Who's building...and what?

[No Longer Active]

I asked this question last summer, would be nice to know what you guy's are building ? Any good GA projects in the pipeline?, surely there must be some new projects since the last year? Pics of your projects or what you have done so far will be great!

Cheers,

Alex

[No Longer Active]

No GA Builders then...

Assuming:

DevonPilot: building a twin

Chris: Building a C172

Steve: Built a PA based aircraft

Wriley: A Cessna 172?

Ronson: A Cessna 206?

AK Mongo: A Cessna type aircraft?

Bjarn: King Air?

Me.....Cessna 152!

Can anyone elaborate on this?

Alex

[Jordan Farmer]

Well, i dint see much need to post in here as i have been giving i have made a fairly detailed thread about my build :p But, on the contrary, i havnt told you what im planning on designing around yet :p Ive fallen in love with a beechcraft, and that is what im planning on building around :p

And i never knew you were building a 152 :p do you still want those yoke's? i can do a special price if you want, im trying to get rid now!

Can you give us any pictures yet mate?

Cheers

Jordan

[No Longer Active]

Hi Jordan,

I have been building the 152 all along, scrapped the 172 as it was too costly for my pocket, also too wide and just required more money. More gauges = more radios, more radio's = more gauges / altogether more money!

My sim is proper coming along now, really excited as it just taking good shape, all painting done thank god, just need to do wire it up, interface LED's and then network my second PC.....

Pics coming soon, recon I will have 90% complete by next week I hope, I just cant believe how much money this thing is costing, I just find that I need stuff all the time, I need to spend atleast another £100 to get this done!

Regarding yokes, I have no real need for them as yet, as I need to purchase other stuff first.....

Cheers,

Alex

[AK Mongo]

Cessna type is pretty accurate for me Alex. MIP is based around a 172, but I have added Prop controls, to be more versatile. Next phase is building the pedestal that will hold the fuel tank selector, elevator trim, and Johnson bar(assuming it ever arrives!) Using Go flight for the radio heads. No gauge solution yet, as I am still on the fence about steam vs. projected.

What are you using for your led interface hw/software Alex?

[Jordan Farmer]

Umm, could you tell me what a johnson bar is? ive probably heard of it, but i dunno, i cant think of what it is! Also, if you are looking for money saving, go for projected gauges, but if not, look at flight illusion, ive heard that simkits arent particularly smooth, as they run on servos, whereas FI uses steppers ;)

[No Longer Active]

Hi.

LED interface is through a Velleman Project Board with some custom software that was written by a friend especially for my sim.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=42857

Cheers,

Alex

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Hi Alex.
Soon I will post pictures of my KingAir B200 project.

Regards
Bjarne

[No Longer Active]

Bjarne....

Can you do me a huge favour and tell me how to get speedy encoders (ie OBS) from a leo bodnar BUO0836X using fsuipc, how did you configure your encoders through FSUIPC, i am assuming you use 'buttons and switches' so that a button press = 1 movement on the encoder....

I heard that you had a solution to speed up encoders?

Cheers mate!

Alex

[kermit]

I have a little cessna 172
greetz

[No Longer Active]

Oops sorry Kermit, indeed you have aeroplane in your room, literally a real Cessna! lucky man! lol :)

[AK Mongo]

Umm, could you tell me what a johnson bar is? ive probably heard of it, but i dunno, i cant think of what it is! Also, if you are looking for money saving, go for projected gauges, but if not, look at flight illusion, ive heard that simkits arent particularly smooth, as they run on servos, whereas FI uses steppers ;)

A Johnson bar is a manual flap handle. Sits between the seats like a cars' parking brake handle. Much more interactive for me than merely flipping a panel mounted switch. Many older cessnas had them.

I like the idea of steam gauges but not the cost of commercially built. I am trying to decide if I should take the plunge and learn to make my own. Am wondering If I am up to the task of building them? Mike Powell's book is very interesting, and I am sure that with enough time, I could figure most basic instruments out, but if I am learning to program, make pcbs, etc., then I am NOT flying, and that is my biggest joy in the hobby.

Struggling a little with projected instruments, as I am struggling with where to put the yoke if I do that. On screen instruments are a little tricky if you go with a basic 172 layout, as the instruments are arranged on three sides of the yoke.

As I said, I am not commited to either direction as yet, and forget cosmetics like painting, mip labels, etc. until I do. It is pure ugly function at this point.

[AK Mongo]

Hi.

LED interface is through a Velleman Project Board with some custom software that was written by a friend especially for my sim.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=42857

Cheers,

Alex

Are you driving warning lights and/or OMI indicators? If so, I would be interested in details of your setup. For instance, how did you build the light panel?

[No Longer Active]

Hi AK Mongo, when I have finnished my sim, I will show pictures of how my setup is configured including the LED's connected to the card.

Kind Regards. Alex

[Ronson2k9]

Well I've moved from the Cessna Stationair to the Skywagon (Stationair's older brother). I took a break over the summer as it was insanely hot here. Humidex was into the low 40'c on many days. I'm in an apartment with no AC so didn't want to add sawdust into the mix. However it's almost autumn and while it's still warm thankfully and not yet wet as it will be in October (usually) I'm back at it again. I've been on Mycockpit every day pretty well. So my interest hasn't diminished and I've been trying to get as much info as I can. Trying to help out here and there where I can.

Nice to see everyone else 'back' too. The fall/winter is the best time for this anyway as it's mostly an indoor activity accept for getting supplies. In my absence of building the cockpit I've been working on a custom paint for the skywagon should have some screen caps quite soon. Just need to do the floats and their framework. The hardest part. The big parts are easy because they are big. Small stuff you have to paint around (virtually of course).

Cheers...
Ron

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Bjarne....

Can you do me a huge favour and tell me how to get speedy encoders (ie OBS) from a leo bodnar BUO0836X using fsuipc, how did you configure your encoders through FSUIPC, i am assuming you use 'buttons and switches' so that a button press = 1 movement on the encoder....

I heard that you had a solution to speed up encoders?

Cheers mate!

Alex

Hello Alex.
Have you read this:
http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/showthread.php/20239-BU0836X-with-a-Rotary-encoder.-Slow-fast-dialing-problem-solved.?highlight=leo+bodnar
Scroll down to my post from 07-17-10 11:56

Best regards
Bjarne :)

[Kerbo]

I have been making some progress on my GA pit. The MIP and switch panel are mounted and a monitor stand in place. A picture update will be coming soon.

[kermit]

Struggling a little with projected instruments, as I am struggling with where to put the yoke if I do that. On screen instruments are a little tricky if you go with a basic 172 layout, as the instruments are arranged on three sides of the yoke

Also I don`t like the look of it myself, it just looks dead to me.
This one of the reasons for now, not to change to a B737 or Airbus, don`t like the look of systems on a screen.
I have the simkits instruments and it looks great
greetz

[No Longer Active]

I now have just 10 switches to wire up plus my 2 throttles and I am more or less done...Being having a whole day wiring up everything...the worst is to come when I have to assign everything in FS.....which is going to be a long daunting task.....

[Jordan Farmer]

Well, it all sounds good, everybody is getting on! And alex, i never thought that a C152 had 10 switches, thats loads :p Have you got FSUIPC? im assuming so, if you do, that will make things 10 times easier to assign ;)

Good luck everyone! Oh and i havnt got anything done to mine, ive been working :p

Jordan

[No Longer Active]

Hi Jordan,

Have I got FSUIPC, of course I have pal, had it years, been doing some assigning already. Regarding switches, count all the rocker switches, then panel light switches, then primer switch, carb heat switch, this switch, that switch...and so on, believe me there are loads, my magnetos uses 5 inputs alone, my flaps switch another 4....they all add up pal.....

Alex

[nax228]

wrong posting...sorry

[Jordan Farmer]

i thought you wouldve had FSUIPC, and about the switches, i was just taking the p**s :p i know that there are a good few switches, even for such a small bird :p good luck anyway, im really looking forward to some pics! The same goes for you bjarne, i want to see some :p hehe

Jordan

[No Longer Active]

Just wired up the switches today and soldered one throttle and connected, need to make a lever now and throttle knob....

LED's next then lid, then finished.

To be honest, Ive been doing so much work to the sim, that I am sick of the thing now! Cant stand the site of it, it's going into storage as I have no room for it anyway (I have a tiny flat!)....

Giving up cockpit building for a while after this, getting a little tired now. (Been building too long, feels like a bit of a chore doing it now!

Cant wait till it's finished coz Id finally be able to get rid of it......and fly it in new house one day!

[kermit]

Hi Alex, could you show pictures please,
I`m very interested
greetz

[No Longer Active]

No worries, just made a mini video of the progress, my sim is nothing to jump and shout about, but getting there slowly!

Uploading video now!

Alex

[No Longer Active]

Heres the video:

http://s784.photobucket.com/albums/yy127/AlexJayUK/

Let me know if you can see it!

Sorry if video quality is crap, will make a better vid when its all done!

[AK Mongo]

Alex,

Great job for the workspace you have available! I have pretty much given my building a break all Summer to pursue other interests, and it has been very refreshing. Hope you get to a point soon you can walk away, or even better to start flying!

Reid

[Ronson2k9]

GRRR-8 Video Alex. You have quite the thick British accent. Great to hear your description. I LMAO when you got to your lunch... That was awesome. You may be to young to remember this but I went to see a movie called Iron Eagle (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091278/) (Jason Gedrick - Lou Gosset Jr.). Pretty good flick if you can get over the somewhat silly bits. Anyway there is a part where they are planning their assault (rather rescue) of Doug's (Gedrick's character) father. In the middle of the map they have various objects to represent buildings they need to eliminate or avoid and Lou's lunch box is there but it's just his lunch nothing important. A pretty funny scene. Kinda shows you how old I am.

Seems like summer was a rest bit for everyone. It was way to hot here. With no AC it was even hard to sleep at times. Even though I have a back porch it's not all that shaded. Not at all like I thought it was going to be anyway. So working out there was a bit nuts. Then I've got neighbors above me that think that my 'backyard' is a good place to get rid of trash including in some instances lit cigarettes. So it's a bit hazardous too. Given how dry it's been they are lucky it didn't start a fire.

I've been working hard on my C185F repaint. Nearly done. I had to make a few corrections to the texture file and had to work it a bit but I've got all but the pilot and some of small parts I don't know the location of (in the texture map) to go. Anyway here's a look..
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/Ronson2k3/Cessna185SkywagonII_N164RF.png

I left the Nav lights unpainted as I have added strobes to the aircraft (as it didn't come with them) the nav lights as white represent where the strobes would be if they were modeled. I had considered doing the interior as well but ... hey I'm building an interior. Still it could be nice to model it in the virtual world too. I am taking quite a few cues from Carenado's model. I'm going to do the pilot so it looks a lot like I would if it were me in there. I know that might be a bit egotistical but hey. Orange is my favorite color. Hard to tell huh? So my pilots jacket will be orange and his hat will be blue. I may try to get his glasses to match mine but that could be a bit of work.

The color scheme was inspired from one of my favorite chip (French Fry) shacks in Port Stanley ON. I was going for a newvo retro look. The chip shack has been in Port Stanley since I was a youngster and we would spend most of weekends (summer time) down there by the water and eating junk food. We took a picnic lunch so it wasn't all junk food but a stop at Mackies was always the last thing we did before heading home.

This is what it looks like currently (April 2010)
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/Ronson2k3/MackiesPortStanley.jpg

All manner of summer time fare can be found there including their world famous Orange Aide..

But I digress into a sea of summer time memories. I'm glad everyone is back safe and sound and I will now return you to our 'Getter Done' thread..

[AK Mongo]

Ron, they will definitely see you coming in that thing!

[RojanTrojan]

Great vid Alex. Really like the design. How are you getting along with the PM GA software? Was it expensive to buy from PM?

Cheers

Rhydian

[No Longer Active]

I wouldn't really know how much PM costs because at the moment I am only using the demo, with the plan to getting the license, it costs 149 euros I think, but Peix is what I use at the moment, cheap and Cheerful!

[confinedspacerescue]

Nice information shared by ron. As well as nice pics ron.

[CWFlightsim]

Gidday, beech Baron 58.... great plane, always loved twins (planes I mean)

[Louie Mendez]

What up ya'll =)

I'm aiming for C-208B w/ G1000. So far so good, I have successfully acquired most of the knobs as Alex had mentioned I'm "the" Knob Legend hehe.
The two items I'm missing are throttle handle and elev.trim. Hopefully someone in this forum have em.
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd462/northbaypic/208.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd462/northbaypic/Cessnaturnknobs.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd462/northbaypic/DSCN2449.jpg

How far am I will to go on this project?? I'm going all out =)