computer2cockpit

[computer2cockpit 0]

Hi Avsim users,

 

Allow me to present you our project. We are developing Computer Flight Simulation Hardware made for Flight Training and Preparation.

We have finished the design phase and we are moving to prototyping phase. We are reaching out to pilot, and flying simulation enthusiast community to see what you think and to tell us how we can make this product better. We are hoping that cockpit builders will recognise our products too.

 

We are NOT selling anything, but just trying to get some feedback, and let you know what we are working on.

 

For more information about product visit:

http://www.computer2cockpit.com/

Don't forget to read FAQ section before posting questions:

http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

 

For project news visit our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit

 

So we are open to discussion, fell free to write what you think. Thank you for making this product better.

If you want to help us please vote the poll on our web site:

http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=239

 

Regards,

 

 

 

 

 

[computer2cockpit 0]

Ok,

 

I must ask, is this topic public? can everyone see this, because i see 0 views from yesterday, and i do have some traffic on website from Avsim.

 

So can anyone write if they can see this topic.

 

Many Thanks

 

UPDATE: Ok i see now 44 visits, i guess another bug in forum.

[ilhan kesmez 13]

I see the topic

[computer2cockpit 0]

So i see that about 50 people visited the topic.

 

Any comments, suggestions, likes dislikes?

[computer2cockpit 0]

Ok since everyone is shy i will try to start the discussion by writing something about the project.

 

Computer2cockpit is 7 months old project started by small group of aviation enthusiasts located in Zagreb, Croatia.

Our mission is to make flight simulation hardware suitable for Flight Training and Preparation. Target aircraft was generic Twin Engine Piston Aircraft like Seminole or Seneca that are widely used in flight training. Target users are Student pilots, Certified Pilots, Flight Simulation Enthusiasts, and Personal Cockpit Builders.

 

First goal was Full cockpit functionality, necessary for flight training. No existing products offer this level of functionality and similarity to actual aircraft cockpit. Second goal was to make solution affordable and modular, allowing users to shape their own cockpit to their needs, when they need it.

 

Project is entering prototype manufacturing phase, with completed computer and electrical designs for all the products. We have decided to present our project to perspective buyers, to see what they think, what they like, what they don’t. We are hoping for feedback.

After we finish the prototypes, we plan to display them and allow users to extensively test them in our facility. Public testing 12 hours a day up to 4 months.

Production should start in 2014. Pre-ordering is available now and it will give you priority when ordering starts. Production will be funded by crowdfunding so first orders will be taken via crowdfunding, meaning that future users will help finish this project.

We are reaching out now to keep you informed of our project, development, status, and for you to support us.

We are preparing future products, also compatible with our flight simulation interface. Full instrument panel that will be one of them, and it will be fully compatible with the interface.

 

You can find information about project team on our web http://www.computer2cockpit.com but I will present myself here:

 

Head of Project at computer2cockpit: Miroslav Segvic, aeronautical engineer and licensed pilot.

 

During my flight training where were periods of no flying time. I needed computer hardware for flight simulation, but none that were available on the market could not satisfy for flight training. Second problem was that everything that was available was too expensive and single engine orientated. 7 months ago I started this project, to bring flight simulation to everyone. To spread flying culture.

 

Regards everyone,

 

Thanks for feedback and support!

[computer2cockpit 0]

Hi, everyone.

 

Project update:

Flight Simulation interface firmware development is now complete. We are proceeding with testing.

Few pictures from testing can be found on bottom of this page : http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=108

More on our Facebook and G+ page.

 

Back to work.

 

Thank you for support!

 

Regards,

[Rocky_53 1,566]

OK, I'll start, and sorry to rain on your parade, but you asked and this is simply my opinion, which I'm sure won't be shared by others, but for me, I really dislike the design. It looks as though it's been designed by some Swedish furniture designer. So regardless of how well it was built I wouldn't go any further, it wouldn't interest me. But I'm sure many others will have a different opinion. Good luck and I wish you well.

[computer2cockpit 0]

Thank you for honest opinion.

I will not try to oppose you since design is always issue of taste.

 

Indeed you are on the trail, and i'm kind of glad you compared this to IKEA. Hopefully our company will one day evolve to IKEA of flight simulation hardware.

We probably even had the same set of priories while designing this, like IKEA designers. Make it suitable for everyone, affordable for everyone, and give more for less money.

 

BTW: If everyone was telling us, you are doing it right, we would probably mess up somewhere on the way. User defines what product has to provide. And i really like to discuss, i think it can only help. I'm actually sorry that people are shy when we start the topic. So feel free to express your opinion.

 

Best regards Rockliffe,

[MikeT707 1,181]

I will add my opinion as well. 

General:

• I like the concept quite a bit.  It is good to see a comprehensive solution that is also modular to fit the needs and budget of the user.
• The color palette of primarily beige with black trim does not look good.  In fact, when I first saw the pictures I actually thought it was made of wood.  I would prefer a black instrument panel myself.  Even though your team might think the beige with black trim looks good, many people may not be able to get past it and that would be a shame.
• It would be good to showcase using the product with FSX, X-Plane, or P3D.  Flightgear is a sim that very few people use.

 

Yoke:

• Again, the color and handle texture looks odd to me and is a bit off putting.  
• When I fly I like to pan around the cockpit or pan around my outside view.  In order to do that I would suggest placing a hat switch on either the left or right top where currently there are two red buttons.  My CH Products yoke has that and I find it to be a must have feature.
• I think I like the left panel, but not exactly sure how it would work.  It would be good to provide a bit more information, but it does look like it has good potential and I like that a left and right panel is integrated into a yoke.  Good thinking on that.
• I do not know what 99mm pitch travel truly means to me as a user.  Perhaps it means high precision pitch control and if it does I would suggest that you state the benefit to the user that the feature provides.  If it does mean high precision, then that is a good thing.  By the way, in regards to pitch control, I have used a CH yoke and a Saitek (non-Cessna) yoke.  The CH version sticks and is horrible to deal with when I am trying to have a bit of finesse in my flying.  Instead of flying like the pro that I think I am, I look more like my son trying to crash into stuff.  The Saitek one is a bit better but still not very smooth.  If your pitch control on the yoke is extremely smooth and highly precise, it would be very good to mention that.  For many users, it would be good to use something that is precise and smooth instead of something that feels like a toy. 

Throttle Quadrant:

• The levers look cheap or toy-like.  Also, the slots where the levers are look like they could be a great place for food or other things to fall into, which could damage whatever is in there.  It might be a good idea to have thin metal bars that come up through much thinner slots.  The thin metal bars would hold knobs for the controls.  This might be better that wide slots that are just waiting for my sandwich or potato chip crumbs to mess up the electronics.
• I would prefer a landing gear lever that sticks out more and has more travel.
• The flap lever only has four positions.  It would be better to allow a greater variety of positions.  This can be done with interchangeable plates that can be snapped into place that have differing numbers of positions.  I can explain that better if you are interested, but I think it can be done rather easily and could be a good add-on that you could sell.  It is hard to explain in a couple of sentences late at night.  

 

Rudder Pedals:

• The look fine.  What matters is that they feel smooth and have a good level of precision.

 

Switch Panel

• Other than the beige color, it looks good.

 

Nav Panel

• Same comment as the Switch Panel.

 

Fuel and Trim Panel:

• Consider using a wheel (a nice sized one, not a small one) for the elevator trim just for a higher sense of realism.  It does not have to be a wheel that rotates 900 degrees like I think the Saitek Cessna trim wheel does, but it could travel perhaps 180 degrees.  I would imagine the same or similar potentiometer could be used with a wheel "concept" instead of the trim tabs.
• Also, in your Home page pics, it is sitting on the floor, so I am a bit confused.  Am I supposed to put it on a table or something?

Best of luck in launching this product.

[computer2cockpit 0]

Thanks very much for support and feedback!

 

I will try to implement every suggestion and change you mentioned.

 

What is already "changed" (for release):

 

• Beige is for better engraving visibility on renderings. Finally Beige and black will be offered. and engraving will be filled with paint. Small series production allow us to change this any time we want. W can even provide custom colors.
• Compatibility with FSX XP Prepar3d.. will be available. We have used FG for initial presentation.. During testing phase everything will be shown. 
• Yoke: Handles are still something we are working on. Option one is this polyurethane material similar to car steering wheel. Option two i molded plastic. Price and durability will decide.
• Hat switch - Since we base our product on finished part(we don't make switches etc.), we are still searching for hat switch unit that we can implement. Seems that no one is selling these at the moment. Worst case scenario will be 4 push buttons arranged as 4 tip star.
• Left yoke panel is autopilot control panel. Since we are extending our product range to turboprops and turbojets, and our yoke is too expensive at the moment, that will probably move to separate unit to be compatible with all three types of aircraft.
• Right yoke panel is emergency gear, alternate static source.. and such functions.
• Yoke travel of 99mm with 12bit precision means 0.025mm(0,0096in) change can be detected. Weather it will be smooth, we will see during the testing, we are still developing that slide bearing. We will install some damping to make ti feel more real. No force feedback plans  if anybody asks. It would double the price of the set.
• TQ handles and slots have to change. That is agreed. This was initial design where we wanted to see how cheap it can get. And now we are ready to install some class since we made it cheaper than Sa..tek one.
• Landing gear lever will probably move to yoke since it belongs there in the cockpit. It will then be rocker switch with big mounded wheel shaped handle. Working on that.
• That kind of flap switch is something we would like to avoid since it would have to be potentiometer. and all potentiometers develop some noise after some usage. I like the idea of plates and we'll think about that more, i like it. Thanks
• Yes trim wheel sound better. Turbojet TQ will have it on it. We added trim panel beacause of rudder trim and fuel shuttof, so that people can practice engine failure procedures. And because of cowl flaps. This is the part where we concentrate on pilots that will use this product. I know other users don't see the point of fuel and trim panel. We have electric elevator trim switch on the yoke so for regular user that elevator trim wheel will probably be forgotten after learning the electric trim. We keep all options here open, but we are trying to reduce assembling complexity of products also.

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions. Especially for the flap handle. That will go on the list of changes.

I find your post very helpful, for the project and, for us explaining why some things are done the way they are done.

 

We will try to implement all that is doable and not significantly increasing the price of each product.

 

Best regards

[computer2cockpit 0]

Hi guys,

 

We've published a newsletter with design changes and new products:

http://eepurl.com/U6u6L

 

More pictures on the web

 

Tell us what you think!

 

[computer2cockpit 0]

Full list of simulated functions now available here:

http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=222

 

Support us by answering the poll here:

http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=239

 

Regards

[N1125Y 22]

..very interesting concept

 

not sure what it made of, seems like kind of fiber, not metal.

 

+1 with Rockfille about the design, however, it looks very functional, so for flight training purposes per se' ,it can, definitely,be the solution, you got all the switches buttons like in the RW, and it's low maintenance, easy setup, and most of all affordable, perfect for small flight schools or CFI that can expend their "Business"   

 

Good luck 

 

yair