Building a home cockpit

[Waterman981]

So I ended up sick the last couple days and wasn't able to work on the cockpit like I wanted to. So today we made a quick trip to Home Depot, and after getting home I got started.

First I ripped off the top that I put on there the other day. I replaced it with 1/4" MDF. I'm much happier with it.

After the glue dried I used my router to chop of the side excess and round the corners. Next I used the rest of the board to put the front of the cockpit on.

I then followed the same thing and routed the excess off making the shape beautiful! I then sanded down the whole thing making sure all the corners were nice and rounded.


The last thing I did was cut out the holes for my yoke to go out, and for my panels to mount.

As I sat here looking at it I realized I screwed up. I needed to mount the left panels further towards the center. That would have allowed me to install additional switches on the left edge. The big one being an engine 2 ignition switch. Oh well. I guess I'll correct that when I go with V2.

For reference here is a JPG of the Visio diagram I used when designing it (The only note I've come across with this is one of the 3 throttles will actually be the Saitek Trim Wheel... Just didn't have a good picture of it). The measurements you see are ball park numbers. I may one day add additional switches for various functions if I find I need them. I may also add a GPS above the Saitek Backlit Information Panel.

Next steps... First I'm going to paint. I'll have to pull it all apart once I get my first FIP to cut out those holes. I also need to come up with a cover for the panels I haven't purchased yet.

[Sound]

Looks great so far. I am really interested, but alas, I have $ tied up in sound equipment. My wife would not go for that. LOL

[WheeledWeevil82]

Awesome! Will that be holding the Saitek Panels?

[Wingman]

Hopefully tomorrow I can get the base boxes all done, Friday get the front of the dash done and get my equipment in an initial mounting for the group flight scheduled for Saturday. I'll then basically be pulling it apart again to sand it all down and paint it nice.

Looks great, Waterman! Lookin forward to seeing it completed.

[Waterman981]

I've taken the plunge and have started building a home cockpit. I've been looking around online and found this page with someone's first cockpit. I thought it looked fantastic. Simple, yet provided all the functionality I was looking for. So tonight I began building. Mine will be different in that I hope to mount 3 saitek panels vertically, leaving me plenty of room for future expansion. It is also wider, almost 4' wide to allow for more instruments. If I had kept it narrow I would have had to made it taller to fit all I want to. I will be mounting my yoke to the center bottom.

Cutting MDF for the structure


Getting the shape for the sides




Side view


Current progress


I'm not too happy with the wood that is on the top. I may rip it off and just use that stuff for the sides of the base. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the base boxes all done, Friday get the front of the dash done and get my equipment in an initial mounting for the group flight scheduled for Saturday. I'll then basically be pulling it apart again to sand it all down and paint it nice.