MORE ON CONSOLE.

It is mid November 2007 and the 4 CD's comprising Fligt Sim. 2004 (or FS9) arrived. Naturally, I was keen to see what
differences there were to my exising 2002 version. It installed with no hassles and automatically picked up "assignments"
for my Logitek joystick. After deleting the rudder and brakes joystick axes assignments, I had to manually assign them to my
IOCa joystick.

I had added a number of "interesting" aircraft to my 2002 flight sim. So, I missed them with the new 2004 version. Actually,
I was amazed at the lack of modern aircraft .. though F.S. 2004 is called "Century of flight" and features lots of early.
aircraft. At this stage, I am not really interested in them, but may have have a dabble with them one day. One great
improvement I noted, with the new version, was that the "maps" were greatly improved. Colour, coastlines and improved
airport information presentation made them much easier to use. Clouds were much more realistic, a far better GPS was available
in Boeing and Learjet aircraft, and a new section titled "Learning Centre" seems to contain a lot of good information.

I found I could copy many folders and files from my 2002 to 2004 version and thus have available my usual aircraft. One folder,
I found by a bad experience, not to overwtite with the 2002 folder, was "Uires". This folder essentially reverts F.S. 2004
back to the 2002 version. This took me some time to "fix".

I found out later, that copying my old 2002 aircraft meant I missed out on the new 2004 GPS design. I also noted that the 2004
Boeing and Learjet aircraft radios do not tune the newer 8 KHz radio frequency increments. No big deal, but some of my 2002
aircraft did!

I note I didn't take any photos during construction. This image is after I had started adding some of the controls I had
built. The internal width is 350 mm .. the length I cut the light metal channel section which carries a lot of the controls.
I utilised the 900 x 600 mm material to the fullest. Thus the length of the console is 900 mm. The height at the rear is
600 mm. The vertical step down from the top of the sloping section is 50 mm. The sloping section is 200 mm and slopes down
a vertical distance of 80 mm. Thus the height of the front section is 470 mm. Here again, the design and shape are not copies
of any particular aircraft .. just what appealed to me at the time!

As noted, I had added a number of extra controls by the time the above image was taken. Initially, I fitted the 350mm wide
metal channel which, at that stage, carried from left to right .. spoilers, elevator trim, 2 throttles and undercarriage
controls. The top of the metal channel is set down 120 mm from the sloping section.

Incidently, I intend to eventually fit various shaped white plastic sections to the ends of the, currently bare, levers.
Also, to fit 3mm MKT in lieu of the temporary cardboard panels. These in turn may, one day, be upgraded to engraved back lit
plastic.

PARKING BRAKE. This seemed rather essential to operating the aircraft, so I looked at various aircraft panels in Flight Sim.
for ideas. The Boeing one appeared to be a piece of semi circular metal tube, which pivoted out from the panel. It tapered
down at the pivoting end and entered the panel to what ever "works" there were. I vaguely duplicated this with a section cut
from 3mm aluminium bar 200mm wide. I will endevour to take some photos when I have it apart next time.

View of the exterior of the parking brake.
The size of the exterior section is 25 mm x 60 mm long. A tension spring is fitted over the pivot point so that the lever
tends to "click" to either extreme position against stops.
I arranged 2 micro switches in the mechanism. One is actuated when the lever is lifted and is used to light the indicator
light visible in the image.
The other is switched via a cam shaped piece of the lever. This simulates a push button and, thus interfaces to assignments,
buttons/keys" of the Flight Sim. program.

FUEL SOLENOID CUT OFF VALVES.
2 push buttons were fitted above the throttles and also interface to "assignments, buttons/keys" of Flight Sim.
Eventually, they will probably need replacing with actual switches.

RUDDER and AILERON TRIM WHEELS.
These were essentially copies of the elevator trim wheel, but arranged to mount on the side of the console.
I had made a mistake in that I thought they are capable of interfacing with Flight Sim. via "assignments, axes".
My mistake only became apparent when I had a second look a found only buttons may currently be used to interface those
functions. Never the less, they are built now and will, hopefully, be interfaced in the future.

Another bracket carrying a microswitch was fitted so the undercarriage lever would just "click it" as the lever moved past it.
Thus, it works as a push button (as in the parking brake mechanism), and is also cabable of being interfaced to "assignments,
buttons/keys" of the Flight Sim. programme.
Note, as previously mentioned, using switches this way in lieu of push buttons is prone to incorrect indication of the lever
position. For example, it one starts a "saved" flight (one that is actually flying with the undercarriage "up") and you had
the the undercarriage lever in the "down" position, the lever is out of sync with reality.
The parking brake, with its microswitch operated via a cam suffers the same problem.
I have found, when this happens, it is possible to "trick" Flight Sim. by jiggling the control about that position where the
microswitch operates.

The new USB axis card was mounted of a bracket fixed to the light metal channel on which the controls were mounted. Four of the
analogue inputs were wired to the spoilers pot., the elevator trim pot. and the 2 throttle pots.
Four digital inputs were used for under carriage, parking brakes and the two fuel cut off valve "assignments, buttons/keys'.

The originalr USB axis card was removed from the temporary plastic box, as viewed in "INTERFACING RUDDER PEDALS". This card
was mounted near the new aileron trim wheel and three analogue used, as previously, for rudder and differential brakes.

I then went ahead and replaced the temporary cardboard panels with 3 mm thick MKT panel. Initially, I fitted 16 x 16 x 3 mm
aluminium angle at the sides of the sloping section of the console. Also, two sections of 12 x 3 mm aluminium bar were fitted
at the top and bottom of the sloping sections. It was proposed to use these aluminium sections to attatch the MKT panel.

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3 January 2008.   ©Ron Graham 1997.