Twin Otter Simpit

[oldgreydog]

I first joined this site a few months ago. My intention at that time was to build a two seater motion platform which would be a generic GA aircraft allowing me to simuplate a number of different aircraft. I have since changed my mind and I'm getting into the detailed planning and prep work for a two seater motion platform (2DOF) based around the Aerosoft DHC-6 Twin Otter 300.

A number of reasons for this:-

1) I really enjoy flying this sim
2) It can go all sorts of places that other planes can't go
3) They have been around for ages and therefore there is a considerable choice in terms of the instruments and their layout.

So far I have started the detailed drawings for the pilot and co-pilot, engine and radio stack instrument panels, the overhead panels and the engine controls. I've found The Gauge Factory a wonderful source of the more standard instruments and had great help from Dave Ault with his tutorial on programming your own instruments for those instruments that are particular to the Twin Otter (particularly the engine gauges).

[oldgreydog]

Initially my plan is to have two PCs working the simpit. I have rebuilt two old PCs for this purpose.
The more powerful I intend to run the FSX software providing the flight dynamic info through FSUIPC/WideFS to the second PC which will run the instrument software and interface to the motion hardware. The first PC will also provide the external view.
I currently have been collecting flat screen displays for the instruments but intend the external view to be provided via a single projector (initially). I'm also planning to use the first PC to display the radio stack and Garmin GPS, both of which Aerosoft have 2D options for.
I would like to use the Bendix-King GPS system provided with the Twin Otter, but I don't know how to operate it other than using mouse clicks at various places on the screen. Does anyone know if you can control this unit through FSUIPC calls?

[BuildABoeing]

Sounds interesting.

Promise that you snow us some pictures as you progress.

I have been a passenger a few times in a Twin Otter in northern Norway a few times in winter storms. Those Widerøe-pilots sure knows their stuff!!!!

Regarding the GPS; I think the "Mouch MAcro" function of FSUIPC should do the trick. It allows you to record a mouse click/function and then assign a key/joystick button.
Together with a BU0836X (or similar) you should get a long way.

[oldgreydog]

Hi Peter
I've nothing to show so far except CAD drawings and bags of components.

I'll have a look at the mouse macro function in FSUIPC - sounds like it could do the trick.

I already have a BU0836X which I've played about with and already made a generic switch box. I think with the number of switches encoders I'll be using I'll need another.

I also have a BU0836A controller, but I'm not at all sure about the ease of connecting to this.

I'll export some of the drawings I've done in to .jpg format and post them.

I have also been using TurboCAD to draw instrument dials as they can be output in .bmp format and used by the "C" programs that display the instruments. I could post them as well.

I am really jealous of you having been in a Twin Otter. My experience of real world flying has been restricted to scheduled jet flights mainly between Edinburgh and London Heathrow. Plus a few microlight flying lessons.

I have been looking for Twin Otter videos on YouTube. At the moment I am doing a virtual round the world flight in the Aerosoft Twin Otter. I set off from London CIty Airport and have been doing short hops (approx 150nm each) and without increasing the simulation rate on FSX. I'm currently just west of the Annapurna Massif and will round off the Himalaya leg of the trip at Shangri-La airport (it doesn't exist in FSX and I had to hunt for information on it and build it using ADE).

I wold much prefer to be doing this in a simpit, but I'll do it again when I've built it.