Cockpit Construction Continued (Part 36)

[JBaymore]

New Power Supply

As I mentioned in Part 35, upon NickN's recommendation I installed a new 600 Watt Rosewill power supply in the main flight sim computer.

[JBaymore]

Landing Gear Indicator Lights

As I am trying to get the MIP and the glareshield area finished up a bit, I did the simple task of wiring up the landing gear position annunciator lights.

[JBaymore]

Current Status

I was doing a training flight tonight online using the VOR 01 Approach into MGGT based on the tutorials in the Mike Ray "Flying the Boeing Sims" book, and thought I'd catch a shot of the pit as it now stands.  The shot is taken from the upper corner of the overhead looking toward the captain's seat side.

Here you go:



best,

.......................john

[expat]

Hi John.

You are really looking good, but if I may point out one item to you. The gear handle of the 146, the end where you have what looks like a small white wheel is a red lamp in the shape of a main wheel. Imagine what you have, but red plastic with a couple of lights inside (in the real world they blow quite often and it is right fiddle to change them) If memory serves me (I have been off the aircraft for 4 years now) it illuminated when the gear was in cycle (but don't quote me)

Matt

[JBaymore]

Matt,

Thanks for the comments.

You know ... I didn't know that about the 146.

[machineman9]

its looking great!

what tools and things do you use to make sure each componant works like it should in the sim?

[Jakemaster]

I noticed the ASUS logo on your MOBO...yay Asus LMAO!  They make a good laptop

[JBaymore]

its looking great!

what tools and things do you use to make sure each componant works like it should in the sim?

machineman,

Good question.  A lot depends on what you mean by "each component".  If a component is say a LCD monitor... then you need a computer to drive it.  ;)   If you are talking electronics at a really serious level (components inside a monitor) ... a testbed of equipment would include stuff like osiloscopes and frequency analyzers and all sorts of sophisticated goodies.  But for 99.999999% of the stuff...... it is FAR easier than that.

Probably 95 percent of the "components" are switches or rotary encoders.  4 percent are "off the shelf" modules that either work or don't.  The last 1 percent is........ ???

For that a basic multimeter unit that allows you to test AC and DC voltages, resistance, continuity, amperage, and so on is asbsolutely indespensible.

A simple 9V DC battery with a set of alligator clips attached to the + and - poles for testing certain non-computer circuits.  

A simple home constructed "test light" that consists of a set of aligator clips to which you've added a red LED and a current limiting resistor.

That likely will get you most of what you need.

Add in a good soldering iron, good wire strippers, small needle nose pliers, tiny diagonal cutters, and an assortment of phillips and blade screwdrivers.

For building the rest of the wood stuff..... a circular saw, a sabre or jig saw, a good drill with a wide assortment of bits including countersink ones and hole saws, and good straightedges and measureing tapes and rulers.

If I think of more stuff... I'll post it.

best,

......................john

[machineman9]

so a lot of effort then  ;D

how about the connecting the lights to the computer? what software or what did you use for that? i guess for things like the landing gear, the rod could toggle a switch (G or something on the keyboard) and then just use the switch to change the lights from red to green after, say, 3secs or so?

[JBaymore]

machineman,

Please... take the time to go back to that listing I gave you.  in that is almost a "step by step" explanation of how to build a pit from the ground up.

In there you will see how to connect "lights".  There are different ways based on different outcomes.  

Building something like a pit is almost as complicated as designing and wiring a REAL plane at times  ;).

best,

..................john

[BuggsK100RS]

Ok iv just read (ok some i did skim) the list of threads for you building you Pit WOW totaly amazing reading rearly well done!!!

The way your going tho i dould you will ever Finish!! (I mean that in a good way)  At some point you will get to the stage of Hmm im satified with this but if it only had a *insert the new thing here* and you will be adding and tweeking things all the time.  If there isent something you wont to Add, inprove or Change the Look of at any given moment,  well i dout that will ever happen.

What version of FS do you run from what i could gather its FS9 so would the pit still work with FSX or is that a total night meare you dont what to even contemplate??

[francsal]

[quote]Current Status

I was doing a training flight tonight online using the VOR 01 Approach into MGGT based on the tutorials in the Mike Ray "Flying the Boeing Sims" book, and thought I'd catch a shot of the pit as it now stands.

[JBaymore]

[quote]Welcome to Guatemala, John!

[JBaymore]

On to Part 37 : http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2 ... 1191629393