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Add an after market thermometer in the cockpit.

Open wlbragg opened this issue 9 years ago • 72 comments

This was mentioned on a form post http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=28187

I think it would be a nice addition to have some kind of thermometer in the cockpit.

I never really even looked at the one on the vent to know for sure, but according to @wkitty42 it is the external temp.

wlbragg avatar Dec 14 '15 07:12 wlbragg

Good idea. Which kind of model do you have in mind? Something digital like a small clock or something like this? https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/5a/c2/fd/5ac2fd4b564ee7ff5f7e16b52b257b08.jpg

I just would like to hear the opinion of @tigert or @Juanvvc about this, have you guys ever seen such thermometer in a cockpit?

As for the thermometer in the right vent, it's indeed external temperature.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 14 '15 12:12 gilbertohasnofb

As for the thermometer in the right vent, it's indeed external temperature.

That's correct, it's the external temperature.

onox avatar Dec 14 '15 12:12 onox

On 12/14/2015 07:07 AM, Gilberto Agostinho wrote:

Good idea. Which kind of model do you have in mind? Something digital like a small clock or something like this?

take the one out of the Piper PA24-150 Comanche... it is a stick-on there on the left window... black round disk with a LCD screen and a pushbutton to toggle it through C or F or Off...

stick it to the dash panel and tie it to the internal temperature calculations instead of the OAT as it is now...

wkitty42 avatar Dec 14 '15 17:12 wkitty42

On 12/14/2015 07:55 AM, onox wrote:

As for the thermometer in the right vent, it's indeed external temperature.

That's correct, it's the external temperature.

especially since it says OAT right on it :wink:

wkitty42 avatar Dec 14 '15 17:12 wkitty42

If one is concerned about the fact that such a thermometer is not a standard (or not common) piece of equipment, then would it be a big deal for it to be an optional feature of the console, defaulted to off?

As for digital vs a fluid thermometer, my first thought is, whichever is easier to read. Personally I wouldn't lose any sleep over whether there is a control to switch from C to F - I'm perfectly happy to set my preference in a menu or even in the set.xml file, and leave it there.

If we treat it as a stick-on option, then it seems it would not be wired in to the console lights, therefore you'd need to use the flashlight to see it in the dark. Seems reasonable to me.

kjd-nc avatar Dec 14 '15 23:12 kjd-nc

If one is concerned about the fact that such a thermometer is not a standard (or not common) piece of equipment, then would it be a big deal for it to be an optional feature of the console, defaulted to off?

That's also my concern (hence my PM to you earlier today :wink: ). Maybe we can add a check box (default state = unchecked) in the aircraft menu which would then add the thermometer.

Probably a simple car dashboard thermometer would do the trick:

According to the instructions of this specific little model:

Display -19.9°C ~ 80°C. To press the first button is to switch the temperature on Celsius(°C) to Fahrenheit(°F) To press the second button for a little long time is to reset the temperature.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 14 '15 23:12 gilbertohasnofb

oops! that should be the "Piper PA24-250 Comanche" i referenced above... FGADDON/Aircraft/pa24-250... the stick-on is what they have as the OAT in that craft... looks like the code for it is all in Models/oat... it shouldn't be too hard to change "oat" to "iat" everywhere and then tie it with the existing IAT calculation code??

wkitty42 avatar Dec 15 '15 18:12 wkitty42

@wlbragg Can you post a screenshot of this thermometer you are recommending?

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 18:12 gilbertohasnofb

I don't have one in mind. I did a search on the net for one that might be commonly used in aviation and all I found was external, that must be the main focus when it comes to temp. So I don't care what we use except that if it is not standard then it should be an option. Maybe they are not widely used because you can feel the temp with your senses. I though it might be useful in the simulation case because we can't feel the temp and need a reference.

wlbragg avatar Dec 15 '15 18:12 wlbragg

The temperature property for the cabin air is /fdm/jsbsim/heat/cabin-air-temp-degc.

onox avatar Dec 15 '15 19:12 onox

@wlbragg I actually meant @wkitty42, my mistake. So @wkitty42 can you post a screenshot of the thermometer you recommended from that Comanche?

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 20:12 gilbertohasnofb

Yeah, the craft is in fgaddon, though. But here is the screen shot. As you can see, it is stuck onto the window.

PA24-250 stick-on thermometer

Push the white button to switch to F and off. It also turns off by itself after a few minutes just like a real one you can get at the drug, grocery or auto parts store.

There's an .ac file for it in the previously mentioned directory so it should be easy enough to make it rectangular if desired. My main thing is that a thermometer is available and should be easy enough to put in our craft and tie to the IAT stuffs rather than the OAT stuffs.

wkitty42 avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 wkitty42

FWI: I don't think I would stick it to a window though, in RL it would be colder than the internal air temp, I would think.

wlbragg avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 wlbragg

That's why I said stick it on the dash. The above one is in the PA24-250 Comanche specifically for OAT as there's no such instrument in that craft :wink:

The xml files that come with it appear to have positioning x,y,z coordinates in them. There's also a section or two in another xml file to include it as well as providing some sort of animation. at least, it is listed within animation tags but the only animation I see is pressing the white button and making the LCD characters turn on or off.

wkitty42 avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 wkitty42

Sorry, wasn't reading everything.

wlbragg avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 wlbragg

@wkitty42 Thanks for the screenshot, it looks good to me.

So gang, are we decided about adding it as an option in the aircraft dialog? If so, I volunteer to do that myself (and change the code for the cabin temp).

FWI: I don't think I would stick it to a window though, in RL it would be colder than the internal air temp, I would think.

Where would you stick it then, to the panel itself? If so, what about here?:

fgfs-screen-001

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 gilbertohasnofb

Is the checkbutton really necessary? If it's visible as an instrument on that red spot, I don't mind it being always there.

onox avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 onox

Can we reserve the empty spot on the left of it for a future carburetor temperature instrument?

onox avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 onox

Is the checkbutton really necessary? If it's visible as an instrument on that red spot, I don't mind it being always there.

The thing is this isn't a standard instrument, hence why we have been talking about adding it as an option. In the end it isn't that much of a big deal.

Can we reserve the empty spot on the left of it for a future carburetor temperature instrument?

Sure.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 21:12 gilbertohasnofb

But don't we already have too many checkbuttons? It's not like the instrument has to compete with some other instrument for installation/space :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

onox avatar Dec 15 '15 22:12 onox

On 12/15/2015 04:34 PM, wlbragg wrote:

Sorry, wasn't reading everything.

no problem... no need to apologize :wink:

wkitty42 avatar Dec 15 '15 22:12 wkitty42

Yeah, I know, we have tons of check buttons, but still... But anyway, I will just add the thermometer there and then we see. I improve its texture and now I am trying to adapt the code from the Comanche to our plane. As soon as I am done I will create a PR so you guys can check it out.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 22:12 gilbertohasnofb

Hmm, I am having some difficulties with this one. The model is already in the right position, the new texture looks good. The Nasal code that controls the switch work fine, but I can't make the digital display work! I will create a PR for it, and I'd be very grateful if someone (@onox, wink, wink) could help me out here :smile:

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 15 '15 22:12 gilbertohasnofb

Can we reserve the empty spot on the left of it for a future carburetor temperature instrument?

Sure.

@gilbertohasnofb I now remember that the amphibious already uses that spot :cry:

onox avatar Dec 16 '15 00:12 onox

I now remember that the amphibious already uses that spot :cry:

That's not a big problem, I can move it elsewhere. I will think about it for a second and propose something here.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 16 '15 00:12 gilbertohasnofb

So which one do you prefer?

fgfs-screen-002

fgfs-screen-001

I think the top one is better because it's visible even if the yoke is on. The second option is awkward and in RL would be a nightmare for the pilot to look at.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 16 '15 01:12 gilbertohasnofb

How about the position above the right yoke? (To the right of the ADF radio)

onox avatar Dec 16 '15 01:12 onox

How about the position above the right yoke? (To the right of the ADF radio)

There is a poster there in the OH-CTL livery added by @tigert, and I think it's a very nice touch that I wouldn't like to be deleted.

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 16 '15 01:12 gilbertohasnofb

Argh, we're running out of space :laughing: Hmm, I think neither positions are good. I'm not sure how readable the one on the left side is.

How about putting it above the right cockpit door? (A bit of an odd place though) Or between the trim and handheld mic?

onox avatar Dec 16 '15 01:12 onox

How about putting it above the right cockpit door? (A bit of an odd place though) Or between the trim and handheld mic?

I thought about those, but it looks awkward as hell... :sob:

gilbertohasnofb avatar Dec 16 '15 01:12 gilbertohasnofb