As most people who are reading this section of the forum know, Fulcrum Simulator Controls ran into difficulty and ceased trading. They should also know that all customers at that time were written to explaining the situation. In that email I went through some of the reasons why the company went down and left us all out of work and left some customers with outstanding orders.

One of the complaints I have seen here is that I am a crook and ran the company into the ground knowing it was going down. This is simply not true. At the time that orders were being taken, we were expecting a start up company assistance loan from the Government to help with costs etc that we had faced and to allow us to jump to higher production throughput. At the time this was applied for things were going well. 6 months later we were still waiting for this. I did close new orders and issued some refunds that were placed at the end. I did not take peoples money and run. However, I know that many people were angry and felt cheated or scammed.

During all this there were things outside of the company to deal with and that were of a personal nature and made life very difficult, including facing the criticism here. No excuses for that but sometimes life is what it is and things don’t always go as you wanted.

Now, as stated in the email to customers, I aim to stand by outstanding orders, even though Fulcrum was a limited company, and I could walk away from it. It would not be right to do anything else as I am a longstanding member of the flight sim community and not just a faceless company in China.

I also don’t want to walk away because I believe in my designs, my principles in delivering what I promised and the tens of thousands of pounds of my own money I started the company with. That investment in product design, development and knowledge allows me to start production and deliver the same quality and future products.

The way this will work is this. I am currently working another job to pay my wages. I will not be taking wagers from Fulcrum until it is built back up.

Throttles are being produced first. This is because there are some parts already available to me. Orders have been placed for the remaining parts. Over the coming weeks throttles will be assembled and once ready, customers who ordered a throttle and were not able to claim a refund will have their orders fulfilled and remaining throttles will be available for purchase via the website.

This is not an ideal approach and involves even more long waits. I understand the frustration in that but there is no alternative. I do not have a large cash pool I can issue refunds from, All I have is the ability to work and build up what is needed to start producing again. Also there will no longer be any pre-orders. Orders will only be taken when stock is on the shelf ready to go. If we are out of stock then it will show out of stock. Any other way just leads to too much risk. I am sure lots of companies thought otherwise until it all goes wrong!

For clarity, all profits from sales will be going back into buying more parts to produce more products. This means that customers who lost out will get their order eventually and there will be off the shelf Fulcrum products for new customers. I will not be taking a wage from Fulcrum until this point is reached and everything owed is repaid.

I hope this shows that I am trying to do the right thing and Fulcrum will be run in a customer focused way.

There will be changes to the forum to clean up a lot of ‘where are you?’ threads. User to user support threads may get edited and moved around to make it less of a mess. I will not be deleting any threads – even those that make me feel bad. I will move them into an archive folder, but I do not wish to delete history.

Thanks again for the hundreds of messages and emails of support, it is quite honestly staggering to me.

Chris

I am posting this update to let you know that Fulcrum still aims to fulfil all outstanding orders. It is not a particularly eloquent statement, but I hope it does the job.

I don’t expect any sympathy or want to keep apologising as I feel that after so many delays customers who are still waiting are getting fed up of hearing excuses.

I just want to explain what is happening and why things are like they are. The short answer is a lack of time on my part. The longer answer is below.

When I made the decision to honour orders placed rather than walk away from it all, I knew that it would take a lot of work on my part. I did not realise how much it actually takes though. I know it has been multiple years, but shipping of throttles is still taking place, and the outstanding ones will be shipping soon. I am not going to give deadlines, but I want them all done by the end of summer. I know that is vague, but it is because of the circumstances.

All orders placed were paid for, so it is up to me to make good on this. It slows shipping as I have to fund each batch but I will get there.

I don’t know if it was completely clear from my previous announcements but while the Fulcrum website is up, it is not trading and I am not taking orders and haven’t since I ceased trading so there is no income. This means that I must work full time to cover all my living costs involved in running a house and then use whatever is left over each month to finish assembly and then ship them. All components are paid for and in stock and the majority of throttles are assembled.

In the meantime, Fulcrum does not have working offices or staff and will not until caught up. Once caught up then I can return to full time running of Fulcrum and normal production. From then on, items will only be offered for sale when they are in stock with no preorder system.

I am still offering support on existing products though and can still be contacted by emailing support@fulcrumsim.com

Thank you again for all the support and patience shown, I know I've said it many times but honestly I cannot express how much it means. I also know that it has probably worn thin or worn out with a good number of you. I do not take it for granted.

Chris

Fulcrum Simulator Controls

But...yesterday I plugged it in and discovered it has developed a fault.

The elevator axis performs flawlessly still, but the aileron axis has developed a problem.

What doesnt work...

anti-clockwise motion from 12 o'clock centred to full deflection barely registers.

What works...

Clockwise motion from 12 o clock centred to full deflection works perfectly.  Return to centre works fine.

Returning the yoke from full anti-clockwise deflection to centre IS recognised and consequently the sim yoke then is misaligned with the physical Fulcrum control as the physical yoke is centred while the sim yoke is at full right hand deflection.

Obviously this means the yoke is unusable for flying in its current condition.

User analysis...

I've removed the cover and checked all the wiring connections - nothing seems to be out of sorts there.

The nature of the problem, being essentially that left hand deflection from centre isnt working, seems to me to indicate a hardware failure of some sort?

Wonder if you can help please @tutmeister??

Thanks K

Just want some assurances before paying up front, thanks for any info.

I've sent a message to Chris but I'm not hopeful of a reply. Anyone any ideas how this can be repaired please? I've removed the black caps just to see what was underneath.

Firstly, let me assure you that Fulcrum are still trading and producing. I know there have been questions about our status and even that we might be a scam. I can assure you that we are not a scam! We are still producing the best flight controllers available and we will meet all our orders without fail.

Production

We have had production issues that have delayed this massively, I had to let a staff member go and have not replaced them, we have had supplier issues and various other things that are internal. I have been back on the tools making parts and assembling and communication has lapsed because all email communication, forum posts, supplier liaison and the rest of the company duties is up to me. So all I can do is say sorry for that. I appreciate the extreme patience that has been shown to us, without which the company would not have survived so thank you sincerely.

So, orders. I am aiming to have all orders of yokes caught up within around 4-5 weeks, so that is all the really old orders up to the more recent ones. I have heard that the lead time of metalwork that we are missing is 3-4 weeks. We have yoke handles and all the wiring and internals here and assembled into sub sections so once we get parts we can start to ship.

Throttles

Throttles are in the same boat I'm afraid. Metalwork is the hold up and it is from the same production line. These will start shipping when the case metalwork arrives.

Email

I am going to email our customers with this update too. This brings me on to email issues. For some reason our website email changed to have an extra www inserted into it. This should have been fixed now and enquiries@fulcrumsim.com seems to be working.

We have had some requests for refunds, and I completely understand peoples reluctance to support a company not delivering on time, rest assured that your orders are safe as we have paid for the stock and have most of it on the shelves.

I know the past few months have damaged the reputation that I have tried to build for Fulcrum, thank you deeply for the support shown and the patience. We will definitely get there!

Chris

For now I have removed its assignment but what can be done to fix this? I have no experience in soldering unfortunately, always thought I'd take a course one day but never did.

I've had the yoke for just two years and have found it a wonderful piece of equipment. In addition, my experience with Chris has been second to none, with after sales service being top notch. I had an issue with a button about a year ago, a quick email and a replacement was sent out within 24 hours! 

Chris has had a rough time and not only has he had to deal with post pandemic issues he's also had to deal with supplier shortfalls and shipment problems. He has a young family and with all the issues associated with running your own business, I wouldn't be surprised if his personal life hasn't also suffered. He is working with exisiting customers to ensure they have any necessary support. At the same time, he is building everything back up, but it will take time. 

So to all those who have been less than 'nice' to the guy, please try and put yourselves in his boat.   I'm hoping to see FulcrumSim back up to speed in the not too distant future.

Thanks Chris for your sterling support, appreciated.

The handle (here are the pics of the internals):

1. The pushbuttons are C&K 8125SHZ. The plastic caps used are 80180 series; the black ones are 801802000, the red one- 801803000. Different cap colors are available, you can check them in the datasheet that I've uploaded to the same folder (link above).

There is also a cheaper Chinese clone of a good quality which is Salecom P8701. The tactile "click" feeling is slightly different, but it's quite a reasonable substitute; I've bought quite a lot of Salecom switches from this seller with no complaints so far. Using the link provided is highly recommended as there is a huge number of "clone the clone" word not allowed on Ali that looks similar but breaks down fast...

2. The trim switches are C&K 7105J61Z--22. The two dashes in the name mean that any letters/ numbers on these places are OK.

Again, the possible replacement is Salecom R8016A.

3. The hat switch is ALPS RKJXM. Chris was using a kit from Leo Bodnar with a matching PCB and metal standoffs/ screws. This might be a good option as the removal of a broken switch from a 2-sided PCB may be tricky if you don't have enough experience.

4. The 5-pin connector to the yoke shaft is Lumberg SFV 50, the matching one in the shaft is KFV 50.

The main body:

1. The plastic bracket holding the PTFE-lined shaft collar at in the front wall of the main body is 3D-printed and at least one of the forum colleagues had it broken. Here is the model of the replacement bracket in two versions: for M4 and M5 mounting screws (both versions were used in different Fulcrum production batches). The new one is U-shaped to allow the bracket mounting without the need to disassemble half of the yoke which is not an easy job; the upper part of the original bracket doesn't take any load from the shaft and is redundant. The design was tested by our colleague and works fine.

2. The contactless sensors used are from BI Technologies; 6127V1A360L.5FS for the pitch axis (360 degrees rotation) and 61227V1A180L.5FS for the roll axis (180 degrees). They are working from 5 Volts power supply and provide the output from 0 to 5 Volts.

The alternatives are this and this sensors that offer the same performance and 1:1 physical replacement.

As for the other electronic components (the shift register board in the handle and the controller)- they are custom-made for the Fulcrum and are not available as spare parts. The shift register board is highly unlikely to fail; as for the controller- there are some replacement options that unfortunately do not offer a 1:1 compatibility. I'll be happy to provide the advice on this matter but this mod is more serious than simply replacing the broken part.

We have had reports from a couple of customers that have tried to lubricate the main shaft and front bushing with teflon spray as recommended by us. It turns out that they were using Blaster Dry Lube. This has either had no effect or actually added some friction. When the spray was wet it improved things but once dry it left a white powdery residue and more friction. I did some googling and it seems that there are a lot of reports of Blaster leaving behind a white residue, including on their own site.

When releasing the yoke from full forward it will bounce backwards and forwards a few times even when it is 'dragging' For clarity here is one I pulled off the bench and filmed to show what it should be like.

https://fulcrumsim.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/yoke-movement.mp4

I made an assumption that all PTFE sprays were the same because the ones we have locally do not leave behind any residue but evaporate leaving a thin layer of teflon on the item. In theory, this is what all teflon sprays should do but it seems that some leave behind a residue.

I am not going to solely recommend a brand because there are many brands in different parts of the world, but during assembly and testing we have now taken to using WD-40 Specialist Anti Friction Dry PTFE Lubricant on the mainshaft and bushing. Then cycling the shaft a few times and allowing it to dry.

If you want to try some lubrication then teflon spray is our recommended method. Just make sure to use one that does not leave any powdery residue and dries totally clear. If you try one and after it dries, there is a white residue, this can be wiped off.

Based on customer suggestions and experiences in the field I wanted to point out that if you are looking at WD40 products it must be the dry lube (note the branding change).

Chris

I’ve just discovered I have a problem with my Fulcrum Yoke . I would welcome advice as to whether firstly my diagnosis of the problem is correct, or whether it is more serious and secondly whether my proposed method of remedy is sensible and sound.

Firstly the yoke model. Looking at Sergey’s photos my yoke is the updated one with digital sensors.

The problem - I first noticed on returning to MSFS after a few weeks’ absence is  that the A2A Comanche seemed to be requiring a lot of yoke pull back and excessive upward trimming during landing in order to minimise descent. Then by accident I discovered that if I pushed the yoke forward it would in, say the final quarter of forward travel, provide an up, not down input. I confirmed this on the controller settings of MSFS and on the Windows calibration tool. The “+” quite literally goes to the top of the calibration window and then reappears at the bottom and moves upward until the maximum inward yoke travel is reached. Real numbers on the calibration scheme confirm this. Pulling the yoke back to its maximum gives a maximum reading just below where it rises to when the pushed in yoke reaches its stop limit. It is as though the whole control output has shifted.

I’ve removed the top cover and nothing seems untoward inside. At present I’m reluctant to disassemble any further unless it proves absolutely necessary.

My Diagnosis - I think that the problem may be related to one I had late last year when I found that the screws securing the main central guide rail to the bottom of the case had slightly slackened and the rail was moving on its longitudinal axis when I turned the yoke left or right. I’m thinking that during the period this was happening the wheel “slipped” on the toothed belt and calibration was lost. From looking at the sensor data sheet I see it’s got 360 degrees of travel but when it’s done one rotation does it start again which it must if my thinking is right?

If I’m right in my thinking is it just a case of recalibrating the wheel by marking the current positions and then lowering the belt and rotating the wheel to essentially shift the values “to the right” as it were?

If I’m completely missing the mark here can anybody suggest what is going on and what the remedy might be please.

Many  Thanks

David

First of all, the aileron axes are asymmetrical and the pitch axis is not recognized.

I opened the inside to find the damaged part and this part was broken.

https://ibb.co/x14gY8d
https://ibb.co/rbmf6fG
https://ibb.co/HgVfZqc
https://ibb.co/hRKhDrV

I'm a high school student and I've been saving up my pocket money for several years to buy this expensive yoke to become a pilot.

Please find this part and tell me how to fix it. Chris said he would replace the yoke with a new one, but he didn't.

https://ibb.co/SBfpxvN

pls help me....

does anyone know what's going on??

brds

Martin

Al

it's neither a stupid nor a cynical question... it's just that we ALL would like to know what's going on with you Chris,

and why you're not active on this forum?

I hope that everything is fine with you privately,

greetings

users

Please see our news page or social media posts too but here is a cut and paste from the pre-order page:

https://www.fulcrumsim.com/pre-orders-opening-17-08-2020/

The fulcrum One yoke is now undergoing final consumer certification (CE, FCC, BS etc) and will be ready to start shipping within the next 4 weeks (Shipping should start around the middle of September 2020).

Due to the ongoing Corona virus restrictions that are in place in the UK and the knock on effects of the full lock-down earlier this year, there are still delays with our suppliers and with the official consumer testing certification. This means that when we start shipping products there will be a smaller number than usual. Production will ramp up in the weeks and months after launch as the Yoke will normally be carried in stock ready to be dispatched immediately.

Because of this we are implementing a pre-order system where people can register their intent to buy and we will fulfill orders in the order that they were placed. Anyone who registers on here will be contacted prior to shipping to complete payment via paypal or alternatively via credit or debit card.

This means that your yoke will not necessarily get shipped by September, depending on your position on the list, but you will get notice before hand when you are contacted for payment.

You will not be asked for payment until your Fulcrum One is ready to ship.

Quote

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Is the inbox not working?

But I think I'd be interested in a yoke joystick conversion - Vulcan bomber style.

I don't know my aircraft like other people - are there many aircraft with joysticks-like-yokes?  Oh, the Cirrus side stick too!

Is this an add-on that @tutmeister may consider?

I originally purchased my Fulcrum One Yoke almost two years ago. It had worked flawlessly without issue for many flight hours until recently when out of the blue one of the buttons stopped working.

 So I reached out to Chris via enquiries@fulcrumsim.com to see he could suggest anything to resolve the issue. To cut a long story short we batted some diagnostic emails back and forth but alas it turned out that unfortunately my problem seemed to be something a bit out of the ordinary. With that Chris arranged for my Yoke to be picked up by Fedex so it could be taken back to base for repair. It returned a few days later fully working again. The only cost I had to bare was the trauma of using a Ye Olde cruddy Saitek yoke for few days!

Cheers Chris, great support.