Cessna 150 Project

[No Longer Active]

Here the beginning of a very simple and easy project, hardly any work involved and very easy to build. It is of course a Cessna 150 sim. Entirely based on MIK's sim in Finland and will use PM on 1 screen, a simple radio stack consisting of 1 Comm, 1 Nav, Transponder and DME, the radio stack will be formed as 1 panel (as in my Cessna 172) and will use the same 'decal on red acrylic' principle and integrating FSLCD and rotary knobs to read and input data.

What's cool about this project is that I have about 95% of the electronics and materials to build it, its also much smaller than my Cessna 172 (around 16cm narrower and is around 10cm shorter).

Who could of possessed me to start this project.....errrr?....MIK Finland!

I must admit, this is much more fun than building the 172 as its soo much smaller which is perfect for my small flat....

Anyway here is the very first step of the way: (brings back many memories)

MIP#1 (I am using 4mm MDF NOT Hardboard as whats used in my Cessna 172)

http://alexpilot.50g.com/mip%231.jpg

Will mainly be an VFR trainer but can do basic IFR using the 1 VOR, which is cool!

[Jylhami]

Hi Alex, Really neat project.

Check few photos from our club's C150 OH-CMU

Sorry about the bad quality, but it was -1 deg celsius and my fingers frose as well as the battery on the camera.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu

Look for those DSCN**** files.

...And let me make you a 530 GPS to your IFR trainer :)

[klm320]

Hi Alex

Really nice, we are on the same pace:D haha
nice start, is this the second sim you are building? (as I understand you also have a cessna 172)
Love the picture, can't wait to see how you get a long!:-)

William

[No Longer Active]

Yeah this is my second sim.....

There's not much I can do with my Cessna 172 until I find the space to put it, its so big and I have no room, so the Cessna 150 will do me nicely as its much shorter and norrower and It gives me something to do while I finnish off my gauges for Cessna 172....

The good thing about the Cessna 150 project is that I have learnt from all my mistakes from building the Cessna 172 and everything will work like clockwork now with the 150. I have done all this before from designing, drawing and construction of MIP, although now I am using much better materials!

I have a funny feeling that my Cessna 150 will be BETTER than my 172....

Kind Regards.

Alex

[No Longer Active]

Hi Jylhami

Thanks for the measurements, now I can tweak my design and they will come in excellent use. Thank you very much...

As for the GPS, i love your GPS unit.....not sure if I can afford one just yet, although I know where to come to get one! :)

[No Longer Active]

Here's an update on the Cessna 150 Project.

* Cut the MIP shape to size.
* Re-aligned the gauges to scale and correct position
* Yoke hole is where it should be.
* Still in process of cutting holes and sanding.

http://alexpilot.50g.com/mip%20%235.jpg

[Matt Olieman]

Nice :) :) :)

Congratulations Alex!!!!!

[klm320]

Looking really good Alex!!:D
I love real instruments, hope to get there as well one day!:smile:
william

[kermit]

Hi Alex,
It looks very nice, I see you have the airlinerset from Simkits:)
how will you drive the other instruments
greetz

[No Longer Active]

Hi Henk

Indeed this is the Simkits Airliner Set. I was supplied with
1 x SIC controller, 1 x Attitude Indicator, 1 x Air Speed Indicator
and 1 x Heading indicator. Bought all 4 items for £30!!! Extremely
good value!

The ASI, Heading and Attitude work really well and I will buy the remaining
instruments as USB versions and will run these along the side of the CCU
instruments.

Kind Regards.

Alex

[kermit]

Indeed a real bargain
greetz Henk

[Ronson2k9]

Looks really quite nice. Love that you're using the instruments. Did you make those 'stickm' instruments yourself or did you get them somewhere? I hadn't thought of doing that. There are few places I could put in 'cosmetic' instruments too. You could even back light if you printed them on a transparency.

My computer and FSX are in the same place. After installing and maxing out all settings I'm getting 33-35 FPS. It's the way we were meant to fly.. hehe

I'm about to complete my move from my home to my new home and then work can commence in earnest. I have been gathering tons of data and a few things I hadn't thought of from a floater standpoint. Photos of the Water Rudder handle and emergency gear pump. They're from a C182 but I can extrapolate from the photos what I need. They sit between the seats. For a time I wasn't sure if I would have enough room moving into a smaller place so I waited to see.. I've even got my 'S/O' onside so everything is good. I'll perhaps wait till after Christmas then it's build-Build-BUILD.. LOL.

While everyone is out on Boxing day buying Christmas leftovers. I'll be at the Home Depot getting what I need.. Should be really quiet :-D)

[No Longer Active]

Hi Ron.

The gauges are indeed Simkits gauges and what you refer to as 'stickm' are actually simkits faceplates.

The faceplates wont be stuck on as they are part of USB gauges which are real.

I have just made 4 engine gauges and a Tachometer using SIMKITS faceplates, micro servos, OC card and SIOC coding. Nothing will be stuck on as I am 100% using fully functional USB gauges. I may even make my Verticle speed gauge as I have the housing, bezel and servo, so will probably make that too/

This is my 100% 'USB gauge' sim.

My Cessna 172 is 100% using LCD screen, but real gauges just looks 1million times better and I wouldn't change it for the world. I prefer this sim to the 172 due to the fact it uses real gauges!

All the best!

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Hello Alex

Did you finish the 172 sim before starting building the 150 ?

Regards
Bjarne

[No Longer Active]

Not yet finished the 172 as I am awaiting many parts, but realised that I could make a perfectly realistic replica of a 152 using the many parts that I had left over from my 172 project. I also have the advantage of real simkits gauges so they indeed will go in the 152, I dont need half as many gauges in the 152 as I do the 172 so the 152 makes it a perfect build as I only need 8 gauges plus 4 fuel gauges, I have nearly all the gauges apart from 3 so this makes it a very affordable build. I will indeed finnish the 172 at some point. The 152 is also alot smaller and perfect for my small apartment!

Kind Regards....

(hows your sim coming on?)

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Thank you Alex

But I think I will try to upload to mycockpit and link from here..have to learn it. ;)

I have a question for you !

You are using FSLCD for your radiopanel.

What software do you use for it ?

Another question.

I use Bodnars for my encoders and it takes about a year to dial from heading 360 to 180.

What IOcard do you use for encoders ?

[No Longer Active]

Sure, I look forward to seing your MIP in the photo gallery!

For FSLCD I use FSLCD software (only problem is that it no longer exists anymore as it is so old) unless someone has the installer on the net which I cant find.

I use the the leo bodnar BU0836 (not x version) just using normal grey scale encoders, I never used an encoder for the compass as I never really got round to it nor used it, but I have the real compass gauge now so its mechanical and frees up more inputs on the card.

Surely your encoder would provide 1 degree per click on the encoder, have you flashed your card properly using the software to enable your card to use encoders, there are settings that you can play around with.

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Surely your encoder would provide 1 degree per click on the encoder, have you flashed your card properly using the software to enable your card to use encoders, there are settings that you can play around with.

Yes !
...................

Turning slowly works 100%
Turning fast..is a problem.. No buffer !!

I have made a temp. solution.
Via FSUIPC :
Turning to the right: hdg bug inc fast
Turning to the left: hdg bug dec slow
This give me a temp. solution that I can live with.

I KNOW YOU HATE GOFLIGHT :-D me too !
But I have a couple of units.

When I check a goflight module in FSUIPC I can see that the encoder has 4 digi. ..2 for left and 2 for right turn.

If you turn left slow... digi. 1 is seen by FSUIPC
If you turn left fast ... digi. 2 is seen by FSUIPC
and
If you turn right slow... digi. 3 is seen by FSUIPC
If you turn right fast ... digi. 4 is seen by FSUIPC

This must be a software feature in goflight..Works VERY good.

I wish I could find a IOcard with software that could do as Goflight.

[No Longer Active]

Goflight did used to sell all the components and boards seperately but are now discontinued so unfortunately builders miss out.

I dont hate goflight, I just dont like it when they say that their radios resemble real GA radios when they look nothing like them. They are too wide and cant fit in a GA radio stack. Simkits and FI are the only decent radio manufacturers out there because their stuff are built as replicas!

I only like the functionality of goflight radios just not the look of them.

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Just my words. !

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

For FSLCD I use FSLCD software (only problem is that it no longer exists anymore as it is so old) unless someone has the installer on the net which I cant find.

Is it still possible to buy FSLCD displays ?

and would it it be somehow possible to get the software from you ?

[No Longer Active]

For FSLCD...

Use HD44780 displays and wire them upto a parallel cable to your pc there is no such thing as an FSLCD Screen, its just a type of lcd screen that you use.

I do have the FSLCD software for you, PM me your email address and I will try to send you the software if it is small enough to send and will try to send you a wiring diagram.

Thanks.

Alex

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Thank you Alex

I will PM my email.

If the file is too big.. It is easy to send via You Send it : http://www.yousendit.com/

Thank you very very much...Nice to chat with you..

BTW. I have uploadet pictures to Mycockpit.. "Generic First attempt"

Best regards from Copenhagen

[No Longer Active]

Cessna 152 MIP Update

http://alexpilot.50g.com/mip%20%236.jpg

[klm320]

love it!:D

you make me doubt, I am about to switch to a 150. haha..
Since I am also living quite small, it would make things a lot easier;)

well who knows....

keep us posted!
William

[No Longer Active]

Hi William.

I too wished that from day 1 built the 152 and not the 172, when building the 172 I didnt realise just how big it was going to turn out. You have to remember that when using real gauges, the bigger the MIP, the more the gauges, the more the gauges then the more money you spend.

You can easily fly a little IFR on the Cessna 152 by installing an ADF and/or a VOR, but mainly you can get away with just 7 gauges and make it really cool to fly.

The Cessna 152 just needs:

Attitude Indicator, Compass, Altimeter, Verticle Speed, Air Speed Indicator and turn and slip. (The basic 6)

Then just add a Tacho when your ready....now you have the basic 7.

You will notice that there are 4 fuel gauges on the 152 which are mounted into the switch panel, the gauges are square and require very little faceplate design (just a few lines). For the 2 fuel gauges and 2 oil gauges just use 4 micro servos, 1 opencockpits card and a little bit of SIOC code and you are done, total cost 50 euros for the 4 gauges!!! Cheap....

The radio stack is very small, you need just 1 Nav and 1 com, a few toggles for the audio selector panel and maybe in time build a transponder...

When you get really into it, remove your nav com radio and replace it with a garmin gps.....

Also...

There is hardly any glareshield to build, you need no instrument bezels, the construction is really simple and basic, everything is so simple to build and cheap.....

There are plenty of drawings and measurements on here, and I can provide you with the actual full size and shape of the mip so that you just have to trace it onto MDF and jig it out!

I dont want to tempt you but aslong as you know just how complex and expensive a 172 build can get especially if you put in as much detail as I did.

Here is my Cessna 172 as it stands (needs glareshield, fuel instruments and yoke) which will be finnished off when I complete my cessna 152:

http://alexpilot.50g.com/mip%20complete%20stack.jpg

Good luck and questions fire away!

[o76o]

Hi Henk

Indeed this is the Simkits Airliner Set. I was supplied with
1 x SIC controller, 1 x Attitude Indicator, 1 x Air Speed Indicator
and 1 x Heading indicator. Bought all 4 items for £30!!! Extremely
good value!

The ASI, Heading and Attitude work really well and I will buy the remaining
instruments as USB versions and will run these along the side of the CCU
instruments.

Kind Regards.

Alex

Hi there chap, How did you get the gauges for such a low price as I immediately navigated to the simkits website upon seeing your post but the gauges there are very expensive i.e. 250 - 350 euros!

thanks.

BTW your MIP looks fantastic!

[kermit]

Hi,
the Simkits Airliner Set was sold by Simkits a few years ago for a 737 Mip
It was a small ccu and 3 gauges it costed around 750 euro all together.
This CCU will not drive all the gauges found in a Cessna like VOR`s
But for a simple pit like a C150 it will do just fine
I still have the ccu and an Altitude the others gauges I use for my Cessna setup.

The gauges you looked at are USB driven I guess
greetz

Just looked at the box it was 595 euro

[No Longer Active]

Indeed Henk is correct....

The Standby Instrument Set (SIC) is perfect for starting any GA simpit, the only thing I had to do was change the faceplate on the ASI which was an airliner faceplate, I have now changed this to the Cessna 172 faceplate.

All I need now is the altimeter, vertical speed and turn and slip.

I will indeed make my own vertical speed instrument, and buy the altimeter and turn and slip which will be direct usb version, even better if I could get this second hand at some point.

A mycockpit member on here sold me the whole set for £30 which is far off the simkits price so I had to grab it, I even travelled to his house to personally collect them the very next day (and sit in his 737 sim!)...

Edit: anyone got an altimeter? lol

[klm320]

Hello Alex,

Couldn't agree with you more!
There is getting a lot of info concerning the 152 on this forum, which makes things a lot easier.
The 152 is good value for money so to say.

I have allready a 530 GPS on order here, so navigation, NAV1 & COM1 are allready possible. I have been thinking a lot the last week about using "real" gauges and to be honest, I want it as real as possible. So, although I don't have the financial resources yet, I decided I want "the real thing".:D I will not be projecting the gauges. The project will take a lot longer this way, but I now have the time to make everything else perfect.:)

As for the sqaure gauges, that is something I am a bit afraid of. I understand the concept of microservos, the opencockpit boards, but the SIOC programming is something I am really not familier with. On the other hand, I am not in a hurry so I will have to dig some deeper in the concept and find out how to make "the damn needles to work":D

Another thing is the yoke. I cannot use my current yoke to make it "as real as possible". I wanted to use the FI yoke, but your initial price guess was correct. I spoke to the guys on the FS weekend and although an excellent product, it's out of my price range, since I will use my financial resources for the gauges. I know the simkits one, quite expensive too....I am now thinking about modifying my Saitek yoke, which basically means I have to saw of the shaft to make it longer....well something to brainstorm about I guess.

In the end quite some changes compared to my first plans but it's getting better every day!

thank you for sharing your concept & ideas, I just might follow you on that one:D

btw. your 172 sim looks fantastic & thank you for the drawing!

William

[No Longer Active]

Hi William.

If you have a GPS on order then your nav and comm solution is already complete for the 152..look at that as a positive step towards realism, also you only need to make a very simple audio panel and then your entire radio stack is complete unless you want to add an adf or vor in the future.

As for the square gauges, (the 2 fuel and oil) dont worry about the SIOC you can either pay 680 euros for the simkits version (all 4) or build your own for 50 euros (4 micro servos and 1 sero board), there are plenty of guys on here that could write a simple bit of script for you.....help is at hand....

As for other gauges, I could probably atleast show you some pictures how to make a Verticle Speed Gauge, Asi and Turn and Slip....with ease which would save you A LOT of money in terms of simkits.....

Like I say, my Cessna 152 project is going to take me ages, just a small bit each day....if that.....so I will always be able to tell you how I done this and how I done that.......

Take your time, real gauges are the way! If it takes you 3 years then look forward to the day its finnished, it will be worth it.

As for the yoke, I would just extend it, really is the best way, also the Saitek yoke looks more like the yoke in the Cessna 150 than what it does the 172, so making use of what you have got is the way to go!

Good luck pal, and speak soon!

[Jylhami]

Hi William.

For the audio panel i have some drawings for a simple version or if you want i can build one fore you:

In the picture the black frontpanel is loose, and that's why the buttons are not align properly...there is a little play on the caps, but the panel will hold them nicely.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu/audio_3.jpg

[No Longer Active]

Hi Jylhami,

Could you send me some drawings of the panel so that I can cnc my own.

Kind Regards.

Alex

...ps I admire your work...top stuff....

[Jylhami]

Go grab some...

http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu/cad

You do have already the frontpanel designer software ?

http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/en/download/front-panel-designer.html

[No Longer Active]

Thanks Jylhami

I will indeed have a good look, I do have front panel designer, my local shop does a little engraving so can get some panels made there!

Thank you very much and I will speak real soon!

Cheers mate.

Alex

[klm320]

I just might need that from you Mika:).....will do some redesigning first, but when I get there I let you know!
thanks!

William.

[Jylhami]

And remember thet the BU0836X card you still have 8 buttons, 4 buttons for the hatswitch and all 6 axes free to use as you will.
So for the audiopanel you need only an USB output card for the LED's
8 outputs for the buttons and 3 for the marker lights.

BW:Mika