Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[RCHeliguy]

Remember last summer when I was attempting to repair my deck and I built this lift to bring 2x10's up where I could pull the into place?

After realizing I was a bit in over my head, I found some professionals to do it right, but I had to wait a while to get on their schedule. The entire place where my deck supports rotted out over my drainage ceiling was replaced with fiberglass reinforced structural docking material ( the black stuff ) guaranteed to never rot. All the posts that were in unsupported dirt now have concrete supports with metal mounts that keep the posts above the concrete and where the supports were previously screwed into the posts, there are now support beams. A polymer tape ( not tar tape ) is being put down to seal around any screws.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I finally tested the teleprompter a bit.

1. I was still talking naturally while reading. I did NOT sound like a robot.
2. I could very clearly read the entire screen without moving my eyes at a typical camera position.
3. Moving my eyes from the top -> Bottom, Left -> right of the text area was barely noticeable and I was zoomed in and holding my head steady. With my normal animated talking style, my head will be moving and seriously doubt anyone would notice my eyeballs moving at all.

I think this may work for me, if I can get through an entire script... It's possible that having to think through everything I want to say will improve the quality of my text and reduce any filler words.

I still need to test the software that follows along highlighting the text and automatically scrolling while listening to me talking.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Done just in time for me to put the Grill back out for the Memorial Day weekend

Will be nice not to have the construction noise all day and to have their trailer out of my driveway. I've barely touched my rig, for the last few weeks while this has been getting built. It's been very distracting, but I like the end result. The solid aluminum rails feel very stout as does the rest of the deck.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Looking at my dusty fleet of RC Helis and considering selling them off.
Started inventorying what I have at the top end of my fleet.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I had a little reversal in attitude about the RC Helicopters.
I just got my paid my AMA, FAA, and local FRIA club registrations/memberships and ordered some new batteries. I'm going to see if I still enjoy flying at the airfield for the first time in 6 years, before I call it quits in this hobby and sell everything off.

It took me a week to do a deep dive and see what was what. To be fair the RC Helicopter marketplace is still in decline. However, I can still get parts for all my helis which makes me more willing to give it a go.

The Henseleit TDR and TDR-2 in the picture above are staying along with my Mikado Logo 550SX and MSH Protos 500. The MSH Protos Max is going away. I never really liked flying it. It's too heavy which means it needs to run at higher headspeeds than I like.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I feel a new YouTube video coming on.

 

[blekenbleu]

I feel a new YouTube video coming on

Some epileptics sense auras before seizures.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Well, I did create a video. No seizures.

 

[RCHeliguy]

It's a different world, but it is coming back to me.

Need new batteries, my old ones are shot!

SMC battery packs arrived for my Protos 500 and Logo 550SX.
Heli side 6mm Supra connectors arrived for the new batteries.

2 pair of 557 VTX blades arrived because they are no longer in production.

Updated my DS-16 transmitter software from 2015 4.00 to current 5.06
Also installed the 3-7 Spirit .bin files so I can configure my new Spirit FBL controller from the Transmitter.

I have a Spirit GTR FBL controller coming next week. It has a built in Jeti Receiver and state of the art electronics with a very solid rescue that will hopefully save me from myself as I get my fine heli motor control back.

Got my Sim's Jeti R7 receiver firmware updated from 3.11 to 3.26
Configured it for my AccuRC sim device PPM positive and 20ms on the SAT port. And the Sim works again.

Installed Steam on my desktop along with the AccuRC flight simulator so I might have more chance to practice.

Time to solder up some end connectors and see what kind of IR values these SMC batteries have.

I'm taking this methodically.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Another YouTube video about RC Helicopters. I need to do something different for the next one.

 

[RCHeliguy]

This is mostly to neatly cover the Virpil control profile mounts I've created over the years. Based on some questions I've gotten, I thought it was worth putting out.

 

[Johan Falk]

Awesome! I am also a former RC heli pilot which have now got into sim racing (also with a DIY rig of course ). I felt that RC heli demanded lot of attention to be fun. And many things together made me loose the interest. So I sold of everything. Had a Henseleit TDR, T-Rex 550 and two smaller helis. And much parts, tools, charger and all things you know. Have kept some of it including the radio which I occasinally use in RC simulator (Phoenix). But it has mostly been MS Flight Sim actually with a real controller (my rig is able to switch between racing/flying). After all, where are still flying!

 

[RCHeliguy]

Awesome! I am also a former RC heli pilot which have now got into sim racing (also with a DIY rig of course ). I felt that RC heli demanded lot of attention to be fun. And many things together made me loose the interest. So I sold of everything. Had a Henseleit TDR, T-Rex 550 and two smaller helis. And much parts, tools, charger and all things you know. Have kept some of it including the radio which I occasinally use in RC simulator (Phoenix). But it has mostly been MS Flight Sim actually with a real controller (my rig is able to switch between racing/flying). After all, where are still flying!

I took 6 years off and was about to sell it all, but decided to give it another chance. I've been in AccuRC a bit recently and I just remaidened my Protos 500 with a Spirit GTR. So far so good. I'm not sure it will stick so I only got a couple packs for my Protos 500 and Logo 550SX to start with. If I still enjoy it enough I'll get some packs for the TDR and TDR2. Time will tell.

FWIW, my TDR and spare kit had immediate offers when I suggested I might be selling it all. I can still get parts for the 550SX, TDR and TDR2. The Protos 500 is basically the XL Power 480 now, but I'd probably need to rekit it because it's just a bit different and it looks like they may be discontinuing it. So that heli may be one crash away from being parted out. Of course it's my smallest heli and one that I likely wouldn't fly much if I get new packs for my TDR and TDR2.

Flying RC's is very different from flying a sim.

 

[Ruttman98]

Hope you are well, Marc.

Thought your thread be the best place to share this MSFS 2020 F-104 Starfighter review/operational history article:

F-104 Starfighter (1958) : Patrick Chovanec

Today in Microsoft Flight Simulator, I’ll be flying the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a Cold War airplane with a checkered history that demonstrated that speed isn’t everything. And to kick us off this morning, I’m at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, with a reincarnation of...

www.patrickchovanec.com

 

[RCHeliguy]

The bit with the "spurs" on their flight boots to pull their feet in so their legs were not ripped off if they used the ejection seat was interesting.

I was going to create a video about using flight controls to drive with which I thought might be fun and humorous to watch in Dirt Rally 2, but I never got to the point where I got past constantly crashing and I lost interest.

I've been spending a bit more time in my RC Helicopter flight simulator lately in preparation for spending more time at the airfield and I haven't been on my rig much.

I'm about a month out from having a lot more free time and I'm hoping to spend more time exercising with my wife, flying my RC Helicopters and sim racing. How that time actually gets divvied up when it gets here, I'm not sure.

Realistically I'm happy with my VR setup, my gaming computer, my rig, etc.. and I haven't felt like there is anything worth creating a video about.

 

[Ruttman98]

I had never heard about the F-104 jockeys' spurs, either. Here's a little more "rest of the story" ala Paul Harvey:

Questions from the Cockpit: A pointed question — General Aviation News

generalaviationnews.com

 

[RCHeliguy]

I've been trying to figure out how to get a Simucube brake pedal on my rig with the idea of plugging my existing HE Ultimate+ throttle and clutch pedals into it.

The change with least resistance would be to invert it and just hang it in place of the existing brake pedal. I'd make a new mount plate under the existing 40x 160mm profile and...

1. It would need to be lowered 40mm compared to the existing pedal mount.
2. It would stick out the back of my rig 240mm and add another 10+ lbs to the weight.

I can easily deal with lowering it especially when it is exactly 40mm off.
The second issue is harder because it has a lot of trickle down. I wouldn't be able to lift the pedal deck off by myself anymore. Currently I stand directly behind it and lift it off, but this motor would be sticking out right where I press against the back of it and it is already on the edge of a weight where I can lift it without hurting myself accounting for the angles I'm gripping it at. It's already awkward even with the two grab handles. I also couldn't center my rig in my media room anymore because there isn't enough clearance.

The best solution I've thought of is to build a frame at the same height as the top of my profile frame to slide the pedal deck on and off with the rig up/casters lowered so I can roll it to this platform, slide it off or on and so I don't need to lift it. Ideally this platform would be collapsable and I would only take it out on the occasions when I'm in flight mode. I have a finished ceiling so a ceiling hoist isn't an option.

While there is an OCD side of me that wants the rig perfectly centered in my media room when I'm using it, there is no reason I can't place it 3 feet to the side so there is room for the pedal back to stick out.

I can design this frame for the pedal deck now and it could make my life easier beforehand. I think it could hinge flat and lock into place square, or just have something that slides into place like a slotted part.

 

[RCHeliguy]

It took me long enough but I finally got around to installing my profile ceiling mounts under my deck.
I just need a water test before I put the ceiling panels behind this back up.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Stage 1. I mocked up a pedal deck caddy. I need to order a couple longer feet profiles to give it more rearward stability with an SC pedal inverted.

The pedal deck slides back and forth reasonably easily now even with me to side of the pedal deck, so I could add another chunk of weight and still manage to remove the pedal deck for flight and not get a hernia.

 

[Atak_Kat]

Very interesting. I love following all the evolution.
Did you ever consider to use heavy duty linear slides (like the wheel mount you added?). I suspect is far too much weight when pulled away from the main rig, but perhaps with a couple caster wheels at the rear corners of the pedal 'module' it could work?