Changes I Made
A few glaring issues
Once I had the four main parts together (front console, left console, right console and seat) and I finally got to sit in the cockpit for the first time- I discovered a few glaring issues that I needed to rectify.
Please note- this is not a stab at the plans or anything, sitting in the stock cockpit was still pretty cool and anyone else who was looking for a home flight setup would probably love it.
I am 193cm tall (6"4') and not a small guy.
The biggest issue for me, was that when seated in the seat as designed, my knees would hit the bottom of the Main Instrument Panel.
I had no measurements of a real jet to compare seating positions, and I have never sat in a real one before, but the seating position seemed too high and the entire cockpit too low.
Another big problem was that the position of the rudder pedals in the front console was limited due to the nature of its design. They were too close to me when seated, resulting in an even more uncomfortable seating position.
To fix this I made a few changes after i had the thing put together. They were not huge jobs and nothing had to be thrown away and remade, but they were large changes nonetheless.
- I raised the height of the consoles by 120mm (4.72 inches). This was done by adding a frame underneath made of timber, as well as some legs so there was a gap underneath. This made it easier to move, as well as having a large nice gap underneath to allow for cooling fans to be mounted underneath as an air intake for the electronics.
- I raised the height of the Main Instrument Panel to match the height of the consoles. This was a bigger job, as I needed to raise it from its floor which meant disassembling it and adding some timber along the bottom.
- I cut out the rear of the front console and added material to cover the original design in the sides of the centre pedestal. This allowed an open rear, to allow the rudder pedals to sit further forward.
- I added a tunnel like structure using plywood over the rudder pedals, to enclose the entire area that your legs go. This was also designed as I planned to mount the PC on top of this tunnel.
Here is the cockpit together as per the original plans. You can see the seat is directly mounted to the wooden floor, and the bottom of the side consoles are flush with the carpet.
Here is the side consoled made as per the original design. They have an open bottom (you can see the concrete underneath), and note the height of the lower beam. Also, note the height of the console compared to the bottom of the fuel quantity panel on the MIP.
Here is the same side console after the added height. Note the size of the lower beam compared to the above photo, as well as the added legs fore and aft to raise it onn the floor.
The consoles after the height was raised. Note the legs lifting it off the floor, and the distance that the front of the them are from the bottom of the fuel quantity panel compared to the photo above. The black bolts are still on the main console, but they are now hidden behind the front of trhe side console.
Here is the original design of the front console. Note the height of the lower pedestal from the floor, and the cut out for the rudder pedals.
Here is the changes being made. Note the front of the pedastal has been raised from the floor.
Note the cutout for the pedals in the original design has been filled, and the rear cutout to allow the pedals to be mounted further back. I later made this cutout even larger and put the pedals on drawer rails to allow for shorter people to bring the pedals forward further.
Close up of the changes. Note the tunnel made from plywood on the outside, to strengthen the entire thing and give that 'enclosed' feeling.
Another view of the height change.
Side view shows the tunnel cover on. This was designed to allow my legs to go under the screen surface, which would be on top of it. I also planned to mount the PC running the entire thing behind the MIP on top of the rudder pedal tunnel. The seat is on adjustable rails- more info about that here.
Side view of the tunnel that houses the rudder pedals. Really gives an 'enclosed' feeling.