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On the ATR 72 there is a handle just below the throttles that looks like an old fashioned tap. This is the Idle Gate which the power levers from moving below flight idle while in the air but when one of the landing gear absorbers compresses on landing it immediately pulls out and allows the power levers to move to ground idle.

On takeoff the opposite happens... as soon as the landing gear leaves the ground the handle moves in and stops the power levers from moving below flight idle.

Now if there is an Idle Gate failure it allows the pilot to manual operate the tap... sorry, Idle Gate lever.

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Now I haven't touched on any powered controls as yet (although I have been doing a bunch of research on the yoke force feedback). Can anyone suggest the best way to go about moving this Idle Gate lever... Are we talking servos and gears? And what about manual override? Would moving the lever manually damage the servo?

There is a squat switch offset in fsuipc. You can use this to activate the solonoid when the plane is on the ground.

Trev

Yup, I am using the "On Ground" flag at offsett 0366. What I need help with is the hardware. It's been a number of years since I played with servos and I remember it was easy to strip the gears if you tried manually moving the rudder or whatever. As the Idle gate is both auto and manual (a bit like your powered TQ's) I really don't know how to go about it as it's close but different if you get me.

My problem is that I'm working on one bit, taking a break and where I research what I am going to need next so I get the parts I need in time. It would be stupid to build the TQ and then have to strip it down and replace a bunch of parts because the Idle Gate automatics won't fit. I just need someone to point me in the right direction.

I think your mistaking servos with solenoids as Trevor suggested. Plenty of cheap hobby push/pull solenoids on ebay to experiment with. With no power you can move them manually and with the fsuipc offset combined with a relay card they will only get power when it needs it to move the handle automatically.

Bingo. That's exactly what I need. I had this horrifying image of gears and servos.

Stupid thing is I had a solenoid lock for remote opening my of my front door when I was bed bound after an op. When I had the double glazed door fitted the solenoid wouldn't work with it so it was removed and I put it somewhere safe... now if only I could remember where.

Thanks guys. Big help.