Minimal cockpit build

[shu77]

Finally getting organised to build a minimal cockpit to attach my peripherals to so I can simplify my set up.  I have been finding I dont fly as much as I want to because of the time involved in setting up and stripping down the environment for both DCS and FS2020, so my goal is to be able to just plug in the USB contacts and go.  Base is a 1200x697x 12mm piece of MDF, the current chair is a ZARA by fantastic furniture. I want to be able to add a console to the left for the Warthog throttle and also the saitek throttle quadrant as well as the collective and to add something to handle my second monitor which handles the MFD's and UFC.  Ultimately Im thinking about also adding a bit of a button box to handle a few extra key inputs. .  more to follow as work progresses

[shu77]

Forgot to take some progress shots, but went with aluminium extrusions and a system called Connect-It.  Nice to work with and very strong and light weight, though unforgiving if you mess up a join or the assembly sequence.  The Warthog throttle will go onto the sliding shelf so it can move aside for the Collective.  The front console which will house the MFDs has ended up a little high and The inner brace for the front console is getting in the way of my leg, but ultimately its not needed so a little more tinkering to go. Im thinking to skin the top with light ply and add a button box to finish off.

[amido]

nice .... I hadn't thought about the drawer guides .... I'll have to modify my box-cockpit .... thank you very much for the idea

[shu77]

Warthog throttle installed, I'm going to add a button box at the back of this space, and probably add the spare joystick axis from the collective to the top of its pedestal.  Dropped the pedestals 5.5cm to try and improve the clearance between the MFD monitor and the main display

Only issue with the draw guides is they have a little bit of a wobble to them when cycling the throttle but I'm not sure it will be an issue. 

 

[shu77]

Completed my cabling, its all come together nicely, I need to think about Button boxes now, but currently using the spaces for my mouse and keyboard. Its nice not to have everything "floating"

 

[Gruman]

Looks great. Especially the switch from Collective to Throttle is pretty cool.

2 small inputs/questions:

- That chair looks not very comfortable. 2h+ sessions possible with that?

- Did you already lock down the chair? Because its seems really far away. Can you even reach those controls?

 

If you can, I really recommend dooing a cutout for the center stick and move that chair forward.

IMHO you should be able to rest your arm on your leg while you holding the joystick in center.

[shu77]

The chair just slots in, so I can reposition it but it seems ok for me in terms of position, but I havent had a chance to use it properly so not sure about overall comfort.

[ZedAtoZ]

That is an awesome build. I like your solution for the hand throttle/collective. I built a rig based on L G920 where I connect hand throttle to the collective via a B&M shifter cable. That means as I move the collective, the hand throttle also moves. I am looking for ideas on how to split that.

 

And I like the look of that chair too. Very Kiowa like with simple straight lines rather than a bucket seat like in a BlackHawk.

[shu77]

To Be honest the chair was the cheapest I could find anywhere and so far seems quite comfortable and durable, I might lower it a little in time, or potentially mount it to a frame made out of the aluminium.  The heaviest part of the whole build is the MDF, I would like to be able to sub it out for the aluminium as well as it would make it a lot easier to move back and forth. 

 

I knew as a minimum I wanted an option to have the throttle and collective both useable as my biggest problem to date has been finding something to mount the collective to that is rigid to the chair.  I saw another solution someone had built where the throttle was mounted on a plate that had a door style hinge so it flipped out of the way but then when flying rotary the warthog was upside down so you lost the switches and axis, this way I can use both when in the helo, or if I fly warbirds/GA I can mount the Saitek throttle quadrant on the front panel and still grab most of the warthog switches. 

 

The little bit of flying Ive done so far with the set up has been great, Im still debating an appropriate board for the button box, potentially slicing up a keyboard or a gamepad.  As I mostly fly hornet I would like to get some kind of a rotary solution on there to get the radar and nav on there.  All the same it makes a big difference being able to just jump on and fly without having to shuffle peripherals back and forth.  Im waiting on my new desktop to turn up at which time it should all be able to stay fairly much ready to go.