How feasible?

[Tomlin]

How feasible do you think this is? Im thinking of highly modifying my CH yoke into a column-mounted yoke with an interconnect for the co pilot's side by doing the following:

1) Taking the yoke apart and filling the yoke with epoxy resin to add more mass and sturdyness to the yoke itself. I will route the buttons/switches via small flexible tubing so that they will be available to be serviced even though the epoxy will fill most of the cavities in the yoke.

2) Build a new yoke shaft of metal, and fabricate a column for it to mount into with a proper bearing houseing for roll and a locking mech for pitch.

3) Incorporate a gear system (or plan B, a pulley with cable system) to link to the co-pilot's side, which will be a repeat of parts 1 and 2 above.

4) Use one of the existing pots each for the pitch and roll moments (and incorporating the left over axis' in another area of the sim if needed).

Years ago I created my own yokes of wood and pvc columns and tried both cable and bike chain to no avail. I knew that I would never be happy with the wood yokes, the cable and chain couldnt be pulled too tight due to the pvc 'caving' in toward each other. So, I learned a lot and now that I have access to all sorts of metal work tools and materials, I am thinking of making this work with the CH yokes since they are only $100 each (and I already have one now) and once painted and a clipboard attached, they will resemble the Lear 45 for a very low cost. Anyone went down this road yet? Im fairly positive this would be very doable and I could even swap the pitch trim switch over to the right hand horn for the co pilot's yoke as well it appears.
Here's a picture of a CH yoke pulled from it's housing:
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=194

[Tomlin]

Hey Daveanne, have you linked your CH yokes together?

Also, I would love to point people to this here at the FDS forum: http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3253
If you scroll down you will see how he interconnected his yokes. I love the gearing system- that's what Im looking for if anyone can point me to a supplier of those gears.

[AndyT]

Now that you have torn it apart, go for it! :D
Here is an idea for you to think about. It makes linking simple and quick.
Also hooking pots to this setup is simple as well. Just substitute the ch yoke for the yoke in this setup.

[Tomlin]

No, Ive not torn it apart yet. Just still working thru ideas.

[Daveanne]

This is the way I have achieved it, I like you thought that if I used one CH yoke and coupled it to a dual connection i.e. just like a real one it should work, so I experimented with some simple push/pull aluminium rods and bell cranks made from mild steel.

I actually sawed through the CH yoke housing, keeping the pot brackets intact to act as mounts for the workings.

The Yokes are actually made from square section plastic water drain pipes, like the ones you get outside your house for water drainage off the roof (sorry if I am confusing you with Brit English terms, but don't know what you call them).

I have put together a set of pictues for you to have a look at, they will be on this site in the gallery as G-HOLTYoke. (hopefully).

Please don't hessitate to ask more if you need to.

DaveAnne

[Tomlin]

Thanks Dave for sharing your pictures! I always like to see all the different ways people use to connect their yokes and other bits.

[Daveanne]

All the pictures should be there now, like I said before if you want to know anything else just shout, well type it in anyway.....:-))

[Westozy]

Copy mine Eric, it can't get much simpler than that and it works perfectly.

Gwyn

[Tomlin]

All the pictures should be there now, like I said before if you want to know anything else just shout, well type it in anyway.....:-))


Hi Dave,

Are you planning on putting any pictures of the yoke setup on your actual website? Id love to see more pics over there!

**Adition**

Dave, I read this on one of your photos here in the gallery:

"Then split the handles apart and made a small boss to fit in the centre and connect to the large bolt I had through the centre of the upper right angle pipe work.
I then set everything in place and drilled through the inner yoke handle edge and boss together, which permanently locked the yoke's to the levers inside."

When you say that, what do you mean by making a small 'boss' to fit in the centre?

Do you have a photo showing the back of the control column please? Id like to see how you attached the yoke to the top of the column please :-)