Howto:C172P Cockpit Project: Difference between revisions

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This Howto will develop into a detailed project plan for building a C172P Instrument Panel.  While not a step by step guide, it will include details on the prototyping, design and building of a panel.


==== The Plan ====
I am planning to build a complete simulated C172P Instrument Panel with working instruments, gauges, controls and radios, built from scratch, starting in 2017.   
I am planning to build a complete simulated C172P Instrument Panel with working instruments, gauges, controls and radios, built from scratch, starting in 2017.   
This Howto will develop into a detailed project plan for building a C172P Instrument Panel.  While not a step by step guide, it will include details on the prototyping, design and building of an instrument panel.
==== Why are we here? ====
Cockpit builder Tom Gauvin gave a presentation on cockpit building at Flight Sim Con 2016 at Bradley Field near Hartford Ct. USA.  In his presentation, he pointed out that there is no mouse in the cockpit.  As a user of a flight simulator, visual and tactile realism is a major factor in the quality of the experience.  Having a realistic control panel in front of you or even a whole cockpit surrounding you will bring the experience up a to a whole new level over operating simulated instruments on a display screen with a mouse and keyboard.
==== You're invited to participate ====


I hope to contact others interested in participating directly in the project in any capacity.  I'm specifically looking for anyone who is building new simulator or panel, or who is improving an existing simulator during 2017.
I hope to contact others interested in participating directly in the project in any capacity.  I'm specifically looking for anyone who is building new simulator or panel, or who is improving an existing simulator during 2017.
Other participants in the project might be working on other aircraft, but the underlying technology, techniques and electronics will be similar.  There is no requirement that participants take the same approach to the project. For example, while I hope to design and build all the major parts, others might choose to buy part or all the project as ready made, commercial products. Participants will benefit by sharing expertise, learning experiences, coaching, and discussions about the issues faced by novices and experts in various aspects of the project regardless of their approach.


Tom Galvin gave a presentation on cockpit building at Flight Sim Con 2016 at Bradley Field near Hartford Ct. USA. In his presentation, he pointed out that there is no mouse in the cockpit. As a user of a flight simulator, visual and tactile realism is a major factor in the quality of the experience. Having a realistic control panel in front of you or even a whole cockpit surrounding you will bring the experience up a to a whole new level over operating simulated instruments on a display screen with a mouse and keyboard.
Other participants in the project might be working on other aircraft, but the underlying technology, techniques and electronics will be similar.   There is no requirement that participants take the same approach to the project. For example, while I hope to design and build all the major parts, others might choose to buy some parts of the project as ready made commercial products. Participants will benefit by sharing expertise, learning experiences, coaching, and discussions about the issues faced by novices and experts in various aspects of the project regardless of their approach.


Here's where my personal efforts stand:
I've identified and counted the physical elements needed in the simulator's Instrument Panel and am planning for their implementation in hardware
==== Design Notes ====
* '''Switches of various kinds''': spst on-off, spdt on-off-on, rotary, fuel selector and a master key switch
** ''Sixteen Banks of sixteen switches'' '
** ''MCP23S17'' spi Port Expanders - only 2 are needed for 256 switches.
** ''raspberry pi nano or Arduino'' will cycle through the 16 banks every 125 ms and report changes to the master pi to hand off to the simulator
** ''ADC port'' - can handle a multi-position rotary switch if wired to a cascading voltage divider
** ''Magnetic reed switches'' or ''Hall Effect transducers'' will be used for the fuel selector
* '''Adjusting knobs''' for instruments, instrument lighting, volume and frequency on radios, throttle, mixture, carb heat, cabin air, cabin heat
** ''Potentiometers'' on an ADC port
** ''Rotary encoders'' on two gpio lines each
** ''Magnetic encoder'' chips on an spi or i2c bus
** ''3d printed'' knobs and parts for the Trim Wheel
* '''Pull switches''' and '''dual concentric controls''' on radios.
** ''brass tubing'' concentric sizes
** ''pocket clips and springs'' from cheap or free pens
** ''3d printed'' detents and knobs
* single and dual '''needles'''; movable '''compass rings''' and other rotating '''scales'''
** ''Air coils''
** ''X25.168 stepper motors''
** ''Air coil or stepper motor driver'' chips - For example: On Semiconductor ''CS8190''
** ''H-Bridge'' circuit or chip
** ''PWM gpio outputs'' from a raspberry pi 3, a raspberry pi Nano or an Arduino.
* '''Needle Indicators and Gauges''' requiring only 90 degrees of needle movement
** ''Meter movements'' pulled from cheap panel meters driven by pwm outputs
** ''Air coils'' if the meter movements don't do the job
* '''the ball''' on the turn and bank indicator
** ''electromagnets'' driven by ''pwm outputs'' moving a ''steel ball'' bearing in a ''plastic or glass tube''.
** ''damping fluid'' - if needed
* '''white buttons''' - pushbutton style  on some of the radios and autopilot
** ''3d printed'' - router engraved and painted
* '''Numeric displays''' on the nav/com and DME radios, '''alphabetic displays''' on the autopilot
** Max7219 or Max7221 on SPI or I2c
* '''LED indicators''' on the autopilot, KMA 20 and VOR indicators
** ''photo-transparency'' - for printed lettering
** ''3d printed mask'' - to separate indicators
** ''LEDs'' - white or orange - low current
* '''Flight controls''' including Yoke, Pedals, Trim Wheel, Flaps Control
** use ''Saitek Yoke & Pedals'' until suitable replacements are designed and built.(2018)
* '''Instrument Panel'''
** Frame
** Mounting panel sections
** Left L
** Right L
** Six Pack
** Switch Panel
** Right Seat Panel
* '''Console'''


* I have acquired a raspberry pi, a breadboard and several SPI and I2c chips and a bunch of resistors and capacitors. 
==== C172 Instrument Panel Project Status Report ====
* I've constructed an initial prototype of a switch bank using the MCP23S17 chip. 
12/7/2016:
* I'm planning a prototype of the circuit needed to drive 7 and 14 segment displays for various parts of the radio stack. 
* I'm considering the use of magnetic rather than rotary encoders in some parts of the application. 
* I've started work on building an air coil that can be used in many of the instruments with rotary dials 
* I've ordered a few panel meters to take apart to see if the movements can be used for gauges used to monitor fuel, oil and electric voltage and current. 
* I've gained access to a lathe, a 3d Printer and 3d router at the Framingham Ma Makerspace.  Work is progressing on building a bench power supply from a spare PC power supply. 


* I've identified and counted the following types of elements needed in the simulator and have a plan for their implementation in hardware
* Acquired a raspberry pi, a breadboard and several SPI and I2c chips and a bunch of resistors and capacitors. 
** spst on-off, spdt on-off-on switches, rotary switches
* Constructed an initial prototype of a switch bank using the MCP23S17 chip.  A final proof of concept for 32 switches is in the works.
** incremental or magnetic encoders or potentiometers for adjustments to instruments, instrument lighting, volume and frequency on radios, throttle, mixture and carb heat
* Planning a prototype of the circuit needed to drive 7 and 14 segment displays for various parts of the radio stack. 
** special construction to handle pull switches and dual concentric controls on radios.
* Considering the use of magnetic rather than rotary encoders in some parts of the application. 
** single rotating needles, dual rotating needles, outer rim pointers for heading bugs and altimiters
* Started work on building an air coil that can be used in many of the instruments with rotary dials 
** rotating compass rings and attitude indications in the turn and bank indicator and attitude indicator.
* Ordered a few panel meters to take apart to see if the movements can be used for instruments and gauges where the needle movement is 90 degrees or less 
** the need for a cross
* Joined [http://www.framinghammakerspace.org/portal/ Framingham Makerspace.]  This gives me access to a lathe, 3d Printer, 3d Router and other tools.
** the ball
* Work is progressing on building a bench power supply from a spare PC power supply.
[[User:Callahanp|Callahanp]] ([[User talk:Callahanp|talk]]) 03:34, 7 December 2016 (EST)

Revision as of 08:34, 7 December 2016

The Plan

I am planning to build a complete simulated C172P Instrument Panel with working instruments, gauges, controls and radios, built from scratch, starting in 2017.

This Howto will develop into a detailed project plan for building a C172P Instrument Panel. While not a step by step guide, it will include details on the prototyping, design and building of an instrument panel.

Why are we here?

Cockpit builder Tom Gauvin gave a presentation on cockpit building at Flight Sim Con 2016 at Bradley Field near Hartford Ct. USA. In his presentation, he pointed out that there is no mouse in the cockpit. As a user of a flight simulator, visual and tactile realism is a major factor in the quality of the experience. Having a realistic control panel in front of you or even a whole cockpit surrounding you will bring the experience up a to a whole new level over operating simulated instruments on a display screen with a mouse and keyboard.

You're invited to participate

I hope to contact others interested in participating directly in the project in any capacity. I'm specifically looking for anyone who is building new simulator or panel, or who is improving an existing simulator during 2017.

Other participants in the project might be working on other aircraft, but the underlying technology, techniques and electronics will be similar. There is no requirement that participants take the same approach to the project. For example, while I hope to design and build all the major parts, others might choose to buy some parts of the project as ready made commercial products. Participants will benefit by sharing expertise, learning experiences, coaching, and discussions about the issues faced by novices and experts in various aspects of the project regardless of their approach.

I've identified and counted the physical elements needed in the simulator's Instrument Panel and am planning for their implementation in hardware

Design Notes

  • Switches of various kinds: spst on-off, spdt on-off-on, rotary, fuel selector and a master key switch
    • Sixteen Banks of sixteen switches '
    • MCP23S17 spi Port Expanders - only 2 are needed for 256 switches.
    • raspberry pi nano or Arduino will cycle through the 16 banks every 125 ms and report changes to the master pi to hand off to the simulator
    • ADC port - can handle a multi-position rotary switch if wired to a cascading voltage divider
    • Magnetic reed switches or Hall Effect transducers will be used for the fuel selector
  • Adjusting knobs for instruments, instrument lighting, volume and frequency on radios, throttle, mixture, carb heat, cabin air, cabin heat
    • Potentiometers on an ADC port
    • Rotary encoders on two gpio lines each
    • Magnetic encoder chips on an spi or i2c bus
    • 3d printed knobs and parts for the Trim Wheel
  • Pull switches and dual concentric controls on radios.
    • brass tubing concentric sizes
    • pocket clips and springs from cheap or free pens
    • 3d printed detents and knobs
  • single and dual needles; movable compass rings and other rotating scales
    • Air coils
    • X25.168 stepper motors
    • Air coil or stepper motor driver chips - For example: On Semiconductor CS8190
    • H-Bridge circuit or chip
    • PWM gpio outputs from a raspberry pi 3, a raspberry pi Nano or an Arduino.
  • Needle Indicators and Gauges requiring only 90 degrees of needle movement
    • Meter movements pulled from cheap panel meters driven by pwm outputs
    • Air coils if the meter movements don't do the job
  • the ball on the turn and bank indicator
    • electromagnets driven by pwm outputs moving a steel ball bearing in a plastic or glass tube.
    • damping fluid - if needed
  • white buttons - pushbutton style on some of the radios and autopilot
    • 3d printed - router engraved and painted
  • Numeric displays on the nav/com and DME radios, alphabetic displays on the autopilot
    • Max7219 or Max7221 on SPI or I2c
  • LED indicators on the autopilot, KMA 20 and VOR indicators
    • photo-transparency - for printed lettering
    • 3d printed mask - to separate indicators
    • LEDs - white or orange - low current
  • Flight controls including Yoke, Pedals, Trim Wheel, Flaps Control
    • use Saitek Yoke & Pedals until suitable replacements are designed and built.(2018)
  • Instrument Panel
    • Frame
    • Mounting panel sections
    • Left L
    • Right L
    • Six Pack
    • Switch Panel
    • Right Seat Panel
  • Console

C172 Instrument Panel Project Status Report

12/7/2016:

  • Acquired a raspberry pi, a breadboard and several SPI and I2c chips and a bunch of resistors and capacitors.
  • Constructed an initial prototype of a switch bank using the MCP23S17 chip. A final proof of concept for 32 switches is in the works.
  • Planning a prototype of the circuit needed to drive 7 and 14 segment displays for various parts of the radio stack.
  • Considering the use of magnetic rather than rotary encoders in some parts of the application.
  • Started work on building an air coil that can be used in many of the instruments with rotary dials
  • Ordered a few panel meters to take apart to see if the movements can be used for instruments and gauges where the needle movement is 90 degrees or less
  • Joined Framingham Makerspace. This gives me access to a lathe, 3d Printer, 3d Router and other tools.
  • Work is progressing on building a bench power supply from a spare PC power supply.

Callahanp (talk) 03:34, 7 December 2016 (EST)

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