My Box (Cessna 150)

[No Longer Active]

Although my Cessna 150 is no way finished yet, and there is plenty more work to do, I thought its about time that I posted a pic of my pit, otherwise people on here may start doubting me.

I have an autopilot to fit, infact I have 2 (only need one though), and an fs lcd module to install, but it scares to cut holes in my box just yet until I get the proper tools, also I have my obs knobs to fit not too sure where to put them because of the screen, although I know all the ways to do it, Im just not decided as to how Im going to do it.

Anyway heres a few pics of my C150.....the little banger based on an 'Aerodromo De Son Bonet' Hire Aircraft from Mallorca!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/c1.jpg

http://alexpilot.50g.com/c2.jpg

http://alexpilot.50g.com/c3.jpg

And heres me.......yeah the pretty one lol...not!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/me.jpg

More to do and more to come!

[Steve A]

Very nice Alex ( the mip not you ) I cant tell from the picture, is the bottom covered in a material or painted, Looks awesome anyhow. What visuals you gonna use? The bezels are on the way but i cant see a good way you can use them... Maybe on a future build. Keep the progress pics coming.

[Matt Olieman]

Looks fantastic Alex and it's nice to see a face behind the text :) :) :)

Thanks for the pics :)

[No Longer Active]

Hi Steve,

The bottom part, is painted with brown acrylic paint, the same colour as the strip at the top of the MIP which holds the 3 marker beacon LED's.

I am getting their slowly, I have quite alot to do still.

As for visuals, I have just bought a VGA projector as a temp solution, but is looking to purchase 3 LCD screens and connect them to TH2GO but the TH2GO costs around £250 plus the cost of the monitors so is very expensive, but this is what I want, so I will be constantly on the look out on ebay for a bargain TH2GO however, I could purchase a DH2GO for half the price but I dont think it will have the same effect. The projector will do for now but it has to be set up in the middle of my room at a certain angle and needs to be packed away when finished, hence the permanent solution of the TH2GO is want I want, but very expensive!

Kind Regards.

Alex

[No Longer Active]

it's nice to see a face behind the text

Its my way of making aviation attractive lol...haha!

Alex

[Joe Cygan]

Outstanding work Alex!

[Ronson2k9]

Great work Alex.. Looks awesome. Glad to see you working on the sim again.

[Kerbo]

I like the nice clean lines of this build, great work!

[Steve1970]

oh wow, very nice indeed! can't believe that you can make that MIP look that good just with a few tools at home, fantastic.

Keeps us posted with more pics.

Steve.

[No Longer Active]

I still have to screw everything as I need to make a lid for the box, add my throttle knobs and a few other bits!

Made with no more than a jigsaw, handsaw and drill, plenty of screwdrivers, a paint brush and some good old wood glue!

And made in my bedroom! lol

[klm320]

Very nice Alex!
looks really good and compact. You have about the same space available as me, I'm heading the same way, though you are a lot furhter;).

william

[Stijn]

awesome,

just like the real thing! keep us updated but i'm sure you will ;)

Stijn

[No Longer Active]

Hi,

Just an update. I have inserted 6 rotary encoders into the MIP and spend blimmin' ages soldering them.

I had an idea to solder everything up inside the box and then poke the wires through holes in the back of the lid. The wires will will then be attached to a long row of terminal connectors. I then just assign what terminals I need to my leo bodnar board. Easy!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/mipwithobs.jpg

http://alexpilot.50g.com/wiringmip.jpg

[Steve1970]

Hey, Alex I know the feeling!

And to make matters worse I dicovered last night that 1 of my encoders is faulty so I need to get in and replace it. More upside down soldering.

Looking good, when do you envisage finishing?

[No Longer Active]

Hi Steve, its a long old process, I just do a little bit each week. It will be finished by the summer hopefully, I just need to fit my 100k slide pots for the throttle, I am using the pots from my old build (they work fab) I just need to build a small bracket to attach them to the MIP, then I need to fit my key magnetos key switch (which is an on off key switch), and then I am done. For my birthday I am going to purchase an opencockpit card for the encoders (so that I can speed up the obs rotations and bug...very slow on a leobodnar card)....

I just need to workout how to do the lid for the box and make it look like the glareshield as used in the Cessna150, the Cessna 150 doesn't actually have a glareshield as such its more of a 'trim' because the gauges are 'sunk' into the MIP by the means of a panel overlay. I just need to work out a way of replicating this 'black leather print' trim which finnishes it off....

Also I need to work out a way of lighting the panel up red, I am thinking of wiring a small goose neck lamp to the panel and changing the LED to red and then connecting to my 'PANEL LIGHTS' toggle.

99P FREE DELIVERY....TRUE BARGAIN:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150405543738&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_4371wt_1005

Any ideas on panel lighting?

Cheers Steve!

Alex

[Steve1970]

Alex

Re panel lighting, I am making 6-off lamp holders according to the tutorial posted in the tutorials section. I will only make 6-off for the primary instruments and with some White LEDs I am hoping that they will provide enough light to read a map or chart. I'll take a 5v supply off my Leo Bodnar card to power them and route them through the panel light toggle same as you.

If I get a spare 10 minutes tonight I'll post a small youtube video of the encoders in action with the open cockpits card, they work amazingly well, fast and also very accurate.

All the best
Steve.

[No Longer Active]

I was thinking about the lamp holders idea, but I dont have any of the tubing. If you have any spare tubing left over, feel free to send it to me and I will pay you for it, just don't want to buy 1 meter of it If I am only going to use 4 inches!

Thanks for considering the youtube video, would be great to see it in action.

I am a little confused though to what I need, I need to be able to control 10 encoders and aprox 20 buttons/toggles...what OC cards do I need, I am assuming the Master Card and what else.....?

Cheers Steve,

Alex

[Steve1970]

Hi Alex,

Here is a video of the OC card in conjunction with the encoders. They work really well.
My panel is still very much work in progress, but I hope to have everything finished by summer.

http://www.youtube.com/user/sjm197a#p/a/u/0/H7EvUktf2Jo

regards
Steve.

PS - Re the lampholders, I'll have a go at making a few and if it works out i'll send you the bits to have a go, I'm using 8mm hydraulic pipe and some little aluminium discs we use for cable marking at work so I can get these off to you no trouble.

[No Longer Active]

You last words on the video 'I hope that helps'.....sure does Steve, a bodnar board would struggle to get encoder rotation speeds such as yours.

You flight video is 100 times better than FS flying lessons...maybe you should bring out weekly lessons from your pit showing us how to fly our home made sims.

What would be really handy is a video tutorial on HOW to operate your GNS, you have shown us how to build it, but how do you use it? I just fly following the white line and then land....I havent got 5% of your knowledge but FS flying lessons just bang on and on and get really boring after a while, but I could sit here all day watching your video's....I'd put my money where my mouth is to watch your video's...I love em'.....

Carry on making them!

Nice one Steve....

Alex

[Steve1970]

You last words on the video 'I hope that helps'.....sure does Steve, a bodnar board would struggle to get encoder rotation speeds such as yours.

You flight video is 100 times better than FS flying lessons...maybe you should bring out weekly lessons from your pit showing us how to fly our home made sims.

What would be really handy is a video tutorial on HOW to operate your GNS, you have shown us how to build it, but how do you use it? I just fly following the white line and then land....I havent got 5% of your knowledge but FS flying lessons just bang on and on and get really boring after a while, but I could sit here all day watching your video's....I'd put my money where my mouth is to watch your video's...I love em'.......

Alex


Alex,

Have you heard of CIX VFR CLUB, they are the foremost GA club for online flying in the UK on Vatsim, I am a long time member and can only speak positive about what is on offer from the club. Monday nights are training nights, once complete with my cockpit build, I will take up an instuctor role, using teamspeak and online ATC. Everyone is really friendly (like here) and its great fun, check it out on google if you get a chance.

Steve

[Anderson/SBSP]

Hi Alex,

Here is a video of the OC card in conjunction with the encoders. They work really well.
My panel is still very much work in progress, but I hope to have everything finished by summer.

http://www.youtube.com/user/sjm197a#p/a/u/0/H7EvUktf2Jo

regards
Steve.

PS - Re the lampholders, I'll have a go at making a few and if it works out i'll send you the bits to have a go, I'm using 8mm hydraulic pipe and some little aluminium discs we use for cable marking at work so I can get these off to you no trouble.

I love your panel with encoders!!! What the size of your monitor behind in the panel? You can show more details about how you put the encoders in your panel?

Congrats,

[Steve1970]

Hi

I am using a Hansa non widescreen 19 inch monitor from ebay for 40 pounds
The encoders are fitted directly to the panel, I turned some plastic rings 10mm deep to shroud the gauge cut outs and the screen buts up to the rings.

I will post a tutorial document once all is done, with pics.

Regards,
Steve.