[simpits-tech] F-16A Cockpit Angles

[Marv De Beque]

Just returned from the AF Museum.  The moved the F-16A trainer to a more
remote section of the new hanger and it means less kiddies to get in your
way.   Note, this is a Singer (not the sewing machine) cockpit trainer with
a full working canopy and G cueing seat.  It is a very early mode F-16A, so
I can¹t speak for its absolute accuracy, but I would think it is very close.

Any rate, I grabbed some data and I need to go back to get some better data.
That cockpit is not easy to get measurements from since all of the LRUs are
in place and the seat interferes with things, too.

First, I used the rudder floor as 0 degrees.  Imagine standing a protractor
on the rudder floor.  The nose of the aircraft is 0 degrees and the tail is
180 degrees.  Here is what I measured.

Front Glareshield top                      165 degrees
HUD Glass                                       130 degrees
ACES II Seat pan sides                   18.4 degrees  (has the levers on
them)  
ACES II Headrest                            120 degrees
ACES II Ejection Rails                      125 degrees
Canopy¹s lower rail (Open)              30 degrees   (this is the lower edge
of the canopy¹s frame in the full open position)

Cockpit¹s canopy rail     -4 degrees  (This is the angle of the top vertical
rail that is on the cockpit sides where the canopy latches to)
Right Aux Panel              41.5
Left Aux panel                50 degrees
Front Console                75 degrees
Left and Right side Consoles (rear section)      approx 1 degree     (I
think this is closer to zero, but will confirm that later)
Left and Right side Consoles (front section)     approx 5 degrees  (I know
that the bend from the rear to front of the side console is really 5 degrees
because I have a set of real ones at home)

Left Right side consoles angle in towards seat = 10 degrees

I¹ll go back later next week and get better angles for the consoles.  There
is no place to rest the digital protractor on since it is about an inch
thick.  I¹ll make a parallel plate for it to sit on and that will raise the
digital protractor above the knobs so I can get definitive angles for you.

Remember, all angles are based on 0 degrees being level with the rudder
floor and pointing at the aircraft¹s front nose from the cockpit.

That¹s everything I have right now.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Marv
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