DIY Flight controls for ArmA ( AH-6 flying...) Full size.

[George_Smiley 17]

Update: More pics of the hardware etc. 

Mods: Lowered the base and restrained the rudder controls. 

Next up is a "collective" that is compatible with ArmA.... 

( using an analog control with no zero center is a major pain the rotor... )

 

 

 

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?4621327-DIY-Flight-Stick-for-SImulation-Virtual-RC-flying-etc-(-More-pics-!-)

 

It looks rough but the actual important parts are large, industrial, hefty and smooth as. 

 

MMjoy  Atmege MCU  Allegro Hall effect sensors... full sized rudder bar, 22mm sealed bearings...

 

The collective design is taking it's sweet time...

 

It's amazing to fly with, really really makes the AH-6 shine in Arma2, it's crazy good.

It's so awesome. With head tracking you just get mesmerised by it.

 

Flying hard around buildings etc is amazing. Working out some skill in Chernogorsk.

 

:- )

 

 

Oh look ! Pictures !!!!

[dalber24 153]

It looks good, you're on the right track, how are you doing with the length of the stick, are you comfortable now? Depending on the length and sensitivity settings you set in game, it changes a lot.

[George_Smiley 17]

5 hours ago, dalber24 said:

It looks good, you're on the right track, how are you doing with the length of the stick, are you comfortable now? Depending on the length and sensitivity settings you set in game, it changes a lot.

 

Hiya.

Stick length ergonomically is great. In game it's fabulous. 

For micro adjustments in flight it's amazing.

 

In game I am set to the middle of the  sensitivity for each controller channel.

I am assuming this to be "linear" part, most games to that do this kind of thing

would lead me to believe this. I want to use all of my stick throw.  No DZ etc.

So I should have equal proportional stick input to game control.

 

The Rise of Flight has a really good stick input versus output control.

and i spent a lot of time getting things right using that.

( you can shorten the output and add expo etc etc... if you want...)

So I have tried a few different schemes. 100% Natural is the best :- )

 

This is actually a working prototype and is about number 5.

I used pillow blocks on the bearing in a previous model and in my next model

there will be those and the new elastic cord device etc.

 

What do you think of "two stage triggers"  I guess locking the vision to the

gun sight is stage one and then stage two is pew pew.  Too easy.

 

Funny thing is there is no plastic on the stick. ( the buttons... )

It's all wood, steel, alloy.  Maybe I can make an all brass one ?

 

All I can say is that it's a sweet stick. It's amazing to fly about Chernogorsk , dodging buildings etc

and flying between gaps etc.  Pylon turns, quick landings etc. Even with the sensitive damage on....

 

Oh yeah I had an idea for a collective:

 

An RC gimbal ( with stick centering )  mounted on a knee board so I can operate it

with my finger tip. So my hand curls over it and the finger can push it down or pull it up.

As the  ArmA system is  simply UP or DOWN or ZERO.  A full size collective is a bit wasted on ArmA.

Also I can put a ton of buttons on the Knee Board.  Pics in a while.

 

So there you go. It's not "tacticool" but it is amazing to use. 

 

George.

 

 

 

 

[George_Smiley 17]

So I made a Knee Board and stuck my RC stick on it.

The way ArmA works with the collective is unique.

When you put an analog control on it you are constantly

trying to find ZERO or you are going up or down... this is

a pain in the tail rotor. So a self centering stick is the way forward. 

 

 

The board sits on my Knees in flight and my hand rests on the RC stick with my fingers doing the up/down thing.

So far it's good. But not giving full throw due to the mech design of the control. Will get a better one.

If I did not have real rudder controls I would use the stick: up down left right.  At the moment  it is glued to one axis.

 

A palm rest next and then lots of buttons! Because we like buttons !!! Yey.  Eject, weapons select, map,  etc etc.

 

George.

 

PS

 

My old fixed wing throttle, the little knob is MIXTURE.  and buttons !!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[George_Smiley 17]

Update :

Knee board is rocking, made the cut out larger to accommodate more  stick over

and moved the "collective" back a tad.

 

Flying the industrial part of Chernogorsk like a mad man possessed.

Getting better at limbo and knife edge "threading the needle" .

 

The fricking flashing rotor disk is a massive pain the in the swash plate.

 

If only there was someone I could PAY to make a mod that makes the disk

just a blur. Nothing fancy.  Just a blur. 

 

* looks up to the Gods of Mods... *

 

Am trying to convince my pal to drive 1.5 hours down to my pad to do in game filming.

He's the camera person , I am the stunt pilot. Hey yeah right I need some LIVERY... something

fricking wild.... oh dear I now have to work out how to do a skin... DARN !

 

Hmm... maybe I should post in the mods section... probably get no traction there.

 

Oh well. Never mind.

 

Back to stunt practice.  and BOOM !  ha ha ... I crash alot.  Hey I need a stunt team name... Wild Gumboot Stunt Racing or something....

and a colour scheme...

 

Have fun !

 

George.

 

 

 

 

[dalber24 153]

Nobody understands what you're talking about, your thread is supposedly to show your custom joystick, but as you've done since you started posting on the forum....
you talk about one thing, but then you end up talking about something totally different, so there's no continuity of x topic.
 You simply can't expect someone to find out that you want what you're asking for now... because your thread is supposed to show the joystick.

Having said that, what are you talking about!? rotor disk!? blur? what are you talking about?

when you're in the helicopter you see the blur of the rotor blades.

[George_Smiley 17]

45 minutes ago, dalber24 said:

Nobody understands what you're talking about, your thread is supposedly to show your custom joystick, but as you've done since you started posting on the forum....
you talk about one thing, but then you end up talking about something totally different, so there's no continuity of x topic.
 You simply can't expect someone to find out that you want what you're asking for now... because your thread is supposed to show the joystick.

Having said that, what are you talking about!? rotor disk!? blur? what are you talking about?

when you're in the helicopter you see the blur of the rotor blades.

 

Multi track dimensional thinking knows no normal bounding.  Or something. AND the update clearly starts off on topic.

If you can't see the relationship between the Joy stick project and rotor blur.... darn.

 

THE ROTOR BLUR.

 

In game when I am canted over in the Heli and looking through the blades there is significant strobing, tearing etc.

I do not have a high spec machine NOR do I have a fast monitor. 

The blades flickering is annoying and can be fixed by simply making a "blur" disk.  It could just be a grey disk that

is transparent.  Nothing fancy.  In real life you would not get the in game visual effect of the blades at all. 

( I use an RC sim called RC Desk Pilot which does that very thing. Looks fine. )

 

Today I am looking at wiring up my Joystick grip with the Trigger and a six way switch group.

May try to make a Hat Switch from scratch. For kicks.

Have a grip design on the drawing board. Wood. Nice and light.

 

Have a nice day !

 

George.

 

PS. Do you like the new profile picture ???

 

 

[Gruman 123]

Why not installing DCS and give the OH-6 Mod a try. Way better than flying in A2 and free.

[dalber24 153]

4 hours ago, Gruman said:

Why not installing DCS and give the OH-6 Mod a try. Way better than flying in A2 and free.

I tried it a while ago, and I didn't like it. I fly A10, Black Shark and Apache as a Gunner. Unless you bought Syria, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf, it's horrible. In A2 at least you have good maps to fly with pretty good details. Flying OH-6 is totally visual. If the terrain doesn't captivate you, it gets boring and you don't enjoy it.