Panel PC installed

Today i installed the panel PC into the simpit. It's a 2.4ghz pc with gf4600 gfx adapter. Just enough to run the panel. I upgraded both panel and master PC's to X-Plane 9.30 beta. X-Plane no longer syncs graphics settings from master pc automatically (thanks Austin!) so i can have detailed graphics on master pc and minimal outdoor on cockpit one.

Currently i have made only two full-screen panels optimized for separate cockpit/visual displays - ASK-21 glider and F-18. ASK is ugly and needs better gfx.. Also i want to do panels for 747 and C172 soon.

Cue the photos. The lighting conditions in simpit seem to be too difficult for my camera phone - sorry for the quality.

ASK-21

ASK-21 pilot's view

Panel PC on the left, visual pc on the right. The cabling is getting really messy - i'll do something about it after painting the parts.

KC-10 Tanker above the clouds on route from Tampere to Helsinki

Better picture of KC-10. Unfortunately i haven't made a full-screen cockpit for this yet, so it doesn't look realistic

Overview of the pit. Notice the black boards around the screen. They increase the immersion (= vis-sim jargon meaning feeling of being 'there') considerably as you can't see the room around you.

Urban Blitz & OK's simpit

Finnish Virtual Pilots Association's winter convention 'Urban Blitz' has started. I'm naturally there with my pc and running Aces High 2 on Linux.

The legendary simpit builder Olli 'ok' Korhonen has his new simpit at the convention:

It features triple-head visual made with Kegetys's software and two graphics cards.

There's also custom pedals & stick. The controls are still unde work, but are still pretty impressive. Throttle is still missing. He's also flying AH2.

Testing Maemo WordPy

If you can see this, it works.

Even editing works!

Running sims in the pit

At last i actually ran sone sims in the pit. looks good so far.. sorry for poor photo quality, but it's hard to take good photos in this lighting with my cell phone :)

X-Plane 9

IL2 1946

I also ran AH2 quickly, but unfortunately it's not suitable for the simpit very well as it has no fullscreen view and it's not possible to view instruments on a second monitor.

Better mounting for the projector. Simple is good!

Side view with x-plane running.

Next task is to configure and install instrument panel PC. I already installed sound system - brand new Logitech speakers with subwoofer.

Simpit update

Due to requests, here are some new pics from the simpit v2:

Overview pic. I've got glareshield now!

Pilot's view

Testing the new projector. Projector is in front of pedals, just far enough to fill the rear projection screen. Brightness is much more better than with old DIY projector.

Pilot's view, with projector on.

Fine-tuning the projector setup. I'll build some kind of holder for the projector later, for now it sits on the ground.

Velocity EP finished, but with glitches

Yesterday i finished the electrical work on Velocity EP. I installed a 2S2P 1.2Ah LiPo battery in it. It won't be too powerful but should suit the motor that came with the model. I'll upgrade to brushless later. COG was perfect at first try, although i worried it would be too far back.

But there seems to be a problem: with low throttle all servos and motor are glitching. With zero and full power this disappears. Here's a video about it:



My best guess is a faulty ESC.. but if anyone has any better ideas, please post comments.

I'm not sure if i want to fly the model in this state.. The elevons make quite large movements so it might be risky.

RC Update

Long time no post.. So here's a update on my RC stuff:

Belt CP:

Just came from flying. Results:

Blades broken, some plastic stuff broken in rotor hub. I already ordered new parts for 15€ or so.
I have ONCE flown it so that battery runs out. 2 times it has broken by itself (main gear strips gears VERY easily) and two times i've crashed. Previously i bent tail rotor axis as it hit a rock.

My flying skills have been advancing.. Instead of just hovering, i managed to do two 360 degree turns. After the second one i crashed.

Velocity EP:
It's not very fast to build for a RTF so i haven't finished yet. Currently it's missing only electronics.