Hello all,
First timer here.
I’m wanting to build a R22 sim rig.
The plan is to use the R22(flying school)-2017 from maxflightstick.com as the base
Though I’ve been looking around for measurements for the R22 Instrument panels so I can build them however, I cant seem to locate any real information on it.
Would anyone have that info or know where to find it?
I don’t know of any source online for those measurements, however you may be able to ask @HotterThanIcarus for measurements as they are currently in flight school and training on R22
Hi “aller”
Sorry I don’t have actual dimensions for the R22. I would like to dig a little deeper into what you are trying to achieve. Are you replicating a specific real world helicopter or just a good representation for familiarization and to assist with real world flight training?
The R22 has undergone quite a few changes over the years and recently has had a cockpit makeover (borrowed from the developments of the 44 and 66). The original top row of 4 instruments with a lower row of three has now been replaced with a 3X3 configuration and a more slanted lower instrument cluster and switch panel along with new switch types. Robinsons website has some good photos of these and the likes of airliners.net is also a great resource for cockpit photos.
I’m happy to help figure some of this out if that’s a help?
In the absence of actual dimensions it will be a best guess interpretation, but from a sim point of you it should be perfect.
I should also point out that the top section of R22 panels show up on EBay from time to time at reasonable prices with the glare shield, warning lights and some instruments still attached.
One example that is current https://www.ebay.com/itm/Robinson-R22-Beta-II-Complete-Cockpit-Instrument-Panel-Console-Aircraft/224293601328?hash=item3438f0c030:g:M30AAOSwdtxf5jmP
Are you planning using an LCD behind the panel or make or purchase gauges instead? That will obviously impact the room you have to play with.
Are you going to replicate the whole cockpit (enclosure) and the pedestal and panel?
Whatever your going for the simple nature of the R22 panels shouldn’t be difficult to replicate and dimensions can be approximate quite easily using the known sizes of the instruments and radios visible from photos.
Cheers,
Stuart 
Making it for familiarizing for assit with real world flight training. Im wanting to start off with a simulator, i have yet to have any real world training though my local helicopter flight school(Anthelion Helicopters, in Long Beach, CA) uses the R22 as the training helicopter.
So my thoughts are to build a sim rig based around that.
as mentioned before is to use the R22(flying school)-2017 from maxflightstick.com as the base
which has the collective, pedals, cyclic.
I will be using VR headset(HTC Vive) as forms as the monitor and viewing.
Thus the instrument cluster dimensions is to make a mock instruments panel that only has the items that are interacted with by the pilot. Switches, Knobs, Pull rods, gauge knobs. No real gauges or screens will be used as it will be in VR.
Thus I can perhaps get a bit more memory muscle to as where the switches and controls are.
The plan is to
Hey Aller,
Firstly I don’t want to thwart your resolve for making an R22 instrument panel, real gauges are always going to be easier to read than in the sim, but I will point out that the R22 is a seriously basic helicopter and there are next to no switches to flick when flying, other than carb heat in cold weather when descending, or cockpit heating (which I’ve only ever used once).
The start up procedure is also very simple and you’ll have a checklist written out when you fly so you can’t mess it up.
I would see how you get on with the collective, pedal and cyclic set up before anything else. You’re probably going to be do a lot of calibrating.
If you still make an instrument panel I would check photos of where the most used switches are (alternator, mastery battery, etc) and not worry too much about getting it perfect. The R22 gauges are mostly easy to see (fuel and cht are a bit annoying) and I would personally just put them in a reasonably easy to see order.