KLaFaille

Quick questions seeing as your marketing this towards A-10 folk and have the ejection handles on the sides, you ever going to change the seat back angle to 15 degrees like it should be? K

Cool setup on the home CNC. I'll be interested to see what sort of cuts and tolerances you can produce on that. K

Thanks for the heads up on that particular head. I've been meaning to pick up a couple others, one for circuit cards, and one for larger pieces. A panavise is one of the greatest things ever. :) K

The section of the forum below this one is called A-10C Avioncis and Weapons What exactly is an Avioncis? ;) :music_whistling: EDIT: Oh sorry for the wrong area. Thanks for moving it. I'll stay back in my corner in the home cockpit area now. :thumbup: Red

Hi -Ice, I took the stick off my shelf to take the pictures. In the third picture there what you see is an insert that goes into the top of the tube that angles the grip up and sets the rotation of the amphenol connector. The two holes you see in the side of the tube are rivets that hold the insert in place. I'm not home right now, but if you have access to any sort of imaging software that you can draw lines and measure angles with you could take measurements of the first picture I provided. I guess you could print it and do it with ruler and protractor too. ;) K

Look forward to getting the kit. Thanks, Niclas. :D

Photos for reference if you like, tube is 1.75" diameter, .070" wall thickness. Flight Stick (1 of 3) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Flight Stick (2 of 3) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Flight Stick (3 of 3) by KLaFaille, on Flickr

OK, this is generally how back lighting a real panel is done. Also of note, inside and at the bottom of each of the holes where the bulb goes is a mirror to reflect the light back down and into the green NVIS filters. Panel Backlighting (1 of 4) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Panel Backlighting (2 of 4) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Panel Backlighting (3 of 4) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Panel Backlighting (4 of 4) by KLaFaille, on Flickr

Thanks, There are a bunch of super tiny incandescent bulbs with green NVIS filters mounted to a plate which is screwed into the faceplate of the panel. The gold connector in the center there is for the 5V to light the panel. I'll get a pic for you shortly. K

A-10C (17 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (18 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (19 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (20 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (21 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (22 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (23 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (24 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (25 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (26 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (27 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (28 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (29 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr

More More random shots just taken walking around the aircraft. A-10C (1 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (2 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (3 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (4 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (5 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (6 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (7 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (8 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (9 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (10 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (11 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (12 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (13 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (14 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (15 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr A-10C (16 of 29) by KLaFaille, on Flickr

I wired up the LASTE panel earlier, not the prettiest but it works as it should. One green wire is the common for the switches, the other is the ground of the 5V panel backlighting. I used the original receptacle that came on the panel and I have an appropriate female connector that mates to it. You can see the rear release pin tools and pins in one of the pictures there, the tweezers and white half of the double sided tool are for extracting the pins, the red half is for inserting the pins and having them seat properly in the locks in the receptacle. You can insert these by hand so you don't really need the insertion tool except when things start getting crowded or a pin is being stubborn and won't seat. The pins are made to be crimped onto 16-18 AWG wire, but I don't have the right crimper yet and I used 22ga on the white leads, so I just soldered them on. You can see the result of poor planning when bundling the leads as I had to do some creative basketweaving to get the pins into the holes I had decided they were to go in. This happens in "real life" though too, one end of a cable has a clockwise twist and the other end of course is counter-clockwise. So when building a connector on each end to a hookup sheet, one end will have all the pins line up nicely into the connector, but the other end is reversed so you have to weave and twist things to insert them in the right hole. No fun when you have to do a 90+ pin plug with daisy chains and pair shields being terminated to pins, etc. :music_whistling: The last pic is just some more miscellaneous gauges that I'll have to open up and do some work on. I have to add the on/off flag to the AOA but that shouldn't pose much trouble because I have a bunch of small flag movements from the ADI I salvaged. LASTE Panel (2 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (1 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (3 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (4 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (5 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (6 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (7 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (8 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (9 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (10 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (11 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr LASTE Panel (12 of 12) by KLaFaille, on Flickr Misc Gauges by KLaFaille, on Flickr

Yes, they are renderings of CAD drawings I've created. They are however, in the case of real panels that I own, dimensionally accurate to a few thousands of an inch and in the case of C model panels, drawn to be as accurate as possible from references that I have available to me. They also take into account actual requirements as outlined in applicable MIL-STD and MIL-SPEC documentation. For example, The "C" Main Instrument Panel is drawn from an actual A-10A MIP with changes made to accomidate the MFCDs (libertay was taken here for use of available COTS panels), fire pull housing, and removal / relocation of instrumentation and panels. The HSI, ADI, RWR, VVI, ASI, AAU-34A, LDG GEAR, HARS, Engine Instrumentation and FUEL panels all stayed in the same location as on the A-10A, so the panel is 100% dimensionally accurate there. The non C model exclusive panels I'm drawing to verify that they will work with my designs, "function testing rounds" if you were to use firearm terminology. What these CAD files give me are parts that when created, I know will fit to real aircraft parts, DZUS rails, consoles, housings, etc. I think that it's fair to say that I am trying to stay as true to real aircraft as possible, with necessary liberties taken, and I think that those in the "know" would see the similarities in what I have drawn to actual A-10 hardware. It's all a bit crazy, I know, but when one spends thousands of dollars collecting real instruments, real panels, real controls, real switches, and other various real aircraft bits for a simpit, sanity has long since left the building. Hope that helps to clear up my motives behind the CAD work I do. :) Red

Ya. Will do.

Thanks again. :thumbup: Today's work: AHCP by KLaFaille, on Flickr Red

Thanks Ragtop & Deadman, Just a few more for shits and grins. As always, they can be clicked through to larger resolutions if so desired. AUX LTS by KLaFaille, on Flickr MIP Console 2 by KLaFaille, on Flickr AUX LTS Panel by KLaFaille, on Flickr Compared to my real panel it was drawn from, I still need to add the four arrows. Panels (17 of 23).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr

Finally got back to some 3D modeling of the pit and managed to finish the left console structure and get started on an emergency brake handle / seat height adjust housing. The main housing is done, it just needs the screw holes and the pull handle hole added. The quickly made backplates are to verify the dimensions will be correct for use in real panels and the length of DZUS rail that will be necessary. Now with the structure modeling done I have a concrete set of dimensions to work to when it comes time to build the console and I know for a fact that it will work with real panels and parts. I need to add in some small details such as nut plate locations and the such, but overall it's good to go. On the part acquisition front, I found an AOA gauge, one of the Oil Pressure gauges, the Cabin Pressure gauge for the environmental panel, the proper switch for opening and closing the canopy, and a few other little odds and ends. Left Console by KLaFaille, on Flickr MIP and Console by KLaFaille, on Flickr

Don't quote me on this because I'm not 100% sure, but I believe some of the really smart guys over at viperpits.org developed a device to interface a real throttle with a cougar base. It might be worth asking around over there if you're interested in using it for a sim. Or it could just be a great conversation piece in any flight buffs collection. ;) Red

I purchased it from an individual who had a qty of these which were procured from a liquidation auction. These types of things do get released and sold off, much like A-10A throttle quadrants and other flight equipment, instruments, gauges, displays, etc. Thanks, Keith

I have an absolutely NOS F-16 throttle grip for sale. This is not a Thrustmaster Cougar grip, it's an actual military issue F-16 unit. This is the slightly older version with the two way comm switch and "spiderweb" slew transducer hat. The grip is pristine except for one tiny nick on the transducer mounting collar which can be seen in picture five. The white speck to the left was just some dust that wiped off after I took the picture. As you can see it still has the manilla tag on it from Mason, the manufacturer of the grip. Asking $350 shipped if paying by USPS MO (USPS MO ONLY), or $365 shipped if paying with PayPal. Shipping includes insurance and tracking. This is an ITAR item, no sales outside the United States. All pictures can be clicked on to follow through to larger resolution versions. Questions, PM me or email kerensky77@gmail.com F16 Throttle (1 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (2 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (3 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (4 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (5 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (6 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (7 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr F16 Throttle (8 of 8).jpg by KLaFaille, on Flickr

Thanks for the info Mike, that's good to know. I see what you mean regarding the accuracy and I agree that if this were built with all 1% tolerance parts there would be an issue. When I get around to building a couple of these, I'll try out the OCs and see how they work. I do like that using the OC simplifies the design, less to go wrong and all that. Thanks!

Thanks for posting this here Mike. This is another project that I've got mulling around in the back of my mind that I'm going to have to undertake at some point. There is always so much to do with this "hobby". ;) Red

Mike, I was reading more into your circuit for the DTS, and was curious of your thoughts of using FET Optocouplers in lieu of an N-Channel JFET. I have a few H11F3 couplers laying about that switch "on" at as low as 20uA (resistance is in the Megohm range here) and "off" are upwards of 300Megohm. However with 5 volts going across a 150 Ohm resistor into the emitter it gives a forward current of about 25mA, which equates to around 58 Ohms across the detector. Of course with more current, the more resistance across the detector drops, but as your design basically just dumps the voltage to ground when a switch is "on" and whatever resistance we have at this point is certainly less than the 10K Ohm in your schematic, I don't see an issue. I know you stated you picked the JFETs you did because of their low resistance, but just how sensitive is your circuit and how low a resistance do we really need here? With the emitter being an IRLED there is certainly no need to produce a negative voltage like the JFET so the extra opamp circuitry is again removed. There may be other lower resistance OCs out there, I just had these laying around. Thoughts? Red H11F3.pdf

In the interest of sharing, I've shared this before, but here it is again. http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=53423&d=1310016493 Drawn by me from my real throttle assembly. I think there is a Dim or two missing but other than that it's complete and accurate down to the .001" give or take. Red

Hmmm.. odd