Wow! Compared to you guys I'm just a wee beginner!
The seat is from a 2002 Dodge Minivan that I got from a You-Pull-it Junk yard for $15 bucks. I built the "sled", as I call it, from 1x6 I had left over from a home renovation project. (Explains why some of it is stained) The monitor is so close to my face because I'm legally blind (20/200 vision corrected) which makes getting the angles for the Track IR camera (on top of the monitor) a little tricky. The Stick/mouse platform is on a hinge and tilts up to facilitate entering and exiting the flight system.
All of the flight gear, with the exception of the Track IR system, is Saiteks. Saitek X-52, Saitek Pro-flight Rudder Peddles, and Saitek Pro-flight Yolk. The last, the yolk, Is still something I'm working on. It was originally installed when I was using a regular office chair. But it's too far forward to use in the present cockpit configuration. And if I bring it forward so it can be used, it will interfere with getting in and out of the chair. I'm still working on a system where-by I can bring it forward when I want to use it, and push it back and out of the way when I don't. For now, I'm only using the throttle quadrant.
The X-52 stick controls throttle and is part of my HOTAS (Hands on Stick and Throttle) configuration. The black lever in the throttle quadrant is for propeller pitch, the blue is not used, and the red - not seen in some pictures, is used for elevator trim - rudder and aileron trim are the slider and thumb wheel on the X-52 throttle respectively.
When I'm in a two engine aircraft, however, like a B-25 or P-38, I used Control mode 3 which changes things up a bit. The X52 throttle and Black lever on the throttle quadrant become left and right throttles respectively. And the blue and red throttle levers become left and right RPM respectively. Elevator trim is transferred to the top wheel on the X-52 (not as fine a control as the lever) and elevator and rudder trim stay the same.
It may be a bit much, but it's the virtual cockpit I've been dreaming of for over 20 years now... Hope you enjoy, and let me know if you have an questions.
InCrypt out...
Rudder Peddle Platform - at an angle to make the peddles feel more natural
X-52 throttle and Yolk Throttle quadrent
X-52 Stick and mouse Platform. this is hinged to facilitate entering and exiting the cockpit.
The above was a post I shared with my suqadies on our own website. I didn’t realize that there were so many fine Pit builders in AH. I know what you mean though, about it never ending. The computer has moved out of the cabinet you see in the Pix above. It’s got its own shelf under the throttle controls now. The keyboard has move to a swivel carriage that I can pull down when needed.
Next I want to move the Yolk onto some kind of locking draw hinge/slide so I can pull it forward when needed, and push it out of the way when I don’t. An alternate is to try and get the pivot mechanism for a steering wheel out of a car. I also want to use pop rivets and flashing to simulate skin metal, and I want to add a rumbler to the seat that I can either run sub-woofer signals, or, so I’ve read about, tap the signal from a force-feed back stick (Which I currently don’t have) so I can get the ‘feel’ of the plane.
I’ve got ideas, lots of ideas, but right now I’m enjoying flying more then building.
. Hell, I’ve still yet to add paint!
