JCook

I'm not that familiar with the O2 system in the A10, and page 155 in the DCS manual inicates there is a bleed air option that you mention. I was referring to the liquid Oxygen system - which I had thought was the primary source of air supply for the pilot. In any case if the Liquid Oxygen is being depleted during the mission my question is still do we have a way to reflect that on the Oxygen Quantity Indicator gauge in the pit? As a side reference on page 25 of William Smallwood's "WartHog" book. It mentions that one of the pilots after venting the cockpit switched to 100% O2 to counter the effects of hypoxia. He later had to swich back to normal air (20.95% O2) since he didn't have enough liquid oxygen to complete the trip at 100% O2. I guess that is what got me thinking that the liquid O2 system was the primary.

y2kiah - I've finally located a local CNC shop that will work with wood cutting. I want to make sure I have your latest .dxf plans and production notes for cutting. Please keep in mind I know next to nothing about CNC work at this point. So I want to try to get any questions the CNC shop might have answered ahead of time. On the day we do the cutting I need to go in with as much information as possible, because if they start asking me technical questions about a certain cut or tolerance, I'm going to have to ask the audience or phone a friend which will pretty much postpone the cutting job for the day. I plan on having them cut the left and right consoles first - and I will tackle the front panel farther down the road. I also plan on implementing your front extension and windscreen frame to my pit - but that is way down the line. I've noted in Gadroc's post #386 and your reply post in #388 that there might be a .dxf update needed. Do you have the most up-to-date dxf files available yet? I plan on using the .75" birch as I think you are. And I've noted your instructions in post #385 that the throttle mount pockets are to be cut .5" deep. You mention in the same post to look at your screen shots for reference. I've reviewed every page of your posts this morning and I'm not sure which picture is the one you want me to reference - can you point it out please? Are there any additional production notes you can think of for me to cover with the CNC shop? I believe I've read that drilling should be with the 1/8" bit and the cutting bit is 1/4". Thanks for all the help.

I haven't been flying enough of this sim to notice the O2 gauge while on missions - but I'm assuming that O2 is depleted realistically during the game. Has anyone come up with a way to replicate that on the physical O2 panel gauge that you would have in your pit? Basically making the physical analog gauge replicate what is happening on the screen? Can Helios help with that?

Is it possible to off load some of the graphics processing requirements to a second PC. Such as having the graphics for the MFDs, CDU, etc. run by a networked secondary PC?

airdog - thanks, I'll take a look at those thread discussions - I've been focussed more on the consoles and panels lately - so much to learn... rocketer - your point is well taken. Whenever possible I'm looking for solutions that others have already had success with. I think you're right about using digital monitors for now and that is what I had planned. When I see a solution for analog gauges that I can implement I'll start with one build and go from there.

This gauge solution is just what I was looking for. Is there any new information on your progress and interfacing with the A10?

In preparing for the building of my A10C pit - I haven't studied up much yet on monitors and graphics. Currently I have an i7 930 6GB with an nVidia GTX 460 1GB supporting a 28" monitor. I'll be building a more powerful PC later this year specifically for the A10C pit. There are lots of monitors to consider for the sim pit. (1) Primary display (will be 28" for now and upgrade to 40" or 50" later) (2) TM Cougar MFDs initially until I build custom MFD panels. I think both these MFD options will be supported by 8" monitors. (?) Monitor(s) for the center instrument panel (ADI, HSI Alt, VSI, RWR, etc) size(s) unknown. (1) For the engine instruments - I think that is a 10" There are also smaller displays for the UHF radio, CMSP, CMSC and CDU but those appear to be multi-line displays that interface differently than regular graphics cards. I'm not sure how to implement the center panel instrument panel - ideally and ulimately I'd like to go with analog gauges for some of those instruments. No idea how difficult thats going to be though. Are there known components and working plans for analog gauges within the DCS A10 community that would be relatively easy to build? What type of graphic(s) cards do I need and what interface cards will I need for the multi-line displays? Also what is the best behind the panel arrangement of monitors to support the front panel? Haven't yet studied how the sims graphics are redirected to separate monitors and I'm assuming multiple gauges can be placed on a screen with proper placement for the panel; and gauges can even be rotated 90 degrees if the monitor needs to mounted on its side. Will the A10C make use of a dual CPU graphics card? Is 1GB of video RAM enough? Do I need multiple cards? SLI? What cards should be connected USB? - which ones VGA or HDMI? I want a minimize the performance hit from supporting multiple monitors. Thanks in advance for your input John

Another good point. Right now I have a PlaySeat© FlightSim seat which is going to be a bit higher than the ACESII A10C seat I want to build. I don't yet have a supplier for the ACESII seat (A10C ver) so I'm not sure when I can get one of those built. The ACES II seat I believe is going to be closer to the cockpit floor than the play seat which is about 15.5 inches from the front of the seat to the floor. Right now I am building a very simple platform a 30" x 60" particle board raised up on 2x4s. This is to mount the seat, pedals and stick extension on and then I'll build something to better align my monitor/TrackIR, MFDs and a side table for the throttle. This is the interim solution until I can get the consoles built and start populating them with panels. So maybe I'll have to do one stick for now and take another measurement when the ACES II chair is done.

Clarification on the stick extension Excellent points. I should clarify. The stick extension I want to build will be static and not move. The round base of the TM HOTAS joystick will attach to the top of it and that will move as normal the extension itself will be rigid and not move. I simply need my joystick grip placed in the proper 3D space in the cockpit. Right now my setup is very un-ergonomic which makes efficient flying difficult.

Does anyone have any schematic or dimentions for the A10C stick. I've got the TM HOTAS - but I'd like to build the extension part of the stick that goes to the cockpit floor. Looking for thickness of stick, bend angles and length. Thanks

Right D - More people should be building pits. Doing my part, the A10C is just the first one. I figure my basement can hold three pits - maybe four :-) Rocketeer - I think it was around a grand, I'm sure there are some hidden costs as well. But it would be cool. I'd have to get a close look at the quality of the build - whatever it is. If the quality was there I'd consider getting one. Haven't seen any Youtube videos where they're producing anything real useful yet. Printing a 3D Yoda head or whistle is not something very helpful with a cockpit build :-) But if you could build quality grips, buttons, china hats, triggers, etc you could have HOTAS setups for F15's, F18's, F16's, BlackShark etc.

What do you guys know about 3D printing? - I found an inexpensive printer at one of the links that was listed a few posts back: http://store.makerbot.com/thing-o-matic-kit-mk7.html Anyone have any experience with this. Wondering if this would be suitable for some of the flight sim components. Analog gauge frames, Instrument shells, knobs, buttons, joystick grip, etc.

Okay so if I go for the 8.4" vitrolight screens I can get a good format on the TM MFDs and when I'm ready to go to the custom made MFDs - I'll be all set with the 8.4" screens - sound right?

Good idea. Do you have a preference yet on the 7" monitor you'll get - assuming you're going that route? Those AMLCD units look great but the real world avionics are expensive - I'm a pilot also and I know nothing about aviation is inexpensive.

I will use the TM MFDs initially but as I learn more and gain some experience with the electronics I'll go to the larger sized custom MFDs. Not sure which small monitor to use for MFDs but I think there are more options with the larger MFD format. I seem to recall the TM MFDs didn't cover the whole viewing area of the small monitors. The AMLCD 5" looks great - wonder how easily the would interface to DCS A10. Any idea on the cost?

y2kiah - I assume you're not using the TM MFDs in your pit - probably the TM MFDs are smaller than the A10s actual MFDs? I have the TM MFDs do you know if their size is better suited for an F16's MFD size?

I think the longterm solution to FS9/FSX replacement is an OpenSource flightsim developed by world-wide online talent. Microsoft was always too restrictive to model things accurately.

No problem. If sinking the Saitek Combat pedals into the floor will work I'll do that - otherwise I can go with a custom rudder system. I plan on using your full plans with the birch (if that is the highest quality), I like the nose extension - only thing I won't implement is the swingout panels. PM'd you earlier this morning regarding the panels - when you get a chance to talk about that stuff let me know. No hurry - wasn't sure if you'd seen that PM. Keep up the great work. John

Your drawings look like you're impelmenting a custom rudder system. I hadn't considered that for my pit. I just purchased the Saitek Combat rudder system - would that fit under the console in your plans. Not sure of the width of the Saitek - haven't even unboxed it yet - too busy reading these forums. :)

Gadroc - thanks, I've got a little better understanding. What is involved in the cutting - just wondering what type of toolset I need to get or if this is going to be a specialized machine (like CNC) that I'll have to farm out. Thanks for that Link on your process. That really explains alot - its starting to make sense to me (pictures always help). That painters masking material gives it that rubber or silicone look. Q: What adhesive do you recommend for the acryllics - I saw several at the delviesplastics website. Q: The black acrylics are also use for the panel faces correct? Like for example the power panel Acryllic top, E-sheet for lighting in the middle and then aluminum base on the bottom which is what the switches screw on to. And then I have laser etching done on the top panel. Sound right?

Ahh that makes sense and they're just glued together. Got any resources for where I can by this acrylic and the thickness to use (i'm sure I've seen that somewhere in the posts). Would the acrylic need to be cut with CNC or is that something that could be done by hand?

Yup - may as well put that hot air to good use.

My A10 pit is going to be in my basement where it is cooler - much more comfortable in the summer months, but a little too cool in the winter months. My idea for cockpit heating is using some aluminum flue liners attached to the pc's exhaust fan vents to duct the warm air into the cockpit. I'm sure someone could rig up a butterly valve to the panel to actually turn the heat on and off - but for simplicity you could just have a harness setup around the PC that you could attach when you wanted heat. As long as the liner run was 2 or 3 feet I think this would work. It will be a while until my pit is built for me to try this - but if any one wants to give it a try - I would test it by running a temperature monitoring app to ensure that it isn't affecting the PCs heat venting. John

I've seen some of the builders here have made the square, circle and rocker type gray buttons that are used for the CDU, UFC, CMSC, MFDs etc. These are the covers with numbers or letters that go over the electrical switches - I'm assuming they're made of rubber or silicon. I have no idea how to make them - but if there was enough interest in buying a full set for the A10C perhaps some who knows how to make them could sell them. Anyone interested in buying a full set? Can of the pit builder talent be talked into in a production run? How many complete sets would be needed to make it worth your while? John P.S. - put me down for the first set

Count me in. I will be interested in a full set of A10C knobs. John