and reliable, I hope to use it alot more often in the future. Furthermore, the Opencockpits program "SIOC" will be used in conjunction with the freeware program (developed by Nico Kaan) "Lekseecon", finally hardware interfaced using Opencockpits vast range of Flight Simulator interfacing Cards.

This project originally started out as a Boeing 757 Overhead project, but I switched to a 767 for two reasons:

- There is much better software support and ease of software use with the LDS767
- The 767 Overhead is very similar to the 757 Overhead, so no major changes really
- I love the 767 just as much as the 757

How much does it all cost? Well, thanks to a suggestion from our very own Brian ("Needles"), I have produced a rough PDF Pricing Sheet. See here: [NOTE, this is JUST for Column 1. A rough multiplication by 5 should see you straight.]

<!-- m -->http://www.mediafire.com/file/rn9s95h98 ... 20cost.pdf<!-- m -->

The Overhead Panel will be split into 6 parts, constructed in numerical order, as per the following diagram:



You will notice in the above diagram that the "Equipment Cooling" buttons and switches are kind of "sandwhiches" between two segments. This is infact a disagreement of both mine and Boeing's design features; and thus I will probably have to add these sections last. Failing that, I may add them in the hope that I don't run into problems later on.

This project aims to be a 100% faithful, functional representation of the 767 Overhead.

The list below shows which features have and which features haven't been implemented into the ovherhead panel. RED means it hasn't been implemented, ORANGE means it is undergoing construction and GREEN means it is all clear, everything is working and installed. It has been organised into the columns that you will have noticed in the diagram ABOVE this text:

Column 1: - Completed as of 8/10/2010

 

(NOTE: Column 1 retrofitted 2012)

- Rotary DEMAND Knobs
- ELEC ENG CONT Switches
- Yaw Damper Switches
- IRS Panel (KeyPad, Sys select, etc)
- Hydraulic Switches
- Annunciators for IRS, DEMAND, etc
- IRS LCD Display

Column 2: - Completed as of January 2012

- APU Panel
- EVAC Panel (with fully functioning horn)
- Utility bus and generator control switches
- Standby power and battery switches
- Overhead annunciator lights (Top, X20)
- High-Frequency Radio Controls (HF) LEFT
- CVR (Cockpit Voice Recorder) Panel

Column 3: - Completed as of January 2013

- Digital Fuel Indicator Display
- Fuel Pump Switches
- Engine Start control panel
- Ram air turbine switch
- Passenger Oxygen and Emergency Lighting Control Switches

- Anti-Icing Controls

Column 4: - Completed as of 31st August 2013
 

- Cargo Heat Controls

- Window Heat Controls

- High-Frequency Radio Controls (HF) RIGHT

- SELCAL Controls

- Passenger Signs Switches

- Cabin Pressurization Controls

- Cabin Pressure Gauges

 

Column 5 - Current WIP:

- Bleed Air Controls
- Cabin Air Conditioning Controls

- Cargo Air Conditioning Controls

Segment 6:

- Timer Knob
- Cockpit voice recorder controls
- Wiper & Anti-Rain Controls

- Lighting Controls

 

Current Overhead Panel Photo (As of 22nd August 2013):

 

I have had many questions regarding "How much?", "How long?", etc. So, I have decided to help everyone out by adding a Cockpit Resource Centre. You will find the exact same Resource list in the 767 Pedestal Project too.

Cockpit Resource Centre

I hope you find these links and other resources of great use.

Jerome Meriweather's website

I cannot emphasise how useful this website is. Not only does it have extraordinarily detailed drawings, pictures, dimensions and information regarding the Boeing 767 and 747, Airbus A320 and A340, and the F-16, but it is also very easy to navigate and acess information when you are in a hurry.

Invaluable.

http://www.meriweather.com/flightdeck.html

Nico Kaan's website

Nico Kaan is a Boeing 767 cockpit builder from the Netherlands. Not only has he nearly finished build his cockpit, he has also written a very, very useful freeware program that connects to SIOC called "Lekseecon". Without this program, a good 80% of my cockpit would do nothing.

His site also has a very long and detailed list of SIOC examples and scripts. You can also find pictures and other stuff here.

http://www.lekseecon.nl/

MyCockpit.org

This non-profit website contains an expansive forum, daily updated information on new hard-and-soft-ware releases, a "Classifieds" section in which you are sure to grab a bargain on Aviation parts, and also an enormous gallery and download section with all sorts for you to take a peek at.

www.mycockpit.org

Opencockpits

Opencockpits are a Spanish hardware vendor that have designed their own cockpit control system, adequately named "IOCards". I almost exclusively use this system within my own cockpit. They are also the develoeprs of SIOC, the scripting language from which IOCards works.

Opencockpits also sell a vast range of PnP (Plug&Play Units) Units. These range from Radios to Transponders, to Throttle Units and CDUs, of which I have used a fair few over the years. Opencockpits also allow visitors to acess their freeware interactive cockpit guide, which provides tips and advice on how to build a cockpit.

 

Opencockpits are also fantastic since they really allow you to start building a cockpit yourself; the initial first step is what scares most people off, but when you get into the swing of things, there is nothing more satisfying.

www.opencockpits.com

That's about it really! If you have any questions/comments/suggestions please feel free to share them. I would also like to thank Joe for making this a sticky in the general forum.

I hope you enjoy the project!

Regards,

Jack

[Magic Man 0]

Good stuff. You're going to need a few of Leo's boards though to emulate the overheads...

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Good stuff. You're going to need a few of Leo's boards though to emulate the overheads...

Aye. Around 5 or 6 I reckon would do. It's 32 buttons per card + some analogue + finally some support for rotary encoders.

Also, I'll need some output cards for the displays, but we'll worry about that later. I've only just got into inputting, never mind outputting!

Just a note: I have wired up Leo Bodnar's BU0836X Joystick Controller Card with a test panel. On the test panel, I put a toggle switch, rotary switch and push-button switch.

The result was absolutely fantastic! Everything worked without any programming whatsoever, I didn't even need to install a driver! This product is probably the best

[Magic Man 0]

Been watching Leo's stuff for a while, good boards and in the UK too. Funny, there used to be another Leo who made the Beta Simmulations stuff which was also very good but that seems to have gone now.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Been watching Leo's stuff for a while, good boards and in the UK too. Funny, there used to be another Leo who made the Beta Simmulations stuff which was also very good but that seems to have gone now.

Yes, Leo's boards are incredible and being based in the UK, it only took the item 18 hours to arrive from point of purchase!

What also impresses me is the support for 5V inputs, potentiometers, rotary encoders (he has even supplied freeware driver software for rotary encoders).

Brilliant!

On a side note: You'll notice that the Overhead Panel has a few digital displays. This are extremely hard to implement with most add-ons for FS2004/FSX, purely because most developers do not rovide an SDK with their software.

[colwah 0]

On a side note: You'll notice that the Overhead Panel has a few digital displays. This are extremely hard to implement with most add-ons for FS2004/FSX, purely because most developers do not rovide an SDK with their software.

How will you simulate the fuel displays then??

Looks like another great project, I look forward to reading more, Good Luck!

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

On a side note: You'll notice that the Overhead Panel has a few digital displays. This are extremely hard to implement with most add-ons for FS2004/FSX, purely because most developers do not rovide an SDK with their software.

How will you simulate the fuel displays then??

Looks like another great project, I look forward to reading more, Good Luck!

No idea yet. Probably with a tiny, tiny Monitor. Getting an LCD display to work would be extremely hard.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Saturday 17th April

A test panel has been constructed and wired up to the BU0836X Card:

The BU0836X card itself:

I have had absolutely no problems interfacing this to FS so I forsee no problem undergoing the first bit of the 767 Overhead - The Hydraluic Switches & ELEC ENG CONT Switches of column 1. These have already been constructed, I just need to literally wire them up to FSX.

Hopefully an update today or tomorrow regarding these switches!

By the way, I really do apologise for the blurred pictures. For a better picture of the BU0836X card please visit Leo's Product Page here: http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/

Jack :biggrin:

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hello everyone,

I have changed the project slightly for some reasons. I am now contructed a Boeing 767 Overhead, not a 757 Overhead. There are two reasons for this, please see the first post for all details.

Thanks alot and I hope I haven't disappointed!

Regards,

Jack

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Sunday 18th April

Woohoo! First bit of construction completed!

I have made the complete cut for Column 1 of the Boeing 767 Overhead, and fully implemented the Hydraulic Controls & the ELEC ENG CONT Switches. They have all been wired up and have been connected to the sim.

The only thing left to do is leave you with some yummy pictures!

Those cables you can see connect directly to Leo Bodnar's BU0836X Card, then rom there it is a simple USB Connection to the PC.

A look at the back of Column 1:

TO DO:

Okay, I still have the labelling of all the buttons and switches to do. This is going to be difficult - I'm still toying with the idea of how I'm going to do this. Any suggestions would be good.

Thanks alot guys,

Jack

[Helaro 0]

Hi Jack, just wanted to wish you the best of luck on this really interesting project! :nea:

Just one question, do you have a plan on how you're going to do the overhead announciator panel, and the other buttons with LEDs in them?

Regards,

Kenneth

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Thanks for your interest Kenneth!

Basically, to get an LED to light up (or anything illuminated really, for that matter) we need what is known as an "ouput" for it to work. An output is pretty much something that the PC gives out, which is then "translated" (usually through some scripting software such as SIOC), and then finally transferred to the relavent device for illumination.

Look here:

Level-D 767 -> Annunciator Light -> Gives Output -> Received by SIOC -> Handed over through USB to the device

However, if you are wondering what IS this output in the first place...

I will probably be using something called "FSUIPC Offsets" now these are extremely handy little Ouput signals that FSUIPC provides (especially for the Level-D 767), which can be made use of by something like SIOC.

So, in a nutshell, the annunciator lights will most likely be driven by FSUIPC Offsets, which are handled by SIOC and then finally given out through a USB cable to the device.

I really hope that made sense!

Thanks alot,

Jack :nea:

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Right guys, got some fantastic news!

I have just fully tested the overhead panel with the LDS767... And sucess! Everything, apart from 1 rotary position which will be fixed soon, works perfectly!

:biggrin: :biggrin:

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

All issues have now been solved. I see no problem (unless some problem arises NOT to do with the panel) to start the next stage of contruction this coming Weekend.

Thanks,

Jack

[mutley 4,498]

Wow, this is moving ahead really fast Jack.

Great work

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Wow, this is moving ahead really fast Jack.

Great work

Thanks alot Joe, and if anyone's interested I wouldn't mind making a few PDF tutorials on making switches and how to interface them... Basic switches of course to start with first.

thanks,

Jack :biggrin:

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

I have cleaned up the first post a little bit, correcting what has been completed so far.

I have to have the Yaw Damper Switches fully fitted and interfaced this weekend, and then I'll move on to the IRS selectors.

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

22nd May

The Yaw Damper Switches and IRS Mode Selector knobs have been added. Currently, everything you see on the picture below is functional, APART from the IRS Mode Selector knobs (these will be interfaced with the Opencockpits Master Card when I buy one).

Furthermore, great progress has been made on the IRS annunciators, with all three of them being completed just not yet installed. What you see below DOES light up and interface with the Sim (using Opencockpits Master Card)!

I then have to add the final rotary switch for the IRS selector (L, C or R), then all that's left to do is the labels, and then the first column of my entire overhead will have been completed! Of course, the keypad and IRS co-ordinate display at the top will eventually be added, but definitely not yet.

Comments are appreciated!

Thanks alot,

Jack :biggrin:

[needles 1,013]

Excellent Jack. Well done I bet you're getting excited now buddy!

:biggrin:

[Drewsta 0]

Hey guys, thought I'd share my 767 project with you aswell with a few different approaches.

It have approached my overhead alittle bit differently.

Hope you enjoy.

Drewsta

[SEATAC 400]

Jack, Do you have any pictures of the whole setup so far? I'd like to see that as opposed to the individual bits.

Thanks

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hiya SETAC,

Are you asking for a picture of my entire "Cockpit" or something else?

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

Hi everyone,

Just a heads up. I have completed and installed all three IRS Annunciators. Furthermore, the IRS rotary switches, and Yaw Damper switches have been sucessfully added.

I have "cleaned up" the first post a bit, updating it with the interfacing methods and also putting a few more bits in green (wooo, that means complete!).

Hoepfully, I will be able to get some photos to you in the near future.

Cheers,

Jack :smile:

[Aircraft Aviation 2]

I do apologise for the alck of progress everyone, but the projact HAS progressed sicne the last pictures. I wil lget some shots in when I can, but at the moment I'm focusing on interfacing my real-world cockpit gauges.

The next stage of the overhead first column is to get everything possible installed (with the exception of the IRS LCD Co-ordinates display, this will be done later). After this, I will use up all of the remaining Inputs on the BU0836X Interfacing Card, before purchasing the Opencockpits Master Card.

Once this is purchased, I will be able to fully interface everything on the first column. It will then be a matter of mounting the first column, and moving onto to second (WOOO) .

APPROX (can change) time to complete ALL of this: <1.5-2 Months, probably less.

Thanks very much,

Jack

[Aidan 1]

Looks Great!!