needles 1,011 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hi Guys, Since visiting the Flight Sim' Show at Weston in May, I decided it was time to start building a cockpit. The show and mainly Jack aka Aircraft Aviation gave me loads of inspiration. So without further ado, here are my first pics of the build in progress. I am making it out of a combination of 1/4" Plywood, MDF (yuk), softwood (for framing), and lots of glue. This is the plywood front panel in it's raw state. I'm not doing anything to scale, it's more to do with what will fit in the space I have. It is also being made to fit around the Saitek Pro Flight range of instruments. I have now veneered the front panel with a lovely Birdseye Maple. When this is laquered, it will be the dogs doodahs. The next day after waiting overnight for the veneer glueing to dry, I cut out the holes that will house the Saitek Avionics. Radios, Multi Panel (Thanks Joe), and the BIP panel (yet to aquire). I've also stuck on some pics of the Instrument Panels to show where they will go. As these are going to be £500 - £600 I can't afford them yet so I will have to settle for good old printed versions.:icon_thumbup: This shows the first fitting of the Avionics panels. I have used the Pro Flight Switch Panel to fill the space where the BIP panel will go. Some more overnight glueing took place as I needed to fit a couple of brackets to the back of the panel to hold the Yoke in place. I utilised the pre-tapped holes in the Yoke to screw machine screws through the wooden brackets into the Yoke. Having made a separate bottom panel to take the TPM Panel and the Multi Switch Panel, this is now being glued to the main panel but here you see a dry fitting and it all seems to be coming along nicely. That's it for now, I'm shopping tomorrow for more wood and bits to do the next phase. The top canopy which is going to have a leather covering. Watch this space!:001_th_smiles89: Thanks for viewing guys. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,493 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hello Brian, that is looking really good so far. Instead of the 6 instruments howabout the VR Insight Pro Pit? I am seriously thinking about getting this. Link to post Share on other sites
mutley 4,493 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Doh! just realised the price of the VRI, belay that shipmate. Link to post Share on other sites
Aircraft Aviation 2 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Joe, I would avoid the VRI Pit. It is little more than an emulated keyboard that "clamps" over a monitor. It is much better to build your own gauges and hardware; it feels much more real (I can tell you, I prefer my 6 instrument panel over the VRI Pit any day). If not, then I would certainly choose the Saitek instruments over the Pit; they are a moer reasonable price. Great start Brian, it looks fabulous! Regards, Jack Link to post Share on other sites
SEATAC 400 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Looks good Needles :001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Thanks for your kind comments guys. Joe, Jack & Richard. More to follow when I've been shopping for goodies tomorrow.:icon_thumbup: Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Nice work, Bri - but where's it going: front room or garden shed?!? Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Looks great Brian... :001_th_smiles89: A home cockpit on this scale I could almost consider having myself, if I had the space for it. But living in a flat, plus the fact that the FSX computer also functions as our main home computer it just isn't practical... And even if I had the space, and one more computer for other duties, I have a feeling I'd have a hard time convincing my dear wife of the benefits of it :001_th_smiles48: Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 @Dai - Cheers. It's going in the spare room where all the usual junk gets put :icon_thumbup: @Stu - Wifey hasn't seen the size of it yet :icon_yikes: . Plus FS is my main hobby so wifey won't mind :icon_yikes: . It's going to have an integral handle on the top so that I can just stand it in a corner when not in use. Wish me luck with wifey :icon_thumbup: Link to post Share on other sites
hurricanemk1c 195 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Great work Brian! Link to post Share on other sites
David TRIGGS 0 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Bonjour Needles, Good start on your cockpit! ... Bravo!! Interesting that you have decided to create an aircraft type specific control panel ... do you not want to fly different aircraft? I am sure many forum members building cockpits have struggled with this dilemma ... specific or flexible ... and I'd be interested in your reasoning. Will you be enclosing the cockpit later ...... ?!?! David Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 HI David, Thanks for your comments, much appreciated. I am going down the GA route as that appears to be the cheapest option for me. Whereas Jack is going the whole 9yards with his build with overhead panels, centre console etc etc. I basically like to fly single engine stuff as they were the sorts of aircraft I have flown in as gifts from family and friends. I wanted to get my PPL but was scuppered at the medical because I am on heavy pain killers and muscle relaxants, so they won't let me fly solo. I'm resigned to that now though and get my pleasure from FSX and the odd pleasure flight. I like to explore the local scenery and with single engine aircraft I can do that quite easily. Hope this explains everything. Also, yes my console will be covered eventually. Keep watching. Cheers Brian :001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 @Stu - Wifey hasn't seen the size of it yet :icon_yikes: . Plus FS is my main hobby so wifey won't mind :icon_yikes: . It's going to have an integral handle on the top so that I can just stand it in a corner when not in use. Wish me luck with wifey :icon_thumbup: Well then, good luck when springing this one on your wife :icon_thumbup: As for the handle on top, that's a really good idea if it's not to heavy or large. Why not look into attaching some wheels in the back that you can tilt it on to when moving it? Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 NIce idea Mikael thanks. I'll look into that.:001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 With wheels and with a basket next to the yoke, you could even go shopping with Margaret! Now, ho's about that, then?!? Cheers - Dai. P.S. Just jealous, really! Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Hey Dai, JEALOUS.:wootmesalia: You have a more urgent calling mate. Your Cyclective. How's it coming along? Any pics yet?? Looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Hope you and Pam are both well. More pics of mine tomorrow I hope. :001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
stu7708 244 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 NIce idea Mikael thanks. I'll look into that.:001_th_smiles89: You really should be thanking the engineers at Ampeg for it.. A friend of mine have a gigantic, not to mention heavy, Bass Amplifiers from Ampeg. But thanks to the small wheels on the back we managed to haul it 2,2 km by hand after a gig. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Well, having failed with the repair to my old joystick's PCB - too embarrassing to relate! - I've decided to go th OpenCockpits' Axes Card route. I hope to cannibalise the joystick inards and interface them via the OC. Still at the 'thinking' stage - will post some more definite ideas as they arise... Hope the shopping went well - Bests to M! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Stage 2. Well guys my shopping trip went well and I came home with some bendy stuff as you will see. The last couple of days have been hard to bear as I have spent a lot of time waiting for glue to dry. Having said that, here is the latest on my build. This pic' shows the construction of the actual housing framework. You can also see the first layer of my glare shield construction. Using bendy MDF (yuk) and loads of clamps and glue. The front shot with loads of clamps squeezing the life out of the Gorilla Glue. http://uk.gorillaglue.com/ This glue will stick to everything so wear gloves. I didn't and ended up with sticky hands and stains that will not wash off for days. But that said, it is excellent glue. A close-up of the corner detailing. This glare shield will be covered in pleather eventually. To finish this stage I made the two upper access panels. These have got small piano hinges on them and I have covered the first one in the said pleather. It looks like real leather but costs a fraction of the real stuff. The only downside I've found so far is that it is very easy to cut straight through it, when you least wanted to.:001_th_smiles48: Ok that's it for this session. Next time I will have some padding on the glare shield and hopefully have the front laquered. I also need to cut out the hole that will fit my LCD panel from my video. Thanks for looking. Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 13, 2011 Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 But will you be able to see over the top, eh?!? Love the clamps - now I know where all mine went! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 But will you be able to see over the top, eh?!? Love the clamps - now I know where all mine went! Cheers - Dai. Is it permissable to fly using a bar stool?? I am going to make some fold-up legs for it Dai, so that I can stand it on the floor. Don't worry mate, all will become clear so stop pre-empting what I'm doing. You will just have to wait matey.:001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 13, 2011 Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 Sounds like a work-mate - mind your fingers when you fold it up! BTW, how big is your screen or are you going Triple-Head... Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm going down the TH2Go route Dai. Eventually. For now it's a 22" monitor with a secondary 15" if I want to put a GPS panel on. I have to try and tweek some more dosh out of Wifey to get the extra monitors and TH2go. he he. Wish me luck.:001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
ddavid 149 Posted June 14, 2011 Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Sounds great, Bri' - let us know if you need a co-pilot! Cheers - Dai. Link to post Share on other sites
needles 1,011 Posted June 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2011 Sounds great, Bri' - let us know if you need a co-pilot! Cheers - Dai. wilco :001_th_smiles89: Link to post Share on other sites
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