Control Panels:

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August 25th 2011:  (A quick update on the panel building process)  I am currently working to complete the lower MIP panels.  To date, I have the center panel, electrical panel, left crew lighting panel and the system test panel completed.  Notice that the photo above is that of a real Lear45 photo.  The two photos below are my simulated panels.  Not too bad.

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March 17th 2011: It has been a long time coming but I have finally jumped into panel building with both feet!  As always, my goal is to make myself some of the best parts / panels possible and then make them available to some of the members of Hangar45. 

I always imagined that I would start with the Reversion Panels because they are so small.  This makes perfect sense starting with these because of the R&D that needed to go into the back lighting work.  I decided to deviate from the standard path of back lighting in an effort to simplify the building process.  I am using my CNC to cut and back mill the panels and a laser shop for the engraving.  Thanks to Kris Stow for all his hard work creating the art work files!  

I developed what I call HELT back lighting, which means:  (Highly Effective Low Technology).  I also sometimes refer to it as "liquid sunshine".  At first attempts at back lighting, you would think placing a few LEDs embedded into the plastic would do the trick, but not so fast.... Hot spots and cold spots show up all over the place.  The key is to find a way to spread the light like buttering a piece of bread.  The light has to find a way to become even throughout the entire "Light Chamber".   That's exactly what HELT BL does.  As an example, each of these REV panels only has 3 LEDs in them.

As I develop and finalize a panel design, I am also making them available to other members of Hangar45 in three different packages.

Package #1 will be a kit form where the builder does most of the assembly.

Package #2 will be assembled and may include any custom made hardware.

Package #3 will include all hardware and be plug and play ready.

So far I have made several REV sets for some of the guys who should be receiving them soon.  If you are interested in a set for yourself or the latest news on Project45 Panel development, click HERE

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September 24th 2010:  I have actually had these for a few months but forgot to share them here.  My friend Vince Cimmino of Italy is a master CNC operator and CAD designer. When he said that he was going to be making the RMU's and the Display Units available, I was literally first in line to get a set.  These items are so very important, especially in how they are designed because everything, the button, rotaries and even the back lighting had to be designed to fit with in just the bezel area.  The reason for this is because we are using LCD screen to display the function of the instruments which as you can imagine is just right there on the opposite side of the MIP.

Here are a few pictures of the four Display Units. Thank you Vince for your countless hours and dedication to this area of the project!  Notice that the button dividers a 3D?  Vince also made the knobs that you see here.

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Backer Panel Starter Kit:  For those of you who feel like they have been waiting around forever for someone to develop control panels for your L45 simulator project, this might curb your cravings for a while!  I have developed what I call the "Backer Panel Starter Kit".  This set of backer panels is designed to get you up and running with some actual hardware in your flight deck!  The idea is to get you interfaced with up to 80% of your hardware so that you can move forward with other aspects of your project while at the same time waiting for the front panels to be developed.  

 All of these backer panels have been designed with the front panels (NOT YET AVAILABLE) in mind so that they will simply set on top of them with no modifications needed.  In some cases, like the CDU blanks, they will simply be removed and replaced with a working CDU replica when they are made available.  The backer panels have also been designed to use the 389 Replica kit, found on the Hardware & Switches page.

Each kit includes 29 pieces, 1/8th inch thick Acrylic Plastic cut with a precision CNC machine and includes all of the necessary hardware for attachment .  For more information and a complete parts list, click HERE.   Pictured left is the Backer Panel Starter Kit.  Pictured right are two Center Consoles with some of the components from the kits mounted in place. 

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May 14th 2009:  I finally found the time to take the aluminum MIP and Glare Shield down to the local metal shop to have it bent in the break.  The Glare shield has a .25" radius in the 90 degree bend just under the instrument panel.  There is another 18 degree bend that falls about 7.5" back from there.

The MIP has three bends in it.  There is a 10 degree bend between the MIP and the top of the lower panels.  Then there is a 90 degree bend at the bottom of the lower panels.  Last but not least, I added a 30 degree bend to the rear of what I call the "Shin Plate".  This will guarantee that there are no sharp edges exposed and it will also help hold any wiring bundles in place.  Please keep in mind when looking at the picture to the right that the MIP and Glare Shield are just laying in the shell.  It is NOT in it's intended perfect place yet, but it is close!

April 10th 2009:  I have just finished three solid days of working with the CNC machine and cutting out plastic!  The first day I was taken to school by the CNC machine, however, all the lessons the CNC taught me I picked up on quickly.  The following two days went much better and I am looking forward to creating more "G" code from the panel files.

Here you can see all of the Lower Backer Panels, the Engine Backer Panel, the Master Warning Reset Backer Panels and the CDU Blank Panel.  You may also notice that I have done all these listed panels in duplicate which is for Eric Tomlin.  Also pictured is a spy shot of the AML-21 cap work I am working on.  Nothing is as easy as running down to the hardware store and picking up a switch or two.  We have to engineer them and then build them!  All part of the fun I suppose.

If your wondering if these plastic parts that I just cut out are a perfect fit with the aluminum MIP and Glare Shield that Tom Goldburg sent me, the answer is YES, perfectly!  Two machines 3,000 miles apart from each other and they work together flawlessly!

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March 4th 2009:  Today, I received the MIP, Glare Shield and the two TQ access doors from Tom Goldburg.  The MIP and the Glare shield are the base face plates which all of the main panels will to attach.  Pictured right is my father Ron Rollo Sr. opening the package which included the MIP.

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