Glider Simulator 4th year project

Wrapping up

2009-02-09T15:05:00.002+10:30

Well that's about it from me for this blog. I'll leave it up, as I recon there's a lot of good info to reference for other sim builders out there.

My page for the finished product can be found at: http://glidingsimulator.blogspot.com/

This is more of a product page for me to promote myself and the Sim. Stay tuned to that page as I will include pictures of the Sim being used by the public when it happens. Adelaide Uni O'week is the first opportunity.

Thanks for reading!

Sim Video

2008-12-22T19:55:00.003+10:30

A quick video I made of the Sim in use. I put the music over the top as me and the pilot were nattering away about something or other.

Exhibition time

2008-12-14T15:16:00.003+10:30

It's a bit of a jump from little details to the finished product, but in the middle there was me moving house, and internet access was sketchy.

So here it is. The fully working Sim at the University of South Australia Industrial Design Exhibition. The reason it looks like a loading bay is because it is. A largeish trailer can't be taken on to the second floor of a building easily, so I was in a different position. I ran 'tours' to the sim, and got some good crowds as you can see.

I also one the Industry Award as sponsored my Stratco and Clipsal which was nice. For anyone in Adelaide, the Sim can be seen on Monday 15th Dec (ie tomorrow) at the UniSA City West campus.

2008-11-29T18:42:00.002+10:30

The front latches are done. A simple setup, but they hold the front ends securely and neatly

Screen handles

2008-11-26T19:06:00.004+10:30

I previously mentioned I needed to add a lifting device for the screen to make the whole thing more managable. The results can be seen below and are very succesful! The C of G of the screen runs through the same line that of the the handles, meaning the screen can be easily rotated without changing the forces the lifter experiences. Effectively, you can hold the thing at either end and spin it axialy about 360 degrees and it always remains balanced.

The handles also give the lifter some space to move around in. I am extremely happy at how they have solved the problem of easy lifting.

They are, of course, detachable

Quick update

2008-11-19T10:04:00.001+10:30

Since Uni has pretty much finished, I am back to work to try and earn some money! So progress will be a little slower. Keep an eye out though, more bits coming soon, particularly the projector!

More bits

2008-11-15T18:16:00.002+10:30

Added some more bits and pieces. All of which can be seen in the photo. Removable wheel arches, overcentre locks for the sides, lights properly attached, and support legs. Nuff said!

2008-11-11T09:41:00.003+10:30

The Blog had 160 hits on monday. Fantastic, makes me think I should put up some more shots! :-)

I've had a few comments on waterproofing so the last shot shows how it's done (in one area at least).

2008-11-10T10:55:00.002+10:30

Lots of photos for you. With a final Uni presentation coming up, I needed the Sim to look good. So off came the plastic, as well as a number of other bits being done. It is exciting to see it like this after so long.

2008-11-05T20:10:00.002+10:30

The sides went on today after a bit of messing around. Everything matches up though it still needs some adjustment. And there are a lot of extra details still to go, such as waterproofing and latches.

2008-11-04T08:22:00.003+10:30

My sister's friend made an amusing comment the other day. She said the trailer looked good but it would be better if it wasn't covered in so much sponsorship! Don't worry, it's all coming off.

Have done quite a bit lately, but with the deadline fast approaching, I'm not spending so much time blogging.

Firstly the instrument panel, which was cut out on the CNC machine at uni and basically folded together. The dibond is very versatile in this respect. The holes are cut to reveal the instruments on a screen behind. The black rectangle above is the head tracking hardware. The whole thing is on a long stalk so it can swing out the way to make it easier for people to get in.

The screen/roof has the top surface on. It still needs to be properly riveted into place but I ran out of light last night, hence the photography. It is heavier than I want so I will me making a tool to make it easier to lift and maneuver.

The mounting is finished for the glider, I just need to drill the holes that the bolts go through. The glider frame will be cleaned up and pained black as well, making the whole thing difficult to see. The glider appears to float above the floor (well I like to think so).

That's all for now.

2008-10-31T08:35:00.002+10:30

Started painting the floor. It looks good, and really helps make the white glider stand out

2008-10-27T19:56:00.003+10:30

That last post was my 50th! So I had a look back at the beginning. It's come a long way!

Today I recieved the screen that will become the instrument pannel. It's a lovely little thing and should be perfect for the job. Much easier to get it to read instruments too. No messing about with networks

Also put in the second strut for the fuselage frame. Still need to weld in the cross piece, but that has to wait for the floor to be painted and attached. Apparently my sister was so excited by the whole thing, she just had to be in the shot! :-)

2008-10-27T09:50:00.001+10:30

Am half way through the framework for the glider. Exciting to see it finally sitting in place. Will take some photos this afternoon. Stay tuned!

2008-10-25T23:48:00.003+10:30

Other steps done today. Nice to see them both on and working as planned. Holes in the floor and framework for the fuselage come next.

One small step for man...

2008-10-25T10:52:00.003+10:30

The first set of steps is welded into position on its hinges. I'm very happy with the results, strong and sturdy and well positioned. I will do the other side, and then look at fixing the sides into place. It's all starting to come together!

More photos

2008-10-23T08:41:00.003+10:30

I said I'd post a few more pics, here they are. The sides, the front, and the top with handles. I am rethinking the middle handles after I had a good idea yesterday. So they will probably change.

2008-10-20T09:33:00.003+10:30

It's been a while since I posted for a number of reasons. Another one of those annoying dates came along where I actually had to submit something to Uni. And for the past few days I've been pretty sick. Despite all that, I've got quite a bit done.

The front of the trailer has been constructed and looks good. The sides have also been cut. I will lay everything in position and take a photo to give an idea of how it all looks closed up.

I have also started the paint work on the fuselage. At the moment it is just a single coat of primer in these photos, but already it looks so much better. It now has a second coat on, which needs a good sandpapering to remove blemishes.

More screen

2008-10-11T09:58:00.003+10:30

The inside and side pieces are now on the screen. Unfortunately it is coming in a bit heavier than I would have liked, but I havent put on the handles yet, so much of the problem is me finding it difficult to manouver.

2008-10-10T09:52:00.002+10:30

The screen frame is ready to go, including the verticle slide rails which sit onto the verticle rails on the trailer. The photo shows my girlfriend painting the joints before assembly which will happen today. You can see the screen sides on the ground.

Screen Frame

2008-10-06T20:14:00.003+10:30

Made good progress today. Welded together the framework for the outside edge of the floor, which means I now have something to mount the door hinges to.

Also welded together the framework for the roof/screen, so now have a good idea of how it's going to feel to be sitting in the glider. I'm very happy with the results. I will be starting with the cladding shortly. Stay tuned!

Stairs framework

2008-10-02T11:08:00.003+09:30

Since the stairs are made from thin material, they need an internal frame. I could have made them from the steel floor plate, but then I couldn't bend them up myself, and since they are a tricky shape it would have been expensive. Plus the aluminium looks damn good!

So these are the internal frames. I haven't quite finished them yet (ran out of bar and welding wire) but they are nice and strong which is great. The reason for the 'gap' will become apparent later on.

2008-09-26T16:45:00.002+09:30

Steps have been welded up. Finally get to place them and see how they look on the trailer. Pretty damn good i recon.

Steps

2008-09-26T11:29:00.002+09:30

Bent the steps up last night. I think they look fantastic! Got a mobile welding guy coming today to do the welding since I don't know how to weld aluminium.

Rear Frame

2008-09-24T18:32:00.003+09:30

The rear frame is mostly welded into place. Just ran out of light for the last few welds so will do them in the morning. It has no triangulation as yet, but is still a lot stronger than I though which is encoraging.

I also ordered the sheet for the sides which was meant to arrive today but didnt, so I guess tomorrow.

2008-09-23T17:44:00.003+09:30

Just another quick photo to show the complete floor. Also in the trailer you can see the very lovely aluminium floor which will be bent into the steps. Looking forward to doing that.

2008-09-23T10:40:00.002+09:30

I previously mentioned the front curved piece of floor but didnt show it as it wasnt curved at the time. It is now:

2008-09-21T18:19:00.002+09:30

The front frame started to go on today. This is the first time I've tried welding the 1m wall steel for quite a while. My previous attempts have been less than impressive, but all the practice I've had recently means I now have no problem. Which is a good thing since the entire frame is made of the stuff!

2008-09-19T15:14:00.002+09:30

2nd floor piece cut and in place. Next comes the front rounded piece

More floor

2008-09-18T11:43:00.003+09:30

Finished the floor frame and cut the first piece of floor plate to shape. I have done enough welding now that I'm doing a pretty good job!

Floor Plate

2008-09-16T08:56:00.002+09:30

Just a quick one. Purchased the floor plate. It is 2.1mm steel and should do the job perfectly. Currently it flexes a bit when you walk on the areas it is bridging. Once the frame is welded in underneath is will be lovely and solid. I will start cutting out the wheel well holes and weld in the bottom frame today. The floor itself wont be welded in till the front and rear frames are in position.

Internode

2008-09-15T09:30:00.002+09:30

Well if the extremely fast Broadband wasn't enough of a reason to love Internode, here's another one - they are putting up a significant amount of sponsorship for the project.

I would like to think I am particularly special, but in fact Internode are rediculously generous when it comes to this sort of thing. I (and many others) have already been a beneficary of this via Internode's sponsorship of the South Australian Juniors amongst other things. So a huge thank you to them!

In other news, floor plate will be collected today. Did the sums on the balance for the trailer and it turns out that leaving the axel right where it is will give a tow ball weight of around 50kg which is perfectly acceptable. Total weight of the trailer will be aroung 450kg. Way off the 750 limit where it needs breaks, which saves me about $350.

So good news all round really. Stay tuned!

Building work commences

2008-09-13T20:33:00.002+09:30

Started modifying the trailer today. The design builds on the boat trailer with a main beam down the middle and the floor and fuselage structure build off that. The kinked cross beams of the boat trailer have to be taken into account, but this isnt much trouble. The small length of tube sitting on top is one of the pieces that will be welded in to create a flat frame for the floor plate to sit on.

My welding was rather a lot better this time round owing to the much thicker material.

Next comes the floor plate, but this cant go down till I know the position of the wheels. I suspect they need to go further back as my design has a lot more weight at the back. I am currently working out the weights on all the parts and using a bit of high school maths to work out the final C of G. Not too difficult, but time consuming. The trailer in its current state as seen in the pics is 113kg. Not too bad. I would like to keep the whole thing under 750kg so it doesn't need its own breaks.

Curved screen photos

2008-09-11T13:54:00.003+09:30

While I had been touting the virtues of a curved screen, I had yet to actually see what it looked like. So today I did a mock up using a nice white piece of MDF for the screen. Some of the issues with a curved screen are the focus across the width of the screen and the image shape which ends up taller in the middle than in the edges - somthing I have a software solution lined up for

The problems are far less significant than I thought. Some correction will be needed but not much, and I didnt notice a focus problem. The feeling of immersion sitting in fron of the screen is excellent! The final screen will be wider as well, so I am excited to see how it turns out.

GFA Seminar

2008-09-08T22:39:00.004+09:30

The Gliding Federation of Australia seminar was on this weekend. I took the Sim along to display as well as giving a talk on progress so far and what I hope to achieve.

It all seemed to go pretty well. There was lots of interest, and lots of people had a go. I would have liked more time for people to try it but I think most people saw it working at least.

If anyone at the seminar didn't manage to catch me, please feel free to email me any questions or comments.

Lovely Flamingo

2008-08-22T10:24:00.000+09:30

Just to keep you interested, and yes the title is relevant. I'm using mainly Rhino 4.0 for my CAD work. It renders the images I have been posting so far and doesnt do a bad job.

I just installed a new renderer (called Flamingo) which does a rather better job, and I thought the result looked good enough to post as a "new" development. Really its just the same with a shiny new cover. But it looks nice so what the hell. By the way, I am open to suggestions on the colour for the wheel arches.

Other progress continues, but on boring things like hinges and waterproofing. Very dull!

Instrument Panel

2008-08-13T19:52:00.000+09:30

I did promise to show a photo of the panel fresh off the CNC. Here it is, though I think I will modify it, I was trying to keep the same overall shape as the actual LS7 panel, but to fit in the 12" screen makes it too big and bulky. I'll slim it down a bit

Excuse my bored look. The flash on my camera takes ages to charge! :-)

CAD work a'plenty

2008-08-11T22:26:00.000+09:30

Detailed design work continues, boring though it is. Actually, it's not that boring, but does take time. The overall design is pretty much finalised, so now I need to make sure the whole thing will actually fit together.

The area we will be covering in this episode boys and girls, is the steps/ramp/sides of the trailer. As you will note, the previous problem of a wheel just sticking through the side of the opened door is gone. It will now be covered mostly by the steps, and partly by a small door which needs to be there so that when open, the wheel has a normal wheel-well sides space surrounding it.

The pics are a little tricky to interperate at the moment since I have yet to differentiate between different panels, so it just looks like one big white sheet. Still, it gives an idea.

Also the trailer now has a more sensible front, removing the likelyhood of chopping people's legs off if they happen to be in the way. And it looks better too.

More soon . . .

Quickie

2008-08-08T13:15:00.000+09:30

Just a quick note. Currently nutting out design details, so not much to show at the moment. Will be running a piece of MDF through the CNC machine at uni later today to see how my first go at the instrument panel will look. Will post photos when it's done.

The roof, again, plus rear frame . . . again

2008-07-22T09:31:00.000+09:30

Design evolution, ie coming up with better ideas. The whole roof situation has been giving me a headache. I have been trying to incorperate a roof into the trailer design, which would be simple if it only had to protect from the rain, but it also has to give a significant amount of shade so the projected image can be seen.

After messing around with different designs, I have come to the conclusion that currently avaliable erectable marquees are a much better solution and come in cheaper than a custom made cover anyway. I can still incorperate attachments so it can be errected on concrete and doesnt need pegs, and guy ropes. Some images for an idea of how it would look with and without side walls:

The rear framework has had the initial glass layers put on, which has stiffened the whole rear area very well. More glass is needed on the side bar to add the load bearing strength. The aluminium foil in the pictures is what i have been using as a (almost) non sticking layer so i can put clamps and weights on top. A side benefit has turned out to be the way I can shape it and hold the setting glass in position. A lucky find though it is a little tricky to get off!

The roof

2008-07-16T14:31:00.000+09:30

Have gone through a number of different ideas for the roof. Origionally it was a hard roof, but this is extra weight to tow around and doesnt give the coverage needed to protect from sun and rain. So now it looks like it will be a roll out awning. It will still need some sort of side covering though, to reduce the amount of light inside.

Will start glassing in the rear frame this afternoon. Photos when it's done.

Rear framework

2008-07-10T17:16:00.000+09:30

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

In hindsight, I would have tried to cut about an inch further back when we went through the LS7. This would have save me a whole lot of grief.

The problem was finding anything towards the rear of the glider strong enough to take some load. The whole rear is very flimsy.

I have got around this by using the framework in the picture. This is design beefs up the weak bottom and spreads the passenger load all across the floor and up the sides to the (relitavely) strong seatpan mounts. The whole lot will be glassed in, giving a lovely strong and rigid structure, and most importantly, it fits under that seat pan!

Also the welding problem has been solved. Have gone from 0.8mm gasless to 0.6 gassed and it is making a huge difference. I think it is the smaller gauge wire needing less power and so not blowing holes in the steel. Just gives more time to build up material and get a better weld. Still not perfectly neat, but they are perfectly strong.

Welding

2008-07-08T09:31:00.001+09:30

I never used to be very good at welding. But after hours of practice . . . I'm still not very good. It is thin wall galv steel and I can't seem to get it quite right. Removing the galv helps but I'm still trying to get the feed and power just right. My welds are strong enough, but not very neat. The term chicken sh*t comes to mind! Good thing no one will see them.

I have been using a gasless wire on a MIG welder. It also comes with gas and another spool so I might give that a go and see if it's better. Other than that, practice!

Final flight test

2008-07-01T14:16:00.000+09:30

This is the final setup which combines all the techy bits. From here in I am really looking at design and construction, which is good since a lot of what I've done so far is not particularly relevant to my Uni course.

So, things to notice: I'm not wearing a hat to look cool (I dont need a hat for that). It has on it the sensors for the head tracking. The hardware of which can bee seen as 4 glowing red dots just in front of the laptop. The headtracking has been setup with a dead zone, so normal movement of the head does not move the view. The view moves when you look to the edges of the screen. This does feel natural, since the cockpit is out of the field of view. I found it particularly good for flicking left and right before turns. I need to tweak it a bit to get the up and down feeling right.

The instrument panel is my laptop taking streaming data across the network as I showed in a previous post. There is no precievable lag as far as I can tell. Next time I wil set up a shadow screen so the projector does not project on to the instruments.

All the other controls are working. I would love to know if there is a way to reduce the strength of the wheel brake, since using it causes the glider to nose plant.

The projected image is about the right size. It is not as high a resolution as I am hoping to have, so the detail quality should come up. And it obviously isnt curved.

There are a few bits that still need finishing up, but I will leave that till it's on the trailer.

She can walk!

2008-06-26T19:04:00.000+09:30

Well not really, but the glider can now stand without rocking alarmingly. This makes it far more useful as a Sim, although less useful for helping babies to sleep.

Currently this is only the front half of the frame that takes the passenger load. As you can see from the pictures, it is square section tubing that is glassed into what is probably the most rigid area on the whole fuselage. The photos were taken just after I laid the glass fibre so there is some neatening to do. This is the first stage of the glass work. I will also attack it from other angles. Once finished the tube will be completely surrounded. This needs to be _strong_!

The frame sticking out the bottom is only temporary. Once the trailer is ready, the vertacle will be welded into place. The glider can be lifted off the frame by removing a bolt which is currently hidden underneath the square section in the top photos.

There is no lovely rigid area at the back for the same purpose. I will need to build a strong frame to make the fuse more rigid before mounting on to that. There is very little space in this area, but i will probably make some by cutting away some of the seat pan since that area behind the seat back is wasted space.

Working Instruments

2008-06-22T22:48:00.000+09:30

Finally put some money into the Simmeter software despite no response from the web site or emails. The software arrived via email the next day and it was worth every penny.

It basically takes info from condor and displays it on a separate screen, or if you want, a separate pc via the network. I was incredibly surprised at how it all just worked first time. Whether the final version has two pc's or just 2 screens remains to be seen. Its nice to know that both work just fine.

After I took the video I realised I held the camera sideways. Oh well, you get the idea. I'll take better video next time it's setup.

Running out of buttons to wire

2008-06-17T20:49:00.000+09:30

Seems I have pretty much run out of controls to hook up for the moment. Finished up with what was the trim lever now being used as a wheel brake, as well as a couple of buttons on the stick that I wired up for the hell of it. They were just sitting there and I'm sure I can find something to use them for. So now have 4 axis and 5 buttons, with more coming when the instrument panel goes in.

Here are the photos:

Firstly the overall layout.

The stick with airbrake microswitch and wiring from the top buttons.

The airbrake mechanism. I now love mechano. Inside there is a 2 stage reduction gearing of something like 10 to 1. Works wonderfully!

The undercarriage microswitch. The wire that trips it is held on with, and situated behind, the visible nut.

And finally, the board that makes it all work. Potentiometer and microswitch inputs go in and a game device comes out via USB and talks to the PC. Very easy to use, you dont need a degree in electronics!

Since controls are done for the moment I will start look at attachment for the fuselage. I can't just leave it on pillows! I'm thinking two attachment points, with internal frame underneath the seat pan. One near the front of the seat pan since this area is very stiff with the controls frame. The other at the rear, probably attaching to the stiffening bar I already have in place. We shall see.

Stay tuned. And feel free to leave comments, then I might have some idea if anyone is actually reading this drivel! :-)

Progress continues

2008-06-15T22:56:00.000+09:30

Progress continues, just haven't taken any photos in a little while. All the main flying controls are now working. Air brakes, undercarrage and release have been added to the list. I will take some photos tomorrow to show how all the controls are working.

In the mean time, since I'm good at pretty pictures, here's another. Just a quick layout of how the thing might look.

Some pretty pictures for y'all

2008-06-09T19:14:00.000+09:30

Since I'm doing the Uni work anyway, I might as well put it up here. This is the final layout for the position of the railing and steps to help users get up and in to the glider.

Flight trials

2008-06-07T18:19:00.000+09:30

Well with some basic controls is seems a shame not to finally have a go. I borrowed a projector from a friend and set the whole lot up. The projector is not short throw like the one I am hoping to use, so the image isnt as big as I'd like. And obviously the screen is not curved either.

Still, the glider feels very good to fly, and is a lot of fun! I havn't spent that much time on it, but I notice depth perception and aircraft placement is a lot easier and more natural. Aerotowing, for instance, was easier.

Have also cut a new airbrake and trim slide, so that has been fitted.

p.s. as the end of the video, my gilfriend says 'it's not great really'. Be assured, she is refering to the video quality in the low light! :-)

A big step

2008-06-05T21:49:00.000+09:30

Well not that big really, but it certainly seems like a jump forward. The electronics I needed arrived today, and after a bit of careful wiring I now have a glider that can control a gliding simulator! Hooray.

Only aileron, elevator and rudder at the moment. The photo and video show the basic setup. I haven't bothered putting the seatpan back on since I need to tidy up the wiring. Enjoy the video!

Quick update

2008-06-04T14:12:00.000+09:30

My appologies for not posting for a little while. Unfortunately I can't base my Uni project completely on just fixing up a glider and making the controls work. Occasionally I have to do some proper work.

The proper work in question is a user study and problem solving for the issue of basically getting in and out. As instructor would know, first timers often have difficulty knowing where to stand, where to put their weight, and lifting themselves in and out (especially with older generations).

The problem comprises of steps to get up onto the trailer (relatively simple) and then getting in the glider itself. It might seem trivial to some, but with potentially hundreds of people getting in and out each day, it is important.

A basic setup is all thats required to get a good idea of the problem. I simply put a floor onto the trailer with planks and then tied the glider down on top. This did the trick beautifully and I have a lot of feedback to work with

Getting a stiff back

2008-05-30T18:32:00.000+09:30

No I'm not getting old. Turns out when you chop a glider in half it looses some of its strength. Who knew?

Anyway, I have stiffened up the rear with a bit of lovely shiny tubing! This will also be the support for the seat back, allowing it to be adjusted.

I think it looks rather nice.

Also, the rudder pedal work continues. Finally have all the bits so should get them done tomorrow.

Rudder pedals

2008-05-26T18:38:00.000+09:30

I now have some rudder pedals from a twin astir. Huge thanks to Waikerie GC and David Conway.

The rudder pedals include the adjusting slide and catch and, incredibly, they fit straight on to the mounting points from the LS7. Of course there is quite a bit to do, but not nearly as much as I thought, which is a huge relief.

Elevator pot

2008-05-25T15:18:00.000+09:30

2nd potentiometer is now done. I'm happy with them both. Very little slop and plenty of space around them. I'm looking foward to getting the controller hardware so I can actually get some control of a glider on a pc.

The 2 pots left are the rudder and airbrakes. I'm waiting to see what the rudder looks like since its not from an LS7 and will need to be fitted. I'm also not sure how I will do the airbrakes just yet since they have a very big travel. Possibly a rack and pinion mechanism

By the way, comments are welcome! And tips or ideas, post them up.

Aileron pot

2008-05-24T20:02:00.001+09:30

Control mechanism for the aileron is now pretty much finished. Origionally had it in a different position but the seat pan was hitting it, and the whole thing looked a bit messy. I had to put another linkage in to get down to the space below the stick, but the design is a much neater solution. I will do the same for the elevator.

Pics show aileron centered and far right.

Trailer

2008-05-23T19:43:00.000+09:30

Well I have aquired a trailer to use as a base for the project. The more design work I did the more it became apparent that I wanted just a frame of a trailer to build from. A boat trailer is an obvious choise. The trailer in question is a jetski trailer. It is in excellent condition which is great as it saves me the time spent cleaning it up. Please excuse the crappy photos. I'll take some more during the day when it isnt wedged in by cars

I have done some _very_ basic CAD work just to show people who I talk with what it is I'm talking about! I'll put it up, but I expect the design will change quite a bit.

Next stage on the fuse is putting in the potentiometers. Have the gizmo that feeds all that information to the pc coming in the mail. More soon

Elevator trim done

2008-05-19T19:04:00.000+09:30

The elevator trim is now done. It uses basically the same kind of mechanism as can be found in the standard glider. It works fine but needs a bit more spring pressure holding the grip (that grips the threaded rod). I had hoped to use the springiness of the handle but it isnt enough, so will put a light spring in to help.

Now I have a stick that centers as would be expected, I will be looking at getting the potentiometers and necessary electronics to send signals to the pc. Also have some rudder pedals to put in when they arrive next week. Onwards and upwards!

Aileron spring and trim done

2008-05-17T12:33:00.000+09:30

Just a quick one. Aileron spring is done. A pretty simple fix, has the ability to be adjusted by moving the nuts along the rod as can be seen in the picture. The rubber bands are in place of proper springs. I wanted to get a correct spring constant before I go and buy them.

The elevator needs the same thing but the whole lot has to be movable with the trim lever. I have some ideas and it should be done soon.

Also got some donated rudder pedals heading my way. Should be able to fabricate them into the nose. Certainly easier than building them myself.

Trim and stick center

2008-05-13T19:52:00.000+09:30

Next problem is the stick center and trim. Aeleron center is relitvely simple but the trim is a little more tricky. A shifting center spring trim removes the need for trim within the game which saves a whole lot of fuss, so want to get it working.

Fuselage finish

2008-05-12T13:26:00.000+09:30

A quick post to show the final finish on the fuselage. I will hold off on the painting since there is other work to be done and I dont want to risk ruining a nice paint job. I am now moving on to the seat pan and seat back. They are nearly done anyway, just need to sort the fitting and attachment.

Welcome and update

2008-05-12T12:37:00.000+09:30

Welcome to the Glider Simulator project. This blog is a way for me to keep everyone up to speed with how the project is going. There are a number of insterested parties, so I hope to keep everyone informed.

To start from the beginning, I am building a portable trailer-based gliding simulator for my 4th year Uni project. This comprises of a real glider fuselage cut down to fit, coupled with a software simulator running on a pc and projected onto a screen in front of the pilot. Currently the only (portable) example of this is shown below. This is the British Gliding Association's sim.

Fuselage

The fuse is from an LS7 which was involved in an accident. It was kindly donated and I have been undergoing repairs. It was very scrappy, but after a lot of work is coming together nicely

Importantly, the fuse included critical control linkages, seat pan, seat back and trim. These are all controls that will be hooked up to give input to the pc.

The fuse has been internally re-enforced with glass fibre, and filled and sanded externally to give a smooth finish. It is close to a painting stage. The seatpan was also heavily damaged and needed work. This is fixed and so the internals are nearing the end of the repair stage as well.