Cessna Citation Mustang - New Panels

Over the past few months we've altered our approach to backlighting and all new panels are now constructed with this capability in mind, meaning that even our basic 'engraved only' panels are designed so that backlighting PCBs can be fitted into them now or at a later date.

Not all of our older panel sets have this feature implemented yet, as due to our workload we're necessarily approaching this on a case-by-case basis, although our King Air C90 range is 90% completed (photos to come early in the New Year) and our Cessna Citation Mustang range is finished entirely. 

Below are some photos of the Citation panels ... 

The Entire Sub-Panel Range

The Left Switch Panel

 The Right Switch Panel

 The Lighting Panel

 The Landing Gear Panel

The Oxygen Supply Panel

 And then, on the MIP, the Test Switch Panel

The Oxygen Valve Panel

The completed RMC710

Almost two years ago we were working on a 710 Autopilot Unit that was based on the Garmin GMC710 (the original post is here). This unit has now been fine-tuned and completed, and the latest version is shown below:

Most of the improvements have been cosmetic and have been the result of new manufacturing processes and techniques, although the physical pushbuttons themselves now have white backlighting to better replicate the original units and the 'feel' is far superior to the ones that we've had to use in the past.

The above photograph shows one of the units under test and although the indicators appear to be incredibly bright (they are!), this reflects fairly accurately what they appear like in an authentic GMC710.

Using our construction plans

Back in 2008/09 we helped one of our good friends build some of the parts for his Super King Air 200 simulator - a short video of which is here - and it is from these plans that our own King Air Construction Drawings originate.

Apart from the King Air C90 simulator that we built back in 2011 - which was based on these documents but with some minor alterations made to accommodate various requirements asked for by our customer - it's not very often that we actually get to use the plans ourselves.

Recently however, the opportunity to assemble both an Overhead module and a Fuel Panel module presented itself, so we took a few photos while we had the chance to do so. Hopefully seeing what these look like after they've been constructed will help any builders who are using these same plans better envisage what the end-result is likely to be.

Please bear in mind that some of the construction panels have only been temporarily screwed together for the sake of transporting the modules as entire units to our customer. Whatever could be safely glued and screwed has been, although these modules have been left unfinished as they'll be taken apart again when received and tidied up with sanding, counter-sinking of screws, painting etc.

Firstly, the King Air C90 Overhead module:

And now for the King Air Fuel module ... (we've previously supplied the Fuel Circuit Breaker Panel to our customer, so the panel you see here is simply a blank one that we've used to ensure the correct fit) ...

These modules have also been fitted with our latest backlit panels, which we'll discuss more in a future post.

Something else that we've done in relation to these plans is to design a glareshield unit that can be easily shipped. Shown in the photo below, it requires a bit of assembly work of course, but it's a good start and comes with the three separate sections and their connecting blocks, the engraved annunciators, PCBs with pre-fitted and correctly coloured LEDs, a connection PCB, and the necessary cables.

Radios

As some of the data on our webpage relating to our radios (and a lot of other things too) is a little out of date, we've written up some more current information below. This is eventually destined for the website, so please excuse the officious language!
 

Up to eight for our radios may be connected and operated using our program.

Radio Displays Configuration:

The number and types of radios to be used must be configured in the Radio Displays Configuration program.

Ticking the appropriate box will allow the main radio program to check for the existence of that particular radio on the USB system and will allow it to be used within FS9, FSX, and P3D.

The radios do not need to be connected to do the configuring.

When each radio type is ticked, a named tab appears (you can see COM1 and NAV1 in the graphic above) which allows you to set up to 10 Memory frequencies.
 

In the graphic below, you can see that it is possible to type in the frequencies you wish to set up in memory. They are not actually held in the memory of the radio, but in a computer file, which our program accesses when required.

The red boxes at the bottom show the Minimum and Maximum frequencies allowable for each particular radio type. The program will not allow you to save values outside of these limits, but it is up to the user to make sure that legitimate values are entered. For instance with COM radios, the second digit after the decimal place can only be 0, 2, 5, 7. (It will not correct them for you!)

These frequencies may be accessed by pressing down the MEM switch on the actual radio. Each press selects the frequencies sequentially, and when the correct one is found, pressing the XFR switch up will transfer the selected frequency into the Active (top) display.

The top display is the Active Frequency, and the lower display is the Standby Frequency. When selecting frequencies from memory (MEM switch) or when manually tuning frequencies using the dual concentric knobs, it is the Standby frequency display which is updated.

Similarly, with NAV radios, the second digit after the decimal place can only be 0 or 5. Any changes made to the Master Config or the memory frequencies must be saved before exiting. Press the Save button, and the red Configuration Saved message will appear. 

Now it is safe to exit the program by pressing the Exit button.

Main Radio Program:

Your flight simulator program must be running before trying to run the main radios program, and also, all of the radios must be connected to their power supplies, and must have their USB cables connected to the computer. It is necessary to wait for at least ten seconds between powering up the radios, and running the main radio program. (It can take a few seconds for Windows to recognize all of the USB devices)
 

Failure to do all of the above will result in an error message similar to this one:

The radios have an ON/Off switch in the bottom left corner, and it controls only the displays – the radios themselves keep running in the background, so they don’t forget their settings. If the switch is ON when powering up the radios, the microprocessor firmware version number is displayed for a few seconds. When the main radio program is started, the radios read the appropriate Active and Standby frequencies from the flight simulator program and display them according.

The STO and TEST buttons are dummy buttons only and do not actually operate.

Rotating the two tuning knobs will allow the Standby frequency (lower display) to be set as required. This frequency is sent to the flight simulator program only when the XFR switch is press upwards.

The smaller knob adjusts the decimal part of the frequency, and the larger knob adjusts the whole numbers part of the frequency.

The actions of the two knobs is slightly different for the ADF radios and for the Transponder, where the smaller knob adjusts the rightmost two digits, and the larger knob adjusts the left-hand three for the ADF, and the left-hand two for the Transponder.

Not all versions of the radios are backlit, but if ordered with backlighting, it can be controlled separately by the user from a separate power source, or it can be connected to the power supply in the radio, which allows it to be turned on and off by the radio’s On/Off switch.
 

Several slightly different versions of our Collins radios are available, and they can be supplied with either Red or White displays. We can also personalise the faceplate with engraving as necessary. 

Some older versions are shown below:

The next phase of the RNS530 ...

Based on the Garmin GNS530 unit, we finally have some photos of our RNS530 as supplied with the fitted LCD screen and a PCB with all of the necessary connections for operation, although on this model there is no USB Controller board fitted. The customer for whom the two units photographed below were manufactured is using their own interface system to communicate with it. This model has headers for ribbon cables on the rear to allow users to connect all buttons and encoders to whichever controller they wish.

Running during its initial power-up test, the graphics on the screen aren't quite positioned properly, but it gives a fairly good idea of what it's supposed to look like. It's just possible to make out the backlit buttons too, seen here under normal room lighting. You can see that it's running the Reality XP GNS software, which needs to be purchased separately of course.

And now in the dark.

It's always difficult to photograph illuminated items like this and end up with a result that accurately reflects what you're actually seeing in front of you. This is pretty close as far as the backlit buttons go, although the effect on the screen graphics has been somewhat less than desirable.

Below you can see the first two units side by side - front and back - and it probably looks as though there's not very much room for the panel to fit into a cutout. That's because, well, there's not really. We're looking at perhaps extending the dimensions of the front panel by a millimetre here and there to make things not quite as snug ...

  [ Don't look too hard for the errant thumbprint! ]

And finally, below is a photograph to prove that the first unit 

wasn't simply a one-off and can indeed be replicated!

 

Also, for details regarding the 'Bezel Only' version of these units, more information can be found at a previous post, here.

Our RNS430 and RNS530 Units

... or rather, our take on the Garmin GNS430 and GNS530 respectively.

We've had quite a few requests for these units over the years and after making our version of the Aspen EFD1000 we thought that we'd try to apply the same sort of process to these Garmin units.

There are actually three versions of the RNS430 and RNS530, as we've found that each simulator is being made or (more likely) has already been constructed in a certain way and any additional navigation units need to be able to fit around and/or into these constraints.

The types are basically (a) the Bezel Only, which can be used in front of an already installed MIP LCD screen, (b) the Bezel Only plus a fitted LCD screen - but with no interface board, or (c) the Bezel with a fitted LCD screen and its integrated interface board.

The versions that we're showing below are the Bezel Only units, as they just happen to be the ones that we got the first orders for; although, paradoxically, they're also the most difficult to make.

The dimensions of our units as compared with the official Garmin panels are below:

Ruscool RNS530: 162mm(w) x 120.4mm(h) / 6.38" x 4.74"

Garmin GNS530: 159mm(w) x 117mm(h) / 6.25" x 4.60"

Ruscool RNS430: 162mm(w) x 83mm(h) / 6.38" x 3.27"

Garmin GNS430: 159mm(w) x 67mm(h) / 6.25" x 2.65"

And now, on to the photos ...  the RNS430 first

 The three screws that you can see here are the means by which 

the unit is mounted onto the main instrument panel.

And below, again as the Bezel Only version, is the RNS530