[simpits-tech] Using real instruments

[Craig Rochester]

I'm thinking driving the real instruments from two(2) electronic regulators
would be simpler than modifying each instrument.  Particularly if you were
doing a dual pit.  I don't know what the leak rate is on the VSI, but the
rest could be run from a tiny compressor(and vacuum pump if required).
Barometric pressure varies from 14.7 psia(0 gage pressure) @ sea-level and
decreases to about 1.1 psia @ 60,000 feet.  If you could modify or adjust
the Air Speed Indicator and Altimeter to be off-set down by about 15 psi,
you could use pressure instead of vacuum.

I know the pneumatic altimeters uses a sealed metal bellows that expands as
the barometric pressure falls with altitude.  The movement of the bellows is
converted to dial rotation with gears and levers. Maybe there is enough
adjustment in the works to have the instrument read 60,000 feet with no
applied pressure and then output 1-15 psi from the regulator.  Or maybe a
fitting could be fashioned to the bellows and connected to the regulator.

I see electronic pressure regulators on eBay pretty often:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26210&item=3105137770
They're called an I/P transducer(eye-to-pee) current to pressure or
V/P(vee-to-pee) voltage to pressure transducer.

Craig R.

-----Original Message-----
From:	simpits-tech-admin@simpits.org [mailto:simpits-tech-admin@simpits.org]
On Behalf Of Matt Bailey
Sent:	Wednesday, January 08, 2003 5:04 PM
To:	simpits-tech@simpits.org
Subject:	Re: [simpits-tech] Using real instruments

I remember talking about using an air compressor to control real gauges
several months ago. Sounds like a GREAT idea to me, a little more complex
than just using servos but the extra realism in gauge movement would
probably
be worth it. Not to mention the utter coolness of being able to drop a REAL,
UNMODIFIED instrument directly into your sim. The instruments themselves are
pricey though, unless you found an old junk instrument but that would defeat
the purpose of making your sim accept real instruments since the instrument
would not work. :)

Driving gyro instruments like the turn coordinator I suppose could be done
with servos driving the gyro cages (although the ball is just a ball in a
glass tube, it's not driven by any mechanical device in real life so it
would
probably have to be totally reworked) or just removing the gyros completely
and hooking a servo directly to the small aircraft representation. Anyone
done this?

	-Matt Bailey
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