Intro

This is a flaps control for Cessna 172 home cockpit simulator. (See it in action.)

It is designed to fit a potentiometer used as an input (select flaps setting) and a switec x27.168 stepper motor to drive an indicator needle (current flaps setting).

BOM

• Potentiometer - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JCMS58K
• Stepper motor - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32862052536.html (this is a 10-pack, you need just 1)

Assembly

• Print the parts
• Glue them together (I used epoxy)
• Solder motor wires (make sure to put them through the slots)
• Install the motor, it is friction fit. For extra security you may add a screw - washers required.
• Install indicator needle
• Solder potentiometer wires
• Insert the shaft of the potentiometer into the hole and put on the nut, but do not tighten just yet
• Install handle lever arm into the potentiometer's slot (make sure it can move in the slot!)
• Tighten the nut to fix the potentiometer in place
• Add handle to the lever arm
• I had an issue with the potentiometer being very light to turn and the handle weight was pulling it down. I worked around the issue by wrapping some wire on the potentiometer's shaft.
• Secure the control in the panel (friction fit or using the holes in the faceplate
• Print out the card and glue it to the faceplate

Sim

Wiring to the simulator is app specific. For X-Plane, I chose to use SimVim, which requires a separate driver and an Arduino board.