Incorporating real instruments

[EAL727Capt]

Hello, friends.

I'm in the process of collecting parts for my B727-200 flight deck and haven't begun any type of construction or wiring thus far.  I've been reading many books on flight simulator construction as well as the forums of well-known websites, along with books on electronics as I have very little knowledge on that complicated subject.

I'm reading a Boeing 727 maintenance reference guide which states that the primary electrical power is provided by three 115 volt, 3-phase 400 CPS engine-driven generators, each rated at 40 KVA. 

My question is this:
Can I successfully use real instruments in a cockpit without a lot of reworking of the existing internal components?  As an example, I have an N1 gauge; it has a 7-pin receptacle with two pins used for the dial lighting.  There is, what I believe to be, an air-core.  I had never heard of air-core prior to reading Mike Powell's book on simulated instruments and the subject still baffles me.  I'm assuming that the gauge's operation was designed for this 115 volt, 3-phase 400 cycle power source.  Would I need to build an air-core if there's already an existing one?  Could I simply use a power source compatible with the existing air-core?

Also, I have two Collins ADF receivers, of the radio dial type, that I would like to use 'as is.'  If possible, I don't want to wire a unit that has the LED number displays as that would reduce the amount of realism I'm seeking.  Same for the radio panels.  Is this possible or am I just pipe-dreaming?  For what its worth, I'm running Windows XP, FS9 and the Dreamfleet 727.

I have very, very limited knowledge of electronics and the wonders of electricity.  I'm not timid about learning and am anxious to start testing my soldering skills---once I'm confident what to solder!

Any insights, guidance and advice is most appreciated.

Jay
KTPA

[Boeing Skunk Works]

There is another builder who can modify some instruments to work in the simulator. Not all of these guages are 115VAC. Some are 26 or 28 VAC and most are synchro instruments meaning that something else drives them, not what they are measuring or indicating directly. Often the innards have to be replaced or modified.

Then some are operated on DC voltages. You need the electrical system diagram or the emergency electrical equipment operation guide to know what instruments are on which buss.

It can be done, but I don't have the patients to do it. It'd take me at least five years to get everything operating, if everything could be made operational.

I know of know one who has attempted to modify an analog radio head in the six years I've been in this hobby. I had given serious thought in the past to modify the heads to keep the bird authentic, but even the 727 was upgraded by many operators to digital radio heads. Theoretically it's easier than getting a real guage to work, but the encoders you use have to have the exact same step for state change as the analog dials do when you rotate the knobs to change a frequency. You would also have to reset the radio panels after each flight to the original frequency the simulator was started with or always start with the previous flight. A problem I have found with encoders is that a state change doesn't always occur with each click of the knob. Sometimes two or three is neccesary to get a state change out of it. As an example, it takes forever to dial in an OBS heading or course if it's more than 90°, as such may happen when you are setting up for a flight. I use the trackball in those cases. When in actual flight with a minor course change it's no big deal to keep turning it to get a 10 or 15° heading or course change.

[jackpilot]

For the gauges, my best bet would be to integrate something like this:
http://www.flightillusion.com/gallery7.htm
It would allow you to use the faces and bezels of your authentic gauges and "steam"  them!
Contact Darryl, he made a fantastic panel for his Spitfire.
Check page 2.
http://www.cockpitbuilders.com/community/index.php?topic=345.25

For the radios, COM NAV Trx ADF, I would agree with Mike about digital, and use real panels and knobs,  with new encoders and Digital displays behind.
JP

[Mike.Powell]

Jay,

Your gauges are unlikely to have air-core movements inside. It's more likely that they have synchros. It's possible to drive synchro based instruments from your simulation computer, though it does get a little pricey.The key component is a digital-to-synchro converter. You can buy commercial converters or build them. There is a synchro converter project in the book Building Recreational Flight Simulators

[EAL727Capt]

Mike, Jack and Mike;
Thank you very much for the replies.  I've only glanced through the book, Building Recreational Flight Simulators, as I'm no where near ready to start 'building' at this point.   Right now, I'm loading the brain with ideas.  I truly appreciate the guidance and I will be calling upon it more and more as my project 'takes flight.'

It is good to know that some real instruments can be used.  I'll be looking into this more and more.

Thank you again, gentlemen.

Jay
KTPA