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Post by MarkH on Jun 21, 2015 14:51:02 GMT
I just bought this:  Or rather, this:  Woo! Now you know why I'm thinking 'vintage' (no brakes). More info here. |
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Post by ScottB on Jun 23, 2015 14:34:28 GMT
Cool! Are you moving to helicopters? :-) Video review soon?
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Post by MarkH on Jun 23, 2015 17:27:57 GMT
Cool! Are you moving to helicopters? :-) Video review soon? No, not helicopters but I'm assuming it's just the same as rudder pedals but with no toe brakes. At almost 90% off the full price it was too good to pass up! |
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Post by MarkH on Jul 13, 2015 20:23:56 GMT
A quick update on this. These pedals were damaged in transit, although the obvious damage to the left hand pedal was easily repairable by bending a couple of bits of metal back. However, it was clear from the outset that something was leaking. Now it may be that this damage was also done in transit but as there was oil accumulated in every nook and cranny of the assembly I am fairly sure this was a pre-existing problem. I would cite as supporting evidence for that the stain on the underside of the left piston and the PTFE (plumber's) tape around most of the joints! Never mind, I negotiated the price down to £50, which is probably reasonable. Here's a look at the piston assembly:  The left piston is definitely leaking big time and will need to be sorted. I have been in touch with FlightLink and this will cost me $175 plus shipping each way (approx £20/ $35 each way, although at the moment they appear to be asking $82 for the return shipping!) And here's a look at the complex internal electronics:  Those wires go to three pins of a 9-pin serial connector, although this is not a serial device - it's just a potentiometer! (I will probably want to source a new pot too, if anybody can interpret those markings...) And here's the rest of the assembly:  All in all, this should be a relatively-cheap-but-not-that-cheap awesome set of pedals when I'm done! |
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Post by MarkH on Jul 14, 2015 19:08:04 GMT
All in all, this should be a relatively-cheap-but-not-that-cheap awesome set of pedals when I'm done! Update on the update. They really do want $82 for the shipping, which brings the total to around £187 (just short of $300) just to get the pistons refurbished. Now thinking of other options... |
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Post by ScottB on Jul 15, 2015 0:55:31 GMT
I'm sure you've thought of this but, is there any kind of packing or seals that can be replaced to stop the leaks? (I would be skeptical of their repairs... but that's me.) I would have expected a simple pot as the expense is probably in the mechanism, but I'm sure you are ahead of me in that sense too. If you can fix the leak, what are your thoughts about toe (or heal) brakes?
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Post by MarkH on Jul 15, 2015 6:58:42 GMT
I'm sure you've thought of this but, is there any kind of packing or seals that can be replaced to stop the leaks? Well originally I thought this, on the basis that the pistons are not pressurized. However, after speaking to FlightLink they say they are assembled under pressure, so it is not a simple matter or unscrewing a few joints and replacing seals. (It might even be dangerous.) I suppose I could pursue a repair by a company that services mountain bike shocks or some such, but having had an MTB shock serviced that probably wouldn't be that much cheaper anyway! Regarding the pot, I have been doing a bit or reading around and I have discovered that helicopter and rudder pedals generally respond differently - helicopter (tail rotor) pedals usually respond logarithmically to input, which rudder pedals respond exponentially (inverse logarithm). That's probably why the FlightLink pedals have a logarithmic pot, although we can also make a distinction between the physical resistance of the pedals and the output, either or both of which can follow a logarithmic or exponential (or linear) curve. The output is something we can tinker with in FSUIPC by adding a curve to the axis - this function now makes more sense as I see it can approximate an exp or log function if you have a linear input. (That is probably all very confused but I know what I mean!) What do I think about no toe brakes? It's a pain, obviously! But there are probably other solutons. I did think of chopping my Saitek pedals in half and mounting the toe brakes either side of the rudder. Or using bicycle-style brakes, or something else, or nothing! |
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Post by ScottB on Jul 15, 2015 12:36:47 GMT
Ahhh. That makes sense, but it kinda sucks. Interesting info about the pot. Might be kind of fun to fabricate some kind of braking system assuming you can manage a reliable piston repair. I recall seeing the MFG pedals in one of your You Tube video posts. You should build your own rudder pedals using elastic bands in place of springs.
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Post by MarkH on Jul 15, 2015 16:34:04 GMT
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Post by ScottB on Jul 15, 2015 21:19:58 GMT
I had no idea rudder pedals could be so complex! Better than real aircraft! I also watched the slaw device while I was at it. |
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Post by littlepaulio on Apr 15, 2016 17:30:24 GMT
Please tell me you got your Crosswinds to work Mark! |
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Post by MarkH on Apr 15, 2016 18:17:55 GMT
Please tell me you got your Crosswinds to work Mark! Well no, I gave up for now and have gone back to the Saiteks. I have been concentrating on too many other things. |
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