Jump to content

DIY Helicopter Cockpit (UH-1)


yoreh

Recommended Posts

Hi,

Here is my cockpit project witch started some four years ago. since then i've been on and off on this build. it started as a small trainer (cyclic, collective, pedals) and now it's evolving to be a full cockpit with panels,buttons, dails, dashboard and so on...

in order to export the instruments i will be using the ikarus software. for the analog input (axis) i will be using a joystick board, and for all the buttons and staff i will be using Arduino and DCS-BIOS.

 

Here are some pictures of the small trainer, as you can see it's only analog axis:

 

5.jpg

 

20140201_092332.jpg

 

new collective head:

 

20170223_233108.jpg

 

new cyclic grip (B8 style...)

 

IMG_20170325_190453.jpg

 

An old smartphone as a caution light panel:

 

IMG_20170429_121627.jpg

 

Here are some pictures of the current situation. you can follow the the project from the begining here on HoverControl.

 

IMG_20171110_154202.jpg

 

IMG_20171110_154116.jpg

 

IMG_20171110_154106.jpg

 

IMG_20171110_145434.jpg

 

IMG_20171110_154133.jpg

 

Cheers,

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

V Nice. :thumbup:

 

Love the cut out in the front of the seat base. :music_whistling:

 

Clearly mine is a WIP. :D

Control is an illusion which usually shatters at the least expected moment.

Gazelle Mini-gun version is endorphins with rotors. See above.

 

Currently rolling with a Asus Z390 Prime, 9600K, 32GB RAM, SSD, 2080Ti and Windows 10Pro, Rift CV1. bu0836x and Scratch Built Pedals, Collective and Cyclic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quick update - Glareshield added, and the pedals are done (no electronics yet)

 

IMG_20171117_154959.jpg

 

IMG_20171117_155300.jpg

 

IMG_20171117_155046.jpg

 

IMG_20171117_155055.jpg

 

i made some small changes to the design, like moving the instrument panel and console 10cm forward.

as for the pedals, the original space between them was 20 cm, i changed it to 14cm.

next on the list is to mount the overhead panel and then start working on the cyclic and collective.

 

cheers

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i'm out of co2 for my welder so for the meanwhile i decided to create the istruments covers. i started by cutting squares of transparent PVC and some slices of PVC pipe:

 

IMG_20171123_170720.jpg

 

IMG_20171124_105907.jpg

 

i then guled the pipe to the square using PVC cement and primer, and drilled holes in the corners:

 

IMG_20171124_112508.jpg

 

after the gule dried up i masked the the inner circle and the back with masking tape, then painted it mat black:

 

IMG_20171124_132007.jpg

 

IMG_20171124_134955.jpg

 

after the paint was dry i removed the masking on the back and drilled the holes on the instrument panel. i numbered the covers and the thier loctions because even if they are the same size, there could be small ofset of the holes..

 

 

 

IMG_20171124_140913.jpg

 

IMG_20171124_131038.jpg

 

i then installed the covers on the panel using 4mm alen bolts (cone head) with cuped nuts:

 

IMG_20171124_142300.jpg

 

i coverd the bolt heads with electrical tape to make sure they will not come in contact with the LCD panel

 

IMG_20171124_143420.jpg

 

IMG_20171124_140416.jpg

 

inner masking removed:

 

IMG_20171124_142602.jpg

 

Final resault:

 

IMG_20171124_144810.jpg

 

IMG_20171124_144757.jpg

 

Ofcourse this is only one size of covers, there are more covers to make.

 

Cheers,

Yoreh.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Alot guys!

 

Quick update. work on the instrument panel continues. i added the covers for the smaller gauges, and also added some encoders on the radio compass, CDI, and the Altimeter. the yellow brackets are temperary.

 

 

Cutting the holes for the encoders:

 

IMG_20171201_134506.jpg

 

Temperary brackets:

 

IMG_20171201_134521.jpg

 

IMG_20171201_135725.jpg

 

The back of the encoder is flush with the back of the panel. that's important as thw lcd panel is right behind...

 

IMG_20171201_135713.jpg

 

The isntrument panel with the new covers and encoders installed:

 

IMG_20171201_161449.jpg

 

IMG_20171201_161459.jpg

 

there's still a lot of work to be done...

Cheers

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Dam that's sick ������

 

Can I ask what software you used to get the warning panel sent to the phone?

Thanks.

 

Sure.

first, install an app called "Spacedesk" on your phone and pc. this will define your phone screen as another pc monitor. then use Ikarus to export those warning lights to this monitor. it's simple!!

 

Here is a link to my graphics if you want to use it.

 

Yoreh, that is INCREDIBLE!! Really Superb Work. Question your Collective, did that start out as a commercially made item? or did you DIY that yourself. I'm in the process of figuring out how to make one for myself, with as many COTS parts as possible.

 

Thanks. the collective is DIY. it has started as a child scooter front end. the long tube is the one that holds the handlebar, and the short tube (my twist-grip) is the part that was connected to the scooter chassis. for the electronics, just a bunch of toggles, push-button, and a digital joystick, all packed up in an aluminum junction box. the twist-grip is connected to a potentiometer, and the collective up-down is done with a hall-effect sensor and a magnet. all the inputs (analog and digital) are currently connected to a leo-bondar joystick interface board.

 

Cheers,

Yoreh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a quick update.

 

I have installed a floor plate for the pedals area.

 

IMG_20171215_153646.jpg

 

and added a damper to get more "hydraulic" motion than mechanic.

 

IMG_20171215_153659.jpg

 

then i noticed that even on the lowest setpoint of the damper, i still get lot of resistance from the pedals. something is wrong. the problem was the threaded rod that holds the "T" bar in place. this bar is pressed between two nuts and washers and created lots of resistance. So i decided to change the rod to a round one with bearings.

 

i took it all apart and welded the rod to the "T" bar. at this point i also welded the M8 bolts to the bar.

 

IMG_20171229_114706.jpg

 

i then put everything back to place with the help of some surface base bearings (three of them).

 

IMG_20171229_114903.jpg

 

IMG_20171229_122020.jpg

 

Now, the pedals runs smoothly as they supposed to. the feel is very hydraulic and precice.

with that out of the way, i started on my cyclic rod.

 

i don't have a tube bender in my shop so the best solution for me is to use scrap tubing that al is already bent. here is my donor -

 

IMG_20171229_124044.jpg

 

i salvaged the parts i need and welded them together -

 

IMG_20171229_131640.jpg

 

IMG_20171229_141533.jpg

 

at the top i welded an 1/2" threaded coupler . this will receice the grip in the future

 

IMG_20171229_141552.jpg

 

IMG_20171229_142614.jpg

 

the rod is significantly long right now. it will be shotened down to size eventually.

And finaly i started working on my gimbal for the cyclic. it is a very simple design consist of two square tubing (outer=70mm, inner=30mm), some bearings and 12mm round rod. here it is so far -

 

IMG_20171229_164226.jpg

 

 

my idea is to mount it beneath the floor level and create a force trim magnetic system for it.

 

Cheers,

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Some work on the cyclic gimbal. Yesterday i managed to make some parts for the rest of the gimbal mechanism.

 

IMG_20180112_124644.jpg

 

here you can see a base plate (steel), upper plate (thin aluminum), some bearings, the bearings brackets (steel), some 12mm rod, and the already made gimbal part.

 

IMG_20180112_130446.jpg

 

i drilled the base plate in the center (63mm), and drilled and tapped the maouting holes.

 

IMG_20180112_131700.jpg

 

then tack-welded the brackets to place

 

IMG_20180112_142522.jpg

 

complete gimbal from below

 

IMG_20180112_142541.jpg

 

IMG_20180112_142549.jpg

 

and from above.

 

still to do - connect the rotary motion sensors to the x/y axes.

- Design and build a magnetic force trim system.

 

Cheers,

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was going to build a simpit until I got my rift now just need the three controllers rt hand, lt hand and feet then everything else is virtual

BlackeyCole 20years usaf

XP-11. Dcs 2.5OB

Acer predator laptop/ i7 7720, 2.4ghz, 32 gb ddr4 ram, 500gb ssd,1tb hdd,nvidia 1080 8gb vram

 

 

New FlightSim Blog at https://blackeysblog.wordpress.com. Go visit it and leave me feedback and or comments so I can make it better. A new post every Friday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic work, love it!

 

There's a typo on your war(m)ing placard though.

Intel i7 13700K @ 5.3 GHz / ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus / 64 Gb G.Skill DDR4-3600 / RTX 4090 / 2TB Kingston KC3000 NVME / Win 10 x64 Pro / Pimax Crystal / WINWING F/A-18 HOTAS

A-10C, AJS-37, AV-8B, F-4E, F-5E, F-14, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18C, F-86F, FC3, Christen Eagle 2, FW190D-9, Mosquito, P-47D, P-51D, Spitfire, AH-64D, KA-50, UH-1H

Combined Arms, WWII Asset Pack, China Assets Pack, Super Carrier, Falklands Assets

Nevada, Normandy, Persian Gulf, The Channel, Syria, Mariana Islands, South Atlantic, Sinai

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much guys!!

 

Fantastic work, love it!

 

There's a typo on your war(m)ing placard though.

 

Yeah i know, but i figured i need a space for the Radar Altimeter so i'm gonna place it on this placard anyway...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn it now I need to move forward with my V-Sim pit build,... And yes your build looks awesome. :)

Control is an illusion which usually shatters at the least expected moment.

Gazelle Mini-gun version is endorphins with rotors. See above.

 

Currently rolling with a Asus Z390 Prime, 9600K, 32GB RAM, SSD, 2080Ti and Windows 10Pro, Rift CV1. bu0836x and Scratch Built Pedals, Collective and Cyclic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah i know, but i figured i need a space for the Radar Altimeter so i'm gonna place it on this placard anyway...

 

I just figured it was a test to make sure people were paying attention ;)

Intel i7 13700K @ 5.3 GHz / ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus / 64 Gb G.Skill DDR4-3600 / RTX 4090 / 2TB Kingston KC3000 NVME / Win 10 x64 Pro / Pimax Crystal / WINWING F/A-18 HOTAS

A-10C, AJS-37, AV-8B, F-4E, F-5E, F-14, F-15E, F-16, F/A-18C, F-86F, FC3, Christen Eagle 2, FW190D-9, Mosquito, P-47D, P-51D, Spitfire, AH-64D, KA-50, UH-1H

Combined Arms, WWII Asset Pack, China Assets Pack, Super Carrier, Falklands Assets

Nevada, Normandy, Persian Gulf, The Channel, Syria, Mariana Islands, South Atlantic, Sinai

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

more work on the cyclic

 

Hi all,

I did't like the cyclic shaft i made early on , so i had to make a new one. this time paying more attention to reference photos.

 

Connecting the shaft to the gimbal.

On my first attempt to do so, i came up with a "U" shaped bracket. it was welded to toe top of the center rod in the gimbal. i then drilled a 6mm hole through the shaft and bracket and fastened it with a bolt and nut.

 

IMG_20180119_132809.jpg

 

IMG_20180119_135657.jpg

 

The problem with this setup was the "U" bracket grinding against the hole in the mounting plate, cousing the stick shaft to move in a very "un-flowing" manner.

 

For the second attempt i took a piece of pipe, witch outer diameter is slightly bigger than the shaft inner diameter

 

IMG_20180121_093624.jpg

 

i then turned it on my mini lathe, to fit inside the shaft

 

IMG_20180121_093632.jpg

 

i welded it to the top of the gimball center rod and drilled the hole for the bolt

 

IMG_20180121_155122.jpg

 

here is the gimbal with the stick shaft connected

 

IMG_20180121_155254.jpg

 

here you can see the new shaft i made with the hole in the floor plate (the other "U" bracket was grindind against this hole)

 

IMG_20180121_155132.jpg

 

here's the stick mounted in place. there is another aluminum plate at the top to hold the rubber grummet in place

 

IMG_20180121_171102.jpg

 

IMG_20180121_171127.jpg

 

IMG_20180121_171140.jpg

 

stick movement demo -

 

 

 

Cheers,

Yoreh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...