I’m not capable, but wouldn’t mind helping someone build a simple Arduino device that has maybe 6 large buttons and a rotary encoder knob.
One button would be ALT Select. Press it, and then the rotary encoder knob changes your altitude setting. Press HDG select, and the knob changes your heading. Press CRS select, and the know changes your Course value. And finally, SPD select, you guessed it - speed selection.
Other buttons for engage auto pilot, maybe a gear button. Etc.
The worst part for VR is controlling things with the mouse. For me, IFR is not possible without a lot of swearing and trying to click things. If we would design a cheap button panel layout - and then get muscle memory to find switches - VR would be very cool indeed.
Maybe such a thing exists? But with my knowledge of Arduino and hardware - the hardware it’s self wouldn’t cost more than $30, including the Arduino. Powered off USB. The hard bit for me is the wiring and soldering, and coding it in a good way. My C development is bad. I’m a .Net developer.
If a project exists, I’d love to help. If not, I’d love to be part of a group that tries to make it work.
For £79 new you can get the Thrustmaster MFD twin pack.
These are exact replica MFDs from the A10/Harrier etc. I use mine in both 2D and VR, they’re basically just programmable button boxes with 5 buttons along each of 4 sides and a rocker switch in each corner, so 28 functions in all.
For VR use I’ve added the rubber keys from an old sky remote handset to each of the middle buttons, so that as I move an index finger to where the MFD is it, I can find the corner rocker switches for heading changes left and right, altitude up and down, cockpit view height up and down etc. The other keys replicate the row of light switches on the Cessna 172 for instance or the autopilot functions.
An hour to bind the keys in the controls menu and a few flights to get used to them and it becomes very intuitive.
In real life, flying at night using NVG you soon get used to knowing where all the various switches are without being able to see them. It’s just a matter of muscle memory and repetition.
I did something a bit like this on the button box I made, I designed the FCU encoder knobs to be much like the airbus ones which feel a bit different to help with identification by touch (they are 3d printed)
Works well I find. The encoders have a push button function too so no need for a separate button to engage, just push the knob in question.
No need for any coding either. There are obviously lots of options but I used a leo bodnar BU0863A with breakout board which is just plug and play (other than telling it which inputs have encoders attached rather than buttons through the configuration software).
I’m on it. That is my vision. Early days so far but see https://authentikit.org - also my youtube channel shows a version for a DR400 with mixture, throttle, vor, heading bug and more.
I am just doing one at the moment with the help of some else. It will be a dual rotary encoder with a push button and a separate button which you will be able to use to select the item you want and then use the rotary encoder the change it. I’m hoping to be able to add voice notifications so you know what item is selected whilst you are wear your VR headset.
As others have said, it’s very easy to memorise their locations. I’ve got a setup with 10 rotary encoders and lots of buttons which I built myself just for VR and I can very quickly find any of them (the layout and the different knobs I’ve used means I find my way very quicly)
That’s a pretty cool idea! Do you know how the outputs work? Just wondering how you could maybe link one encoder to the HDG knob for example. And do you know if those are full rotary encoders? That is, they turn unlimited? Not 270 degrees and the. Stop?
Unlimited turn. Turning right emulates one button (which you can assign in the SIM) turning left emulates another button. You need some software to make MIDI device recognizable as HID device (vJoy + FreePIE). Looks complex at the first glance but the instruction is crystal clear:
I did my first VR flight in MSFS tonight, and still have access to all the buttons on my Saitek controllers. I’ve flown using them for a long time, so I don’t need to see them to use them.
his one is also easy to use in VR. Remind the knobs and configure them for altitude, IAS, VS, Frequencies, … whatever you want and use the buttons for activating things like AP. FD, YD, …
In Addition you can use two trim wheels…
Place it somewhere near by your controller and after a few flights you can handle it “blind”.
