Posted on

The AuthentiKit Spitfire – Four Years On

As we approach the fourth anniversary of the release of our first Spitfire control I felt it was time to bring all the pieces together to showcase what is now possible using the AuthentiKit range of Spitfire controls. Having reached the capacity limit of our Universal Hub Version One we now have a definitive list of the controls which are officially supported by the single box solution.

  • Flight stick
  • Throttle
  • Elevator trim wheel
  • Rudder bias wheel
  • Flaps lever
  • Chassis/Gear lever
  • Magneto
  • Gunsight (or rudder pedals)

A Triumph of Community Collaboration

It is not only the range of Spitfire controls which has expanded over these four years. The AuthentiKit community who have built and tested these controls now numbers over 3,000, with several notable members who contributed greatly to the design of The AuthentiKit Spitfire. Two very gifted designers Harry Armstrong and Jari Kaskelin stand out for both their innovative approaches and their pursuit of authenticity. Ian Colman and Phil Shepherd contributed to the design of the above controls as well as giving countless hours of their own time to support the community. Ian in particular deserves a special mention for his development of the AuthentiKit Tuning App which allows us to achieve one-to-one synchronisation between physical controls and the real aircraft controls. There are too many others to mention by name who have supported the community by beta testing, creating documentation and helping to support new members with technical issues.

The Universal Hub Version One

For a great many Spitfire fans version one of the Universal Hub provides more than enough functionality for their flight simulation needs but don’t worry if you’re looking for more. We already have prototypes of the fuel selector, fuel cock, start/boost buttons and primer allowing a full mouse-free engine start and these will be released in 2025.

Celebrating The AuthentiKit Community and The AuthentiKit Spitfire

So, as ever much more more is planned for next year and the years to come. For now though, please enjoy our new video showcasing everything that we as a community have achieved with The AuthentiKit Spitfire over the last four years.

Posted on

Privacy Policy

1. An overview of data protection

General information

The following information will provide you with an easy to navigate overview of what will happen with your personal data when you visit our website. The term “personal data” comprises all data that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information about the subject matter of data protection, please consult our Data Protection Declaration, which we have included beneath this copy.

Data recording on our website

Who is the responsible party for the recording of data on this website (i.e. the “controller”)?

The data on this website is processed by the operator of the website, whose contact information is available under section “General information and mandatory information” on this website.

How do we record your data?

We collect your data as a result of your sharing of your data with us. This may, for instance be information you enter into our contact form.

Our IT systems automatically record other data when you visit our website. This data comprises primarily technical information (e.g. web browser, operating system or time the site was accessed). This information is recorded automatically when you access our website.

What are the purposes we use your data for?

A portion of the information is generated to guarantee the error free provision of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user patterns.

What rights do you have as far as your information is concerned?

You have the right to receive information about the source, recipients and purposes of your archived personal data at any time without having to pay a fee for such disclosures. You also have the right to demand that your data are rectified, blocked or eradicated. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time under the address disclosed in section “General information and mandatory information” on this website if you have questions about this or any other data protection related issues. You also have the right to log a complaint with the competent supervising agency.

Moreover, under certain circumstances, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data. For details, please consult the Data Protection Declaration under section “Right to demand processing restrictions”.

2. General information and mandatory information

Data protection

The operators of this website and its pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. Hence, we handle your personal data as confidential information and in compliance with the statutory data protection regulations and this Data Protection Declaration.

Whenever you use this website, a variety of personal information will be collected. Personal data comprises data that can be used to personally identify you. This Data Protection Declaration explains which data we collect as well as the purposes we use this data for. It also explains how, and for which purpose the information is collected.

We herewith advise you that the transmission of data via the Internet (i.e. through e-mail communications) may be prone to security gaps. It is not possible to completely protect data against third party access.

Information about the responsible party (referred to as the “controller” in the GDPR)

The data processing controller on this website is:

Phil Hulme

Email: [email protected]

The controller is the natural person or legal entity that single-handedly or jointly with others makes decisions as to the purposes of and resources for the processing of personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

Revocation of your consent to the processing of data

A wide range of data processing transactions are possible only subject to your express consent. You can also revoke at any time any consent you have already given us. To do so, all you are required to do is send us an informal notification via e-mail. This shall be without prejudice to the lawfulness of any data collection that occurred prior to your revocation.

Right to object to the collection of data in special cases; right to object to direct advertising (Art. 21 GDPR)

In the event that data are processed on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. e or f GDPR, you have the right to at any time object to the processing of your personal data based on grounds arising from your unique situation. This also applies to any profiling based on these provisions. To determine the legal basis, on which any processing of data is based, please consult this Data Protection Declaration. If you log an objection, we will no longer process your affected personal data, unless we are in a position to present compelling protection worthy grounds for the processing of your data, that outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms or if the purpose of the processing is the claiming, exercising or defence of legal entitlements (objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 1 GDPR).

If your personal data is being processed in order to engage in direct advertising, you have the right to at any time object to the processing of your affected personal data for the purposes of such advertising. This also applies to profiling to the extent that it is affiliated with such direct advertising. If you object, your personal data will subsequently no longer be used for direct advertising purposes (objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 2 GDPR).

Right to log a complaint with the competent supervisory agency

In the event of violations of the GDPR, data subjects are entitled to log a complaint with a supervisory agency, in particular in the member state where they usually maintain their domicile, place of work or at the place where the alleged violation occurred. The right to log a complaint is in effect regardless of any other administrative or court proceedings available as legal recourses.

Right to data portability

You have the right to demand that we hand over any data we automatically process on the basis of your consent or in order to fulfil a contract be handed over to you or a third party in a commonly used, machine readable format. If you should demand the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will be done only if it is technically feasible.

Information about, blockage, rectification and eradication of data

Within the scope of the applicable statutory provisions, you have the right to at any time demand information about your archived personal data, their source and recipients as well as the purpose of the processing of your data. You may also have a right to have your data rectified, blocked or eradicated. If you have questions about this subject matter or any other questions about personal data, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time at the address provided in section “General information and mandatory information”.

Right to demand processing restrictions

You have the right to demand the imposition of restrictions as far as the processing of your personal data is concerned. To do so, you may contact us at any time at the address provided in section “General information and mandatory information”. The right to demand restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

  • In the event that you should dispute the correctness of your data archived by us, we will usually need some time to verify this claim. During the time that this investigation is ongoing, you have the right to demand that we restrict the processing of your personal data.
  • If the processing of your personal data was/is conducted in an unlawful manner, you have the option to demand the restriction of the processing of your data in lieu of demanding the eradication of this data.
  • If we do not need your personal data any longer and you need it to exercise, defend or claim legal entitlements, you have the right to demand the restriction of the processing of your personal data instead of its eradication.
  • If you have raised an objection pursuant to Art. 21 Sect. 1 GDPR, your rights and our rights will have to be weighed against each other. As long as it has not been determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to demand a restriction of the processing of your personal data.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, these data – with the exception of their archiving – may be processed only subject to your consent or to claim, exercise or defend legal entitlements or to protect the rights of other natural persons or legal entities or for important public interest reasons cited by the European Union or a member state of the EU.

3. Recording of data on our website

Cookies

In some instances, our website and its pages use so-called cookies. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses. The purpose of cookies is to make our website more user friendly, effective and more secure. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer and stored by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies.” They are automatically deleted after your leave our site. Other cookies will remain archived on your device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognise your browser the next time you visit our website.

You can adjust the settings of your browser to make sure that you are notified every time cookies are placed and to enable you to accept cookies only in specific cases or to exclude the acceptance of cookies for specific situations or in general and to activate the automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser. If you deactivate cookies, the functions of this website may be limited.

Cookies that are required for the performance of the electronic communications transaction or to provide certain functions you want to use (e.g. the shopping cart function), are stored on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing cookies to ensure the technically error free and optimised provision of the operator’s services. If other cookies (e.g. cookies for the analysis of your browsing patterns) should be stored, they are addressed separately in this Data Protection Declaration.

Server log files

The provider of this website and its pages automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser communicates to us automatically. The information comprises:

  • The type and version of browser used
  • The used operating system
  • Referrer URL
  • The hostname of the accessing computer
  • The time of the server inquiry
  • The IP address

This data is not merged with other data sources.

This data is recorded on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. The operator of the website has a legitimate interest in the technically error free depiction and the optimization of the operator’s website. In order to achieve this, server log files must be recorded.

Contact form

Not applicable

Registration on this website

Not applicable

Processing of data (customer and contract data)

We collect, process and use personal data only to the extent necessary for the establishment, content organization or change of the legal relationship (data inventory). These actions are taken on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. b GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or pre-contractual actions. We collect, process and use personal data concerning the use of our website (usage data) only to the extent that this is necessary to make it possible for users to utilize the services and to bill for them.

The collected customer data shall be eradicated upon completion of the order or the termination of the business relationship. This shall be without prejudice to any statutory retention mandates.

Data transfer upon closing of contracts for services and digital content

We share personal data with third parties only if this is necessary in conjunction with the handling of the contract; for instance, with the financial institution tasked with the processing of payments.

Any further transfer of data shall not occur or shall only occur if you have expressly consented to the transfer. Any sharing of your data with third parties in the absence of your express consent, for instance for advertising purposes, shall not occur.

The basis for the processing of data is Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. b GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the fulfilment of a contract or for pre-contractual actions.

4. Newsletter

Not currently applicable

5. Plug-ins and Tools

YouTube

Our website uses plug-ins of the YouTube platform, which is operated by Google. The website operator is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland.

If you visit a page on our website into which a YouTube plug-in has been integrated, a connection with YouTube’s servers will be established. As a result, the YouTube server will be notified, which of our pages you have visited.

Furthermore, YouTube will be able to place various cookies on your device. With the assistance of these cookies, YouTube will be able to obtain information about our website visitor. Among other things, this information will be used to generate video statistics with the aim of improving the user friendliness of the site and to prevent attempts to commit fraud. These cookies will stay on your device until you delete them.

If you are logged into your YouTube account while you visit our site, you enable YouTube to directly allocate your browsing patterns to your personal profile. You have the option to prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.

The use of YouTube is based on our interest in presenting our online content in an appealing manner. Pursuant to Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR, this is a legitimate interest.

For more information on how YouTube handles user data, please consult the YouTube Data Privacy Policy under: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.

Google reCAPTCHA

We use “Google reCAPTCHA” (hereinafter referred to as “reCAPTCHA”) on our websites. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”).

The purpose of reCAPTCHA is to determine whether data entered on our websites (e.g. information entered into a contact form) is being provided by a human user or by an automated program. To determine this, reCAPTCHA analyses the behaviour of the website visitors based on a variety of parameters. This analysis is triggered automatically as soon as the website visitor enters the site. For this analysis, reCAPTCHA evaluates a variety of data (e.g. IP address, time the website visitor spent on the site or cursor movements initiated by the user). The data tracked during such analyses are forwarded to Google.

reCAPTCHA analyses run entirely in the background. Website visitors are not alerted that an analysis is underway.

The data is processed on the basis of Art. 6 Sect. 1 lit. f GDPR. It is in the website operators legitimate interest, to protect the operator’s web content against misuse by automated industrial espionage systems and against SPAM.

For more information about Google reCAPTCHA and to review the Data Privacy Declaration of Google, please follow these links: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en and https://www.google.com/recaptcha/intro/android.html.

Posted on

PA-24 Comanche TPM

We mark two very big milestones for AuthentiKit today. Firstly, after almost four years supporting the warbird flight sim community, we have something for fans of GA aircraft in the form of a PA-24 Piper Comanche Throttle/Prop/Mixture (TPM) control. Developed with the kind assistance of A2A Simulations this is a faithful replica of the PA-24 TPM developed using CAD shared by the A2A design team.

The second very big milestone is that, in our mission to make AuthentiKit controls as widely accessible as possible to flight sim fans, we have arranged for our friends at SimKitSupplies to offer an All-Inclusive kit of hardware + 3D printed parts.

Shared Universal Hub

The PA-24 may be a very different beast to a Spitfire or Mustang but to AuthentiKit this new control behaves just like any other H2 throttle input to the AuthentiKit Universal Hub, which means that if you already have the hub you won’t need another. Since the circuit board in the hub is the single most valuable component it just makes sense to re-use it.

Of course it would be a waste if only one of these inputs was used for the PA-24 but in true AuthentiKit style we intend to fill out a core set of at least the following controls which will use the other inputs.

  • Elevator trim
  • Rudder trim
  • Flaps lever (genuine long handle ratchet lever)
  • Landing gear (genuine 3 position)
  • Magneto start key and start button
  • Carb heat

Also in true AuthentiKit style, these will not just be clamped to your desk in the easiest way possible but they will come with a mounting system which will position them (almost) exactly where they would be in the real aircraft.

All Inclusive Controls

Introducing a GA aircraft to the AuthentiKit portfolio is already big news but no less important is the decision to allow our friends at SimKitSupplies to offer an All Inclusive Kit.

Of course we already have the Community Approved Printing (CAP) scheme whereby experienced AuthentiKit community members will print parts at mate’s rates for those without a printer. Please be reassured that this will continue to be a very important part of the community especially because we have CAPs in the USA, UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand and it’s obviously more practical to have someone print parts for you in your local region.

So, for those who are wondering, our aim is absolutely not to change tack to becoming a product company or to give SKS the rights to commercialise all AuthentiKit products. It isn’t practical and it isn’t in the best interest of the community. The aim instead is to take down a major barrier to those wanting to try AuthentiKit, namely unfamiliarity with 3D printing and 3D printed products. Hopefully this all in one kit which includes a quality guarantee by the supplier SimKitSupplies will give folks the confidence to try AuthentiKit for the first time and go on to become active members of our community.

Here’s a link to the All Inclusive Kit from SimKitSupplies

Posted on

P-51D Winter Promotion

PROMOTION EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 31, 2024

We’re delighted to have another review of AuthentiKit, this time by YouTuber OverKill Simulations. See below for his video released yesterday. Of course as a patriot and a huge fan of the P-51D he reviewed our latest flight control for the Mustang, the P-51D throttle including the following features.

  • Fully working throttle, prop and mixture lever
  • Realistic detents on the mixture lever between Run and Full Rich
  • Hydraulic damping on the throttle for a real feeling of mechanical resistance
  • Hall sensors throughout for precise and accurate positioning
  • Working gunsight grip and PTT button
  • High fidelity recreation of the real control based on original drawings

We’re really rather proud of this control, especially the highly faithful recreation of the design. Community members Stiggles meticulously recreated the CAD from original drawings and great effort was made to adapt this with the minimum compromises to produce this 3D printable fully functional flight simulation control.

Let’s celebrate with a promotional price of $249 – inclusive of all parts

To celebrate this fine flight control I have spent the last month or two twisting a few arms! Firstly I persuaded our friends at SimKitSupplies to reduce their kit of hardware parts from $173 to $150 for US customers – that’s inclusive of shipping by the way as well as all the parts you need to make not just the throttle but the PC interface and all the connectors.

Secondly we are now in the fortunate position of having a growing network of AuthentiKit community members around the world who will print at “mate’s rates” for other community members who don’t (yet?) have a 3D printer. In fact this is something in itself that I think is worthy of celebration. We even have two guys in the US.

So, I’m afraid I did a little more arm twisting and have persuaded these guys to reduce their prices even more for a limited period to help us celebrate the achievement of the P-51D throttle. So the usual recommended selling price of $112 is reduced to just $99 for US customers. P&P will apply to those prices but now hopefully these lightweight printed parts shipping from someone fairly local won’t add up to much.

In total then the price for US is $150 + $99 = $249 and this promotional price will last until March 21st 2024, the first day of Spring.

To order visit simkitsupplies.com/us-shop/ and click on the P-51D Throttle Starter Kit.

You’ll be able to order the hardware immediately for fast in country shipping and put your name down for an introduction to a community approved printer in the USA who can print for you at $99+p&p

Not in the USA?

Don’t worry if you’re not in the USA as we still have a special deal for you too if you’re looking to buy the printed parts. You can order the P-51D Mustang throttle from https://www.simkitsupplies.com/shop/ as well as the Universal Hub if needed and on the order page you can enter your details for an introduction to a Community Approved Printer in your region. They have agreed to print all the parts for the P-51D throttle and the Universal Hub and mounting brackets for just £99 +p&p.

Posted on

AuthentiKit Mounting System V2

This is a big milestone for AuthentiKit and something I’m very pleased to finally deliver. The new mounting system solves four key concerns which have come to light within the AuthentiKit community over the last 3+ years.

  • The mounting arms for cockpit sidewall controls could still rotate despite clamping down hard with the allen key
  • The jaws of the arms could crack due to stress over months of use
  • The rig extension A arm was sometimes a little shorter than desired
  • The flight stick VESA mount could pivot and twist when working the stick hard

The solution to this has been the mounting system V2 which is nearly all metal. Importantly the main arm sections and the pole clamp are metal so they can withstand a lot more punishment than the old system as well as resolving all the above issues.

This video explains how it works and shows a little stress testing of those metal parts.

Posted on

ATK002: Rig Extension

Add on arms to extend the AuthentiKit rig

  • Manufacturer: Allcam, DMP, see below for more
  • Product ID: MDM10, see below for more

With the ATK001 primary rig you mount either a flight stick from a low down position or a set of cockpit sidewall controls (throttle, trim wheels etc) at a higher up position, but you can’t do both as the rig comes with only one arm.

This rig extension allows you to add one or more extra arms. Three arms would, for example, allow you to support a flight stick and multiple cockpit wall controls which may be at significantly different heights.

Availability of these add-on arms has proven more difficult than all-in-one monitor stands, however we have so far found options for the UK, Germany/Europe and the USA with eBay meeting the needs of other regions.

United Kingdom

In the UK your best bet and so far only option is Allcam. Uniquely in the world they will sell individual arm sections of varying lengths as well as the monitor pole clamp by itself. This saves you paying a VESA bracket that won’t get used. You can buy either directly or via eBay. I would recommend buying two each of the 19cm or 26cm arms and one pole clamp. You may also wish to purchase an additional 19cm or 26cm arm to extend the flight stick mounting as a 3 section arm is the best option.

USA

In the USA I have found one supplier for the standard 35mm pole. This is an eBay business micoco-64. If instead you are using a 1 7/8 pole then you have the option of an add on arm from EasyMountLCD.

Germany / Europe

In Germany and Europe you have the option of sourcing from Allcam in the UK and paying a little more for postage but without needing to buy parts you don’t need. You can also buy the longer 19cm or 26cm arms which are more useful. Alternatively DMP have a good option which may turn out cheaper.

Other Regions

I would recommend the Google image search technique if you’re struggling to find add on arms in other regions. Please let me know if/when you find any. Failing that Allcam is available via eBay in all regions as far as I’m aware and DMP ship to many but not all countries – try the amazon.de link above to see if they can post to you.

If you are searching for equivalents remember to look for arms that look like the image below and with a pole clamp that fits a 35mm pole.

Posted on

ATK001: Primary Rig

Primary rig for attaching AuthentiKit controls to a desk

  • Manufacturer: Allcam, Mount-It, see below for more
  • Product ID: MDM11S, MI-751, see below for more

The primary mounting system for AuthentiKit controls is a monitor stand, mounted in an inverted position as shown below. This picture shows only the flight stick attached however a second arm section at a higher level is used to mount cockpit wall based flight controls.

The monitor stand needs to be of the following specification:

  • Vertical pole should ideally have a diameter of 35mm (1 3/8 inch) although 1 7/8 inch can be supported in the US
  • The arm sections should have a cross-section of 30mm x 30mm and the design of each arm section should look like this with a jaw at one end and a hole at the other allowing the arm sections to be chained together

United Kingdom

The Allcam MDM11S available from the following suppliers. It has also been called the MDM11A and in fact any one arm MDM11 or MDM10 stand from Allcam should be fine. Please note that maximum desk thickness for this clamp is 43mm. If you need a deeper clamp see the link below for a replacement pole or see the other suppliers list.

Other brands/suppliers of an identical looking monitor stand are

USA

In the USA the (apparently) exact equivalent to the MDM11S is the Mount-It MI-751 which comes with the less pretty but more functional deep desk clamp. They sell direct from their website or via a large number of resellers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg or more. I’d recommend Googling the model number and looking for the best price. Here are the two main options.

Another equivalent is the Siig CE-MTOP11-S1 which is identical to the Mount-It though a little more expensive. The Mount-It does seem to have sold out a lot in recent weeks though so the Siig may be your only option. You can get it from Amazon or various other outlets.

I have found no other models so far which exactly match the recommended 35mm (or 1 ⅜”) pole diameter and 30mm x 30mm arm cross-sections. However I have previously recommended the Mount-It MI-752 which has a 1 7/8″ pole and we have found add-on arms which are compatible with that. It is no longer the recommended option but for completeness this is the MI-752 from Mount-It. It costs more as it supports two arms however you can remove the arms from one side and use them to extend the other side.

Germany / Europe

In Germany a brand called Display Mount Pro sell a model DMP LCD352 or LCD352S either directly or via Amazon. You can also source the Allcam MDM11S in Europe via eBay. Another option is the Wasserman model.

India

In my Googling I found one other country where a different brand is selling a very similar model of monitor stand. This is the Rife brand sold via Amazon in India. The downside is that it has the 1 7/8″ pole and this has the downside that add-on arms for 1 7/8″ poles are hard to find outside the US. I include it here as sourcing options may change.

Other Regions

I hope to add to this sourcing page as others discover more options. A good way for you to find new options is to right click on the image top right of this post and do Google Image Search (assuming you’re in Chrome browser). For now the options you have are as follows:

  • Allcam appear to sell their MDM11S model via every eBay I have tested globally. The downside is the shipping as they post from the UK
  • The Mount-It MDM11S is also available via Amazon and eBay in many different countries but again postage could be pricey
  • You could also google the LCD 352
  • Please help me find more options and I’ll list them here
Posted on

AuthentiKit is three years old

I guess you could say that AuthentiKit has finally matured, at least according to the criteria of the Scots whisky industry which requires a spirit to have matured in it’s cask for at least 3 years before it has earned the name whisky.

For a short summary of the highlights of our first three years you might like to watch our retrospective video below and for those who like numbers, here are our stats at the 3 year mark.

  • 6 Aircraft types supported
  • 21 Separate flight controls
  • 28,479 Downloads
  • 1,970 Community members
  • 5 Community Approved Printers (print at mates rates for folks without a printer)