Cockpit simulator

[gunnss]

This is a basic "how to" kind of post about making a sim cockpit.  First you may want to skip all this and go to this
http://www.simpits.org/

I cant seem to get the link working but if typed in it will take you there
Gunns

it is a web site that Silat sent me and it has been very informative.  But if you want my maunderings, here goes.



First the hazard notice!
Liquid Nails and facial hair DO NOT go together!!!!
that is scratching your nose with the glue goo in your hand will reduce the size of your mustache.

In designing your simpit, the first thing you need to do is decide what you really want, that is will it be a realistic reproduction of a specific fighter?, or a will it be more generic and try to give a "feel" of a cockpit?, will it be fully enclosed?, how much room will be avalible?, and how much do you want to spend?

In my case I went for a Generic kind of P47 look that was fully enclosed with a sliding canopy and space behind the seat for my homebrew keg and the Gas cylnder, also included was a variable speed fan to keep the thing from getting "stuffy" while using it closed up.  

The design process had me drawing on lots of paper first in getting a concept down

I used this drawing to set up how I would sit and just where the flight controlers would be.  It allowed me to determin how long and how tall the thing would be <60" long 50" high> using the diagram I made and wrote down mesurments like how high off the ground the seat bottom was and where would the knee hole bulkhead go.  then I had to determine how wide the finshed sim pit would be, and how I would get through a doorway.

Framing was a concern as I am not the 140 lb youth I once was < 250 lb and stable for 12 years>  so I framed in a base like this with rabited joints


note: there is space to attach the "fire wall" and rear bulkhead to the cross members of the frame.  and finaly I cut out bulkheads to like this to use as forms to put my stringers on and thus shape the skin


also I wanted all of my computer components in side the simpit,  and this required that the diamentions fit them my CPU box sits in side the right side module and my throttle sits on a shelf in the door in the left side module.   the foot pedled go in front of the kneehole bulkhead and the Joy stick stis on a shelf that pulls out of the same kneehole bulkhead.  The hole in the fire wall is the inlet for my fan and the controlls are mounted on the kneehole bulkhead.

now a pair of pics

This shows the center section attached to the left side with the swing down door open and the JS holder pushed in note the monitor shelf and the non skid strips on the stepable areas.

This shows the dissasembled unit ready to move in to my computer room unfourtnatly dark this was the best of a roll of film I runed due to low light conditions.

there is a lot more to making this thing and I will expand on indivaduale parts of the project as desired.  also better pictures of my "bird" will be posted as soon as I can pry the flash camera away from my daughter who has discovered a love for makin picks of "Every thing"


Luck,
Gunns

[SunTracker]

You can buy a P51B or Spitfire cockpit for $1200.

[gunnss]

My 13 year old canopy open



view in through door

more coming as I get them sorted out.

Gunns

[gunnss]

Me, standing on the entry step.


view with the door open.  seat removed



Gunns

[gunnss]

no pics yet but,

Padded sides of pit, and installed the rear pad on back bulkhead,also discovered that the orignal seat mount was insufficent for the body "english" I was using during "flight", so I redesinged and installed a stronger frame with an adjustable seat on it.  Now you can adjust the seat for leg length also installed a keyboard mount on the rib above the Right side shelf, and replaced the door Chain with a stronger type , also installed a storage site for Flight Helm and Goggles, and with the new movable seat the Keg storage has been moved to the out side rear of the back bulkhead but the CO2 storage cyl is still in side.  
   Also have added Squad nose art, and my personal device on the side.

    Future improvments include a superior seat pad, and replaceing the paper "glass" with Alum. sections for durabillity,  reworking the ventalation so as to better cool the monitor, some actual instruments on the inst. panel and finally I need to round the edges of the Knee hole opening, pad and cover the forward edges of the seat slid mount and rouns a few more corners that were covered before the sliding seat was added.

   Out side dimentions have stablized at 60" long , 40" wide <1.02+ m>, and 50" high <1.3 m>

Gunns