How To Build Your Own Cockpit

Parts 9 - 11

by Kev Saker

Part 9

This diagram shows how to make up a pair of rudder pedals with built in toe brakes. The rudder bar is wood with a pair of alum brackets bent and screwed to the bar. These provide the hinge point for the brakes; the rudder bar is secured to the sim base with a large nut and bolt with washers and a lock nut.

Next we make up the pedals. They are cut from half inch ply and have a piece of alum strip bent and screwed around the edge as in the drawing. Paint the pedals matte black and secure plasticard fronts with the cut out pattern desired for your aircraft, paint to finnish.

Part 9A

This part shows the rudder pedals attached to the brackets and a rubber spring fastened around the bracket to act as return springs for the brakes.

Next fit a micro switch to the assembly to provide the brakes on command. This can be directly attached to the joystick button on joystick one, see part 11.

Finally, fit a rubber block to act as a pedal stop when you push the brakes. See * on part 9A.

The next part shows that it is possible to make a nose wheel steering tiller that will drive the rudder pot. Basically you mount the rudder pot on an alum bracket as shown on the drawing. Connect the pot linkage up to the rudder pedal assembly and the other end of the bracket up to the steering tiller. It works like this: when you push the pedals the steering tiller holds the bracket still and the pot gets the command. When the steering tiller is moved the rudder pedals hold the bracket still and the pot gets the command.

The nose wheel steering tiller on most aircraft provide a tighter turning circle than the pedals. The pedals are used for steering at speed on the ground using the rudder and for controlling those tricky cross wind landings (and engine out procedures).

So with this method it is possible by extending the length of the arm to the nose wheel steering tiller to produce a different turning ratio to the rudder pedals.

This system creates a part of heavy jet flying that FS98 sadly lacks. Again it is important to stress the need to have no free play in any off the linkages.

Part 10

The structure for the throttle housing etc. is made up using sheet plasticard which can be obtained at most good model stores. Also it can often be found in larger sheets at commercial sign makers.

I have given a few dimensions of my housing to give you the idea of size. I will not be more precise because I have only guessed these sizes from watching in the cockpit videos many times. You may well have a better idea of the correct size.

All the parts are cut from plasticard and assembled using super glue and thin wood strip to re-enforce the seams. The flap selector plate is cut from alum plate using an electric jigsaw and bolted to the side of the throttle housing.

You can see in the lower (rather poor drawing!) how the housing fits on the wooden frame with the auto throttle tray under the not yet built radio pedestal. This assembly is then painted to colour.

Part 11

Finally I have drawn a simple diagram showing the potentiometers (pots) removed from their respective joysticks. I used Super Warrior joysticks by Quickshot. These sticks have the slider type pots instead of the rotary pots found in many other joysticks. It really doesn't matter which ones you choose.

To remove them just open up the cases and cut the usually three wires going to each pot. Extend the wires to a workable length (depending on where you're going to put them). Do not mix the wires up, then reconnect them up as they were before, then remove any linkage from the pots. Unscrew the nuts holding them into the housing and fix them near their respective controls.

One thing I should mention, these sticks work on very low voltage so use thin wire to extend the cables so it does not create a voltage drop which would effect performance. Also, again I should mention that it is important to have no free play in any linkages.

OK, finally for this section you will see that I have said at the bottom of the page that it is also possible to use 4 joystick buttons wired direct to certain flight controls. By carefully removing the two wires from each switch or trigger in the joysticks you can extend them to the micro switches at the flaps up/down, the gear up/down and the toe brakes. This saves a few solenoids later on.

Well that's about it for this module. If anybody has any problems email me at kevin.saker@virgin.net

The next module will describe making up the instrument panels and the solenoid interface. I should mention that although I have been using the 757-200 simulator for these plans you can use many of these ideas for a military fast jet as well. Also this section is mainly describing flight controls and let's face it there are some excellent flight sticks and throttles available that even have programmable H.O.T.A.S. systems for fast jets. I will cover the structure of my Phantom cockpit at a later date when I do the module on structures.

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