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FSBUS
Suomeksi
November, 27th 2002.
The FSBUS-"world" became reality for me for the very first time in the middle of November 2002. At the time I was chatting on IRC and was observing some
chitchat between Jari Mikkilä and Tuomas Kuosmanen. They were talking about some interface card (or a system, which was totally new for me), which would
ebable the construction of hardware panel replacements for the usual (and neccessary) keyboard and mouse functions in MS Flight Simulator. I was about to
fly off my chair when I read that Jari already had a fully-functional (albeit not FSBUS-based) prototype of a basic Autopilot system, which had all the
most basic functions of the AP up and running. After some inquiries I discovered that the previously mentioned gentlemen had been planning for some kind of
a solution for home-cockpit building for quite some time, and that the German-originated FSBUS system was relatively simple for implementation of even
complicated hardware-replacements of Flight Simulator functions.
Well, in no time I was already pulling the horns of the bull, and I arranged to meet Jari for the first time in the following week, after I got some freetime
from exams and schoolwork. During the visit I learned (partly, at least) how the FSBUS actually worked, and what kind of a project would it, in reality,
be like. Then, with the much appreciated help from Jari, I decided to do my own, rather simple, project, which entails the Autopilot adjustment panel of a
Boeing 767/757 aircraft, more commonly known as the Mode Control Panel, or MCP. For this purpose I had to construct one main interface card (COM-card) and
one Key-card, which would host the various switches in the panel. The FSBUS-based MCP (ie. a situation where push-button integrated rotary-swhitches are
unavailable) is based on 18 regular push-buttons, 3 lever-switches and 4 screwable rotary-switches. One FSBUS Keycard enables the use of altogether 64
different functions (switches), so in my implementation there are 20 extra functions left unused. Nice "leverage" for future expansions :).
The work itself started by mapping the different PIC767 program keystroke combinations, that directly control the MCP functions. These keystroke
combinations would then later be programmed through the FSBUS software, FSRouter, to be activated through the usage of the different switches in the panel.
These switches would therefore correspond different keystroke combinations in the Flight Simulator, and the keystroke combos themselves would operate
the MCP accordingly. Quite simple. After the paperwork it was time to construct the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), and quite neatly my school (The University
of Oulu) had some premises available for students to manufacture their own PCBs. Well, to the PCB lab, on the double! I was, of course, accompanied by Jari,
who already had quite a lot of experience of PCB work, and after some initial trouble we were able to construct pretty satisfactory PCBs. At the moment my
own project is in the point where I have both, the COM and the KEY -cards done, tested, and also the microcontroller PIC programmed (as of today, at
Jari's house).
My own project will now proceed to the phase where I will (try to) design the layout of the different switches to the hobby-casing which I bought from
SP-Elektroniikka (Oulu). This designing I will obviously do with a computer. After the layout is done, I'll just drill the holes into the casing, where
I will then place the switches of the panel. Also, I'm going to have to do some kind of a bottom plane for the PCBs to prevent unpleasant surprises from
happening during the usage of the panel (ie. short circuits etc.). Let it be clear that I could also design and construct a true-to-life MCP panel of the
767/757 (of for example plywood), but it would require some extra designing work and patience, which I don't have at the moment :). The urge to get the
panel up and running is too strong, so I'll just try to get the solution as close to the IRL layout as possible with the existining casing. At the moment
I feel that the end result will be quite satisfying, considering the ratio of spent time vs. outcome.
If the FSBUS emerges as being a functional system, and I'm happy with my first version of the panel, I'm 110% sure that I will do a more true-to-life
version of the panel, and also construct more hardware parts of the B767/757 cockpit. The system already seems to be simple in the way that one does not
need to be a "guru" to be able to construct a functional FSBUS-based hardware module of some sort. Although, it's well worth mentioning that some good help
or expertise in the system or electronics is a great assett (like Jari in my case). For whomever interested in building a home-cockpit, or even a small part
of it, there will always be help available from our "group". So if welding is not an entirely new thing for a person, it's entirely possible to make something
FSBUS-based hardware with little trouble.
I'll get back to this with more news and some photos later on, so stay tuned!
regards,
Tero
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December, 8th 2002.
Hi again! The project is progressing so fast, that it actually is almost finished already. The only thing left to do is to come up with a solution for
the front panel switch labels. I'm pretty busy with exams at the moment, so I'll write some more about the construction a bit later.
In the meantime, have a look at some pics from down the path, and also about the finished MCP panel.
Pictures of the panel (Finnish text)
Later,
Tero
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Updated: 19.05.2003
teropa@paju.oulu.fi
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