Dual rudder pedals completed

[Kennair]

Well I've finally completed my dual rudder pedals. These are based on Westozy's design (thanks Gwyn :) and are smooth as! I had some trouble sourcing adequate bearings but finally found plastic knitting needles that did the job (would you believe??). I've posted some pix on the photo gallery of Mycockpit but a full description and photos can be found on my website. There is also a small movie file of them in action.

The grubby look of the base MDF is due to the grease on the aluminium rails and the fact that I dismantled them 20 times while trying to get the travel action smooth!

These ended up costing around $100AUD proving that with a little ingenuity and skill you don't have to pay exorbitant prices to enjoy our hobby. I hope others find some inspiration from them.

Ken.

http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_12_b.jpg (http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_12.jpg)

http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_10_b.jpg (http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_10.jpg)

http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_13_b.jpg (http://www.kennair.com.au/Images/pedals/Rudder_13.jpg)

Ken.

[Bob Reed]

Hi Ken. Very nice. Am I to assume that you did not put toe breaks on this? What do you plan to do for brakes?

[Kennair]

Hi Bob,

I have installed toe brakes using pots on each of the pilots pedals. Co-pilots will be simple tactile switches configured for on/off braking. You can just make out in the last photo the pots and linkages installed on each pedal to allow for this. Having said that I haven't actually hooked it all up yet to see how it goes, but they should just appear as another axis on my joystick card and I'll configure them for Left & Right braking.

Ken.

[Bob Reed]

Looks like I need to open my eyes up wider in the morning.. Yup I see them.. Nice..

[Westozy]

Good stuff Ken,
I'm pleased to see my design re-used!

Gwyn

[ryanf]

Hi Ken,

I saw your youtube video of the PC12 start-up and take-off and the instrument displays look really good.

Is it just FSX in multi-monitor mode? i.e. undocked views? Or do you have some network based instrument add-on product?

Are the graphics clear/sharp and smooth?

Nice project!
/Ryan.

[rt72]

Nice work!

[Kennair]

Hi Ryan,

The instrument displays are customized Flight1 PC12 panels in FS9. It's all run in multi-monitor off 1 PC with undocked views. The video was done last year as a test case and that sim is now dismantled in preparation for the new one in development. I will redo the video once the PC12NG is ready.

My new sim has a new PC but will still run stock FS panels i.e. no network gauges at this stage. I'm now running FSX as well as FS9 on Vista64. Graphics are as clear as any single monitor panel, no different, you just need more PC power as you add more monitors and more panels are opened.

Ken.

[ryanf]

Thanks Ken.

I tried doing some GA flying with FS9 and the Reality XP Flight Line T gauges (i.e. the flight instruments) as they were meant to be very clear and fluid.

I found that they were indeed fluid but not very clear i.e. they still looked like bitmaps. My ambition then was to be able to have a setup like yours i.e. using FS rendered gauges & avionics in multi-monitor mode and reconfigurable (to fly different models).

I was too disappointed with the lack of sharpness so I am back to considering PM GAIFR....

cheers,
Ryan.

[Matt Olieman]

FANTASTIC Ken, Nice work.... amazingly impressed at what a little ingenuity will do :) :)

[QF6228]

They look nice, May even try doing this myself.:neutral:

[meo_udon]

Nice work.

[Kennair]

Thanks Matt, but boy what a slow process!

Ryan, I suspect there might be something wrong with either your video card or monitor as I have used RealityXP gauges and they are clearer than the stock FS9. I certainly have had no issue with them. I've used them on CRT's and LCD's with no difference. If you're using LCD's make sure they are set to their native resolution and the same resolution is selected in FS.

Have you downloaded the demo PM software to make sure these aren't also effected?

Ken.

[ryanf]

Thats a good point Ken - I'll try that.

thanks,
Ryan.

[rottenlungs]

Very smart looking pedals, Ken. What sort of pot/linkage are you going to use to capture the rudder axis?

More importantly, what did the wife say when you took her knitting needles!?

Well done, they look superb

James

[Kennair]

James,

Had to buy my own needles! Can't use treasured items. Take a look at pic number 3 and you'll see the pot and linkage for rudder axis and toe brakes.

Ken.