Building an inexpensive FCU for Airbus A320

[No Longer Active]

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Here's some progress on the FCU. The panels are not assembled yet but I have put some buttons in the panels to test for accuracy and also the buttons are now painted black. Lots more to do still. Will keep you posted.

Thanks.

Alex

[al3xfoster]

Looking good!

[No Longer Active]

Thanks....

Just waiting on some more parts, such as encoders, knobs and buttons through the post and will populate it as and when. The whole FCU and EFIS is looking to cost around £70 plug and play, I sacrificed back lighting and digit displays to keep the cost right down, but it will certainly do the job in terms of controlling all the FCU functions which is the whole idea of me making this panel for wilco!

[OmniAtlas]

Hi, very nice Alex, have you considered using Jehell's FMGS?

Regards,

Ben

[No Longer Active]

Hi Ben,

Yes, I have considered using FMGS but at the moment I don't have enough PC's and monitors to be able to run it as a pit, hence flying wilco on a single screen and building an FCU to accompany this. I think that after my summer holiday I will have a look into building more of an actual pit, maybe something 'single-seater' and go from there.

I have the A320 MIP drawn up along with the stand, so after my fcu and efis is built I will crack on with CNC'ing my MIP and getting the basics down, and maybe purchase some old second hand screen or computers.

Here's a recent pic of my FCU...

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Cheap, but does the job.

Cheers, Alex

[No Longer Active]

I am on a roll

The EFIS and both together, just need waiting on the other bits to populate both panels.

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[turbovela]

AlexJ,

I was wondering where you found the buttons for the FCU and EFIS panels, or did you make them yourself?

Jose

[No Longer Active]

Hi. Just cheapo square push buttons with stickers on them.....

Simple and effective....

[hkreso]

WOW. Looks amazing. I plan also to build like AlexJ, but in "back office" will be Arduino, like http://svglobe.com/

[turbovela]

Alexj,

Are you going to be buying push/pull rotary encoders for the FCU? if not how will you be doing the Man/Sel mode for the HDG, SPD, ALT and VS? do you plane to use the same pushbutton for both Man/Sel mode? If that is the case, how will you perform that task? thanks

Jose

P.S. if you could share the link to where you bought the pushbuttons from I would really appreciate it. I found some similar buttons, but they have a red LED and I would love to get the same buttons as you with the green LED. Thanks