Planes with flight stick- self centre?

[Scabutz]

Im building a flight sim at home. A Diamond DA62. Im working on the flightstick. Have designed a gimball based around the universal joint from a Land Rover Defender. I was wondering though in a real plane, if you pull back on the stick, then let go, does it stay where it is or will it return to the centre? If it returns to the centre does it do it quickly, or is it dampened? Was thinking if I did need to self centre it then some simple springs would work, but that would ping back pretty quickly. Which I guess is ok just dont let go of it

[Krikkit]

DA62 is FBW, so definitely

[IanH755]

All of the various aircraft I worked on had some form of spring based self centring, with electrical motors/actuators being used to hold the stick off centre if you wanted to trim the stick.

Based on that I'd say the DA62 would be the same.

[Scabutz]

Great, thanks both. I've got a box of assorted springs so will rustle something up to pull it back to centre.

[GliderRider]

On traditional light aircraft and gliders, it is the aerodynamic forces (airflow over the control surfaces) which would centre the stick and rudder in flight in most cases. If you, for instance, do a tail slide, you have to hold the stick and push the pedals firmly to prevent them hitting the end stops.
Elevator trim, often involves a spring which puts a load on the stick to bias its neutral position. Oterwise there will be a separate 'mini elevator' controlled by the trim lever, on the back of the main elevator, which acts as a servo tab to bias the neutral position of the main elevator.

[Mabbs9]

Airbus variants self centre.

[Hard-Drive]

I'd be interested to see pics of your setup!

[Scabutz]

Hard-Drive said:

I'd be interested to see pics of your setup!

This is the MIP. Still need to do the backup instruments and Garmin audio panel. Trying to workout what to do with the audio panel is largely useless in a sim. Will probably use it to add some game buttons. Also need to sort the glare shield but it will take ages to print the bits and it adds nothing.



The rudder pedals aren't DA62 ones, just a generic design I found and made some improvements to.

Working on the console now. Most is quite easy but I want some real feel and stiffness in the throttles. Using some nylon washers to clamp on the bearings to give some drag and then have some powerful magnets I'm going to attach to the levels and then wrap them in suede and have them slide over a metal plate. Should feel stiff and realistic I hope.