Frequently Asked Questions
The AuthentiKit system is neither a raw DIY solution nor a commercial product. It is a hybrid of the two designed as a self-build yet easy to assemble system. It aims to offer commercial quality products with consistent quality standards whilst being created by volunteers and shared freely within the flight simulation community. As a newcomer you will most likely have questions so here are some answers.
How much time does it take to assemble?
All products come with detailed assembly videos and written documentation. You are strongly encouraged to start with simpler controls such as the Spitfire MkIX Starter Kit comprising the trim wheels and Universal Hub - shown here.
Assembly of the Trim Wheels unit should no more than around 30 minutes for a first time project and maybe even half that for someone with experience of the AuthentiKit way of assembling. The kit (whether self sourced or purchased including the printed parts) includes the tools you need which are essentially screwdrivers and a wire stripper. There is no soldering as everything is press or crimp fit and screw together.
If you get on well with assembling this unit (as you should) then press on an enjoy doing more. You are very unlikely to fail but if you found it a struggle then you can always stop here and enjoy using this excellent trim wheel set by itself.
Once you have experience of the approach the times to assemble more complex controls are of the order of
- Throttle - around 1.5 hours with the P-51 throttle being more complex
- Gear Lever - around 1.5 hours
- Flight Stick - around 2-3 hours
- Flaps Lever - around 30 mins
- Gunsight - around 1 hour
- Universal Hub - around 1 hour
Can I buy it ready assembled?
The short answer is no. We are not a commercial operation. We don't have staff who can manufacture, quality test, support, ship, handle returns etc. All the controls are designed by volunteers and support for those who need help is all community based. This is at the heart of our approach.
We do have a partner (Simulation Kit Supplies) who supplies hardware parts as made up kits as shown here. However they are not permitted to sell assembled controls. Giving such permission and allowing someone to make a profit out of the work done by volunteers would undermine the goodwill of our community which is paramount.
How much does the whole thing cost?
The cost depends on a great many factors, but let's assume you are talking about the Spitfire MkIX cockpit shown opposite. We also have the P-51D cockpit, P-40B cockpit, Comanche PA, BF109 and more but these are all less well developed so far.
We also need to decide how far you go. The MkIX cockpit is about to be augmented with a magneto, fuel pump switch, fuel cock, primer and more but these are not formally launched yet. So again let's assume you are talking about the following controls.
- Universal Hub (you need this just once for all cockpits)
- Flight stick
- Trim wheels
- Throttle
- Chassis (gear lever)
- Flaps lever
There are two primary components of the cost - hardware parts and printed parts. Let's start with hardware parts. There is a standard set of hardware parts which all controls are made from listed here along with sourcing options and indicative prices. Unless you intend to buy in bulk though and make a great many controls you will struggle to source more cheaply than buying hardware kits from SimKitSupplies. The hardware cost for the above controls is around £220 + p&p
Next we have the printed parts. If you have a 3D printer then the cost for all the parts will be about £60 mainly due to the fact you'll want to buy at least 3 different colours of print filament: green, black and silver. If you don't have a 3D printer then you're cheapest option to get all the printed parts is to buy one for around £200.
If you really don't want to print your own then we have a system where community members in the USA, UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand will print parts for you at agreed mates rates currently around £450+p&p for the above controls
In addition to these you will need a mounting system. You may be self-building and intend to screw the controls to permanent fixed panels. Most people however attach the controls to a desk for quick assembly and disassembly. If you are doing that you will need a pair of monitor stands from somewhere like Amazon at a cost of around £100. See this page about the rig system for more details.
