[simpits-tech] Helopit (was ATTN: Mark Collins)

[Roy Coates]

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003, Mark Collins wrote:

> Hey Roy,
> I don't know if this will ever be a pit in the same sense that guys are
> making F-16 pits...but it works for me.  I still have a long way to go.
> Once I get working again, I'll be populating the instrument panel with
> instruments from simkits.
>
> As for the joystick, it main hardware is from a flightlink cyclic.
> www.flightlink.com  They make hardware for mil simulators.  Actually, I'm
> thinking about taking the springs out for the pitch axis.  Real helicopters
> have trim switches so you're not always fighting the stick.  I haven't come
> up with an idea that will work for  putting in some type of motorized trim
> system.  It's really too bad, a functioning trim switch would be really
> cool.  I put the TM FLCS head on the flight link stick so I could use all
> the button functions on the FLCS stick.  As things progress, I probably will
> not need all the buttons as I will have real switches in the pit.  I also
> slaved the collective through a TM TQS that you see sitting by the
> collective.  I put mini plugs on everything so I could switch as I wanted
> to. So, the pot on the inside of the collective is actually slaved through
> the TM TQS board. Functionally, though I have different control hardware,
> it's all running through the TM system.  I just need to find a way to
> activate all the switches on the collective.  I know I could use an epic
> card, but I'm not really willing to put out the cake for that just yet.  Any
> ideas would be appreciated.   Sometimes I fantasize about maybe putting
> together a Mil helo pit...Blackhawk or an Apache...Maybe some day.
>
> Most of the stuff has been gotten off E-bay on the cheap.  This includes the
> Collective, the helo seat, and the Instrument Panel.  The Flight Link Cyclic
> was courtesy of Paul at Desktop sims...Thanks Paul!!
>


For switches, you can go the phidget route if you dont mind a little
coding, or the hagstrom ke72 route if you want something that 'just
works'!  Phidgets are cool, cheap and powerful. The hagstrom currently
runs about 110USD I think.

Roy.