[simpits-tech] Cougar Mod extension - Request suggestion and feedback
Steve Wilson
simpits-tech@simpits.org
Tue, 23 Apr 2002 18:02:42 -0400
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Albert, I couldn't find the image file, but I agree with you. =20
I've been considering what I'm sure is a similar extension of the Cougar =
FLCS. Essentially, one simply attaches the Cougar grip to a mount =
similar to the one that our clever bud Marv designed for his own pit. =
The base of the Coug is then mounted at about deck level directly =
underneath, only 180 degrees reversed. A short extension cord connects =
the two electronically. Then a simple, straight extension goes from the =
base of the grip down to some sort of simple cage style gimbal mounted =
on the base in place of the stick. Voila - short throw Cougar.
This is 100% harmless to the FLCS side.
On the other side of the pit, things get more fun, however. The =
internal wiring of the TQS would very likely have to be cut and extended =
about five inches so that a realistic replica or real world F-16 TQS arm =
(preferred) could be substituted for the shorter arm that comes with the =
product. There are some great internal pix of the TQS on =
http://mpgnetz.de/images/cougar/sh.html that really feed the imagination =
for this part of the project. I don't have the Cougar myself, just =
yet.. :-( =20
Lots of wires in there! =20
After grafting the handle atop the throttle arm, one also has to figure =
out a suitable way to graft the hub back onto the shaft of the original =
TQS. I think that will have to be via some sort of indirect attachment =
via a simple linkage, however, to keep things from becoming too =
encumbered. A Real World TQS arm does have a rather nice ball bearing =
pivot, and it would be a shame not to use it. ;-) If one could =
disconnect the internal plug and interpose some sort of extension, that =
would be cooler, however, and more reliable. With a little luck, one =
may be able to avoid any hacking and slashing, and have reasonable hope =
of maintaining their warranty. The hard part would be getting the =
somewhat complex and wide plug out through the throttle pivot, a =
not-so-easy task, I fear.
Still, with relatively little trouble, I'm sure we can completely hide =
the Cougar bases in our F-16 pits, and come away with one good looking, =
reliable and sanity preserving solution.
Steve
----- Original Message -----=20
From: A L B E R T=20
To: simpits-tech@simpits.org=20
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2002 5:12 PM
Subject: [simpits-tech] Cougar Mod extension - Request suggestion and =
feedback
Guys,=20
after we talked much the tight space we have got and how much Gene =
has. I spend tonight holding my cougar stick...thinking its not really =
hard to modify to sit in the f16 cockpit to its side stick position...
I upload the picture to the simpit file section called cougar mod.jpg =
. I am sure Marv has already thought of something. However, this idea =
came to my head and I want to share it with you and get some comment on =
the design.=20
First of all, I am no craftsman...I come up with the idea not know how =
on earth to machine the thing and its really frustrating...especially =
with metal. Second of all, the aim of this design is to minimise the =
heart break of breaking apart a 300 dollars joystick. Finally, I tried =
to keep the realistic measurement in mind. All measurement used in this =
concept sketch is only approximation.
I first tried my hands on the cougar and was very disappointed that =
the stick still swing quiet alot side by side i.e. its still far too =
loose compared to the real movement on the FLCS. Also, the base of the =
stick is rather big. As you all know. The F16 FLCS has a small base =
sitting under the stick itself...something like a pressure actuator? =
(Help me here pogo, I seen you have a real stick on your site :)=20
Due to those reasons, I thought the cougar might be good for the desk. =
but not so much for the pit... But anyway...I brought it! Cant help =
it...ouch...that hurts! and the obvious aim now is to try get the stick =
into the cockpit. That's how I came up with this little design so I dont =
have to break the stick. yet I can still create the base of the FLCS and =
hide the actual cougar's base under the panel. If one day I have to pull =
the cougar out. I simply remove the extension and the stick is back to =
its normal self again.
I spend the whole night drooling on this idea. so I started drawing it =
up in Illustrator (I dont know how to use CAD programs). I have =
absolutely no idea how I can make this thing myself. I am not skilled in =
metal at all...creating the screw tracks for the cougar to screw on the =
top and a male attachement like the existing one on the cougar will =
definetly out of my area of expertise. Any comment and suggestion will =
be appreciated. I honestly just want to pay someone who knows how to =
machine such part for a decent cost.
Anyway, its sunrise...I better get to bed. My simpit habbit has once =
again ruin my sleeping pattern. :(
Albert
Sydney, Australia
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Albert, I couldn't find the image file, =
but I agree=20
with you. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I've been considering what I'm sure is =
a similar=20
extension of the Cougar FLCS. Essentially, one simply attaches the =
Cougar=20
grip to a mount similar to the one that our clever bud Marv designed for =
his own=20
pit. The base of the Coug is then mounted at about deck level =
directly=20
underneath, only 180 degrees reversed. A short extension cord =
connects the=20
two electronically. Then a simple, straight extension goes from =
the base=20
of the grip down to some sort of simple cage style gimbal mounted on the =
base in=20
place of the stick. Voila - short throw Cougar.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This is 100% harmless to the FLCS=20
side.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>On the other side of the pit, things =
get more fun,=20
however. The internal wiring of the TQS would very likely have to =
be cut=20
and extended about five inches so that a realistic replica or real world =
F-16=20
TQS arm (preferred) could be substituted for the shorter arm that =
comes=20
with the product. There are some great internal pix of the TQS on =
<A=20
href=3D"http://mpgnetz.de/images/cougar/sh.html">http://mpgnetz.de/images=
/cougar/sh.html</A> that=20
really feed the imagination for this part of the project. I don't =
have the=20
Cougar myself, just yet.. :-( </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Lots of wires in there! =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>After grafting the handle atop the =
throttle arm,=20
one also has to figure out a suitable way to graft the hub back onto the =
shaft=20
of the original TQS. I think that will have to be via some sort of =
indirect attachment via a simple linkage, however, to keep things from =
becoming=20
too encumbered. A Real World TQS arm does have a rather nice ball =
bearing=20
pivot, and it would be a shame not to use it. ;-) If one =
could=20
disconnect the internal plug and interpose some sort of extension, that =
would be=20
cooler, however, and more reliable. With a little luck, one may be =
able to=20
avoid any hacking and slashing, and have reasonable hope of maintaining =
their=20
warranty. The hard part would be getting the somewhat complex and =
wide=20
plug out through the throttle pivot, a not-so-easy task, I =
fear.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Still, with relatively little trouble, =
I'm sure we=20
can completely hide the Cougar bases in our F-16 pits, and come away =
with one=20
good looking, reliable and sanity preserving solution.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Steve</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dshizznit@ihug.com.au href=3D"mailto:shizznit@ihug.com.au">A =
L B E R=20
T</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dsimpits-tech@simpits.org=20
href=3D"mailto:simpits-tech@simpits.org">simpits-tech@simpits.org</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, April 23, 2002 =
5:12=20
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [simpits-tech] Cougar =
Mod=20
extension - Request suggestion and feedback</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Guys, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>after we talked much the tight space =
we have got=20
and how much Gene has. I spend tonight holding my cougar =
stick...thinking its=20
not really hard to modify to sit in the f16 cockpit to its side stick=20
position...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I upload the picture to the simpit =
file section=20
called cougar mod.jpg . I am sure Marv has already thought of =
something.=20
However, this idea came to my head and I want to share it with you and =
get=20
some comment on the design. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>First of all, I am no craftsman...I =
come up with=20
the idea not know how on earth to machine the thing and its really=20
frustrating...especially with metal. Second of all, the aim of this =
design is=20
to minimise the heart break of breaking apart a 300 dollars joystick. =
Finally,=20
I tried to keep the realistic measurement in mind. All measurement =
used in=20
this concept sketch is only approximation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I first tried my hands on the cougar =
and was very=20
disappointed that the stick still swing quiet alot side by side i.e. =
its still=20
far too loose compared to the real movement on the FLCS. Also, the =
base of the=20
stick is rather big. As you all know. The F16 FLCS has a small base =
sitting=20
under the stick itself...something like a pressure actuator? (Help me =
here=20
pogo, I seen you have a real stick on your site :) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Due to those reasons, I thought =
the cougar=20
might be good for the desk. but not so much for the pit... But =
anyway...I=20
brought it! Cant help it...ouch...that hurts! and the obvious aim now =
is to=20
try get the stick into the cockpit. That's how I came up with this =
little=20
design so I dont have to break the stick. yet I can still create the =
base of=20
the FLCS and hide the actual cougar's base under the panel. If one day =
I have=20
to pull the cougar out. I simply remove the extension and the stick is =
back to=20
its normal self again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I spend the whole night drooling on =
this idea. so=20
I started drawing it up in Illustrator (I dont know how to use CAD =
programs).=20
I have absolutely no idea how I can make this thing myself. I am not =
skilled=20
in metal at all...creating the screw tracks for the cougar to screw on =
the top=20
and a male attachement like the existing one on the cougar will =
definetly out=20
of my area of expertise. Any comment and suggestion will be =
appreciated. I=20
honestly just want to pay someone who knows how to machine such part =
for a=20
decent cost.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Anyway, its sunrise...I better get to =
bed. My=20
simpit habbit has once again ruin my sleeping pattern. :(</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Albert</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sydney,=20
Australia</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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