Collective lever...

[Dan]

Hi guys. First post in 'the underworld'!!!  ;D lol. I want to know how prctical / easy it would be for my first project to be a Bell 206B collective lever. Heres a picture of it:



From of Hovercontrol.... Just that, no stick or anything. How easy, and how much would it be likely to cost? Im looking for probably USB, as thats what my current stick is.
Thanks guys,
Dan

[JRoc]

I don't think that a collective would be very costly - you could probably get by with a few bits of scrap wood, a broomstick and a potentiometer.  For USB,  you'll have to first connect the pot to a gameport connector and attach that to a gameport>usb adapter.

I hope that helps you!

[JBaymore]

Dan,

Welcome to the "underworld"  ;).

I was holding back on an "offical" welcome to the "Homebuild Cockpits Forum" figuring that a chopper type pilot / simpit builder would answer your question.  I know NOTHING about choppers.  Looks like we haven't assembled too many choppper pilots yet.

But the principles used in any simpit construction apply.... just the details differ.  So take a look in the threads about building stuff like throttles and yokes and such.  Then it is just the mechanical linkages that you have to deal with to emulate the real world.

It helps to study the real thing as much as you can.  Effectlvely.... you are trying to recreat a real unit... so sometimes it is possible to make it exactly the same way.... but just with non- flight rated construction....or using wood where metal was used...and so on.

Hooking a potentiometer to usb can be accomplished by taking an old usb joystick and canabilizing it for the parts and the usb interface.  Setr the assignments in the sim setup area.

Hope this helps.

best,

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

[funhouse]

Dan,
       this might help you out.
http://digilander.libero.it/rah66/home/collettivo/collettivo.htm

Dave

[Dan]

Thanks guys... I guess its us helo guys that make up our own 'underworld' then!!! lol.... Thanks all, I'm looking at various pages now....
Dan