Stirling Aircraft Project - Engineering help needed

[Stirling Project]

Dear all

We've been very grateful for the kind words about our ongoing work posted on our dedicated thread. As I alluded to in one of the recent posts, a lot of work is required just to get one control column assembled let alone building a flight deck and cockpit.

We are continuing to make progress but lack of manpower and resources is restricting how fast that progress is (after all we do have to work, eat, sleep and keep the missus happy )

To that end, we're asking if anyone out there in Stirling Aircraft Society land has access to or contacts with workshop facilities to enable us to farm out some of the sub components which are necessary but time consuming for us to produce?

If individuals who are handy with tools or are keen to help out in any way would like to contact me, we will be more than happy to welcome you with open arms.

best regards and thanks in anticipation John L

[K4KittyCrew]

Hi John,

I sincerely wish I could make a valued contribution ( having many tools and alike ) but I'm too many miles from you and can only watch from a distance. Hopefully some members closer to home can be of assistance, whether it be small or large.
Regards,
John

[Stirling Project]

Thanks for the kind words John

Distance is not really a problem (unless you're outside of Europe)

The postage would probably cripple us LOL

Kind support and spreading the good word is assistance enough in many cases

John L

[halifax1]

John, could you give a brief summary of what kind of thing one might be required to do - I don't have a machine shop for example but I do know the difference between a spanner and a screwdriver and a hammer.

[Stirling Project]

Hi Halifax1

The ability to use a hammer and screwdriver sounds perfectly adequate

Like many of these projects, the ability to make small widgets (brackets, cleats, small panels etc) is what is needed as they're the fiddly parts that although small are often the most difficult parts to get done as they're normally one offs but can hold up the fabrication of a higher assembly.

If you PM me your email address, I'll have a word with the 'boss' and see what we can sort you out with if you're still interested

Whereabouts in Norfolk are you btw?

many thanks

John

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi

I'm an electronics engineer, if you have any problems with electrical/electronic systems, etc I may be able to help.



Cheers

James

[Stirling Project]

Hi James

Most of us are mechanically biased so someone who understands the black arts of electrickery will be most welcome. At the moment we're concentrating on the hardware but once the fuselage is constructed looms will need to be made, unfortunately this won't be for quite a while yet though

John

[jamesinnewcastle]

Hi John

No problem, I've just seen a post where someone has the aircraft circuit diagrams I do hope that they are made available! The post is quite old.

Have you considered 'animating' the finished cockpit at all?

It would be perfectly possible to have the cockpit 'work' using some electronics/computing to provide functionality beyond just having some lights come on. For example operation of the engine starter switch could result in the rev counter for that engine running up followed slightly later and more slowly by the oil pressure dial, then more slowly still the oil and cylinder temp dials. Higher throttle positions could cause slight increases in the temp and pressure as well as a corresponding increase in revs indicated, cut the engine and the dials could fall slowly to zero. Under carriage operation and lock lights could all be simulated, etc, etc. The Slip and Turn and artificial horizon would need to be fiddled as these are true mechanical operations inside the indicator themselves! Even pneumatic systems can be controlled by electronics.

Go a bit madder and you can have big motors whirring to simulate the flaps deploying or sounds via MP3 and speakers, joy stick judder, and undercarriage thumps (if that happened) all relatively easy to do.

Clearly this is on the way to a full flight simulator, which is actually not as mad as it seems in terms of the visual displays - after all, you have a more realistic joystick than any games controller.

If you consider it worthwhile, the animation would be a 'sliding wedge' in terms of functionality vs cost, just stop where you can afford I guess.

Anyway, something you may want to consider as you file away at a trunnion bracket!


James

[Stirling Project]

Hi James

Your suggestions are all reasonable propositions and are worthy of consideration as and when we get to that point. May be a while yet though......

[Stirling Project]

Here's a link to our thread to show what can be done to assist us )post dated 31 jan 12). Hope this re-invigorates the discussion in the hope that if any of you out in Stirling land might know of people who may be able to assists us in getting parts made

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=215&start=120

JL