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Autopilot?

 

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Bob,

Is that an autopilot I see in the panel picture?
What was involved with its installation?
Are you happy with it or would you do something different?

Thanks,
Dave

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 36:5 (KJV)

On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 3:07?PM Bob Wray via <rjwray=[email protected]> wrote:
Once I get the prop dialed back in wide open throttle at 7500 feet is good for about 190 to 195 miles an hour. Current prop pitch is too flat.?

You can check my prior posts for some photos of the panel and GPS during cruise. ? Here are a couple, 184mph at 2400rpm.?

<09944F0B-9767-4DCE-9A07-A1C6731D6483.jpeg>
<EEB9333E-6B32-4CD2-8841-23271FA00AC3.jpeg>






On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 5:19?AM Thomas B via <tbinpittsboro=[email protected]> wrote:
Just curious as to the performance numbers you observed during your short flight - MAP, rpm gps & IAS, altitude, ambient temp...?

Looks like a nice TW !

Thomas in NC


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI
--
Dave
N365ED
Wittman Buttercup
 

No autopilot. I was planning a GRT mini and autopilot before my mission changed. For long trips an altitude hold would be very?helpful.?

On Mon, Feb 17, 2025 at 3:58?AM David Lamphere via <dalamphere=[email protected]> wrote:
Bob,

Is that an autopilot I see in the panel picture?
What was involved with its installation?
Are you happy with it or would you do something different?

Thanks,
Dave

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 36:5 (KJV)

On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 3:07?PM Bob Wray via <rjwray=[email protected]> wrote:
Once I get the prop dialed back in wide open throttle at 7500 feet is good for about 190 to 195 miles an hour. Current prop pitch is too flat.?

You can check my prior posts for some photos of the panel and GPS during cruise. ? Here are a couple, 184mph at 2400rpm.?

<09944F0B-9767-4DCE-9A07-A1C6731D6483.jpeg>
<EEB9333E-6B32-4CD2-8841-23271FA00AC3.jpeg>






On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 5:19?AM Thomas B via <tbinpittsboro=[email protected]> wrote:
Just curious as to the performance numbers you observed during your short flight - MAP, rpm gps & IAS, altitude, ambient temp...?

Looks like a nice TW !

Thomas in NC


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI

--
Dave
N365ED
Wittman Buttercup


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI
 

One option is a Dynon EFIS with two of their servos. Both servos mounted behind the seats. Ailerons can be connected to a fitting welded to the aileron bellcrank.? Elevator connected to a fitting welded to the elevator pushrod. For the Dynon there is an optional control panel for the D10A and D100. The current servos are still the same as for the early EFIS's but the control panels are different. So if you wanted a control panel for the D10A you would need to find a used one.?
Jim Clement installed a Dynon autopilot on his first trike for the guy he sold it to. I think the EFIS was already in the panel so just the servos.?
The optional autopilot control panel appears to be very user friendly. Without the control panel not so much. Doug and Valerie have two D10A's with servos in Clement #10.?
If you go that route make sure to get a D10A, NOT a straight D10 which will not support an autopilot.

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 02:20:21 AM MST, Bob Wray via groups.io <rjwray@...> wrote:


No autopilot. I was planning a GRT mini and autopilot before my mission changed. For long trips an altitude hold would be very?helpful.?

On Mon, Feb 17, 2025 at 3:58?AM David Lamphere via <dalamphere=[email protected]> wrote:
Bob,

Is that an autopilot I see in the panel picture?
What was involved with its installation?
Are you happy with it or would you do something different?

Thanks,
Dave

Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;
and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Psalm 36:5 (KJV)

On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 3:07?PM Bob Wray via <rjwray=[email protected]> wrote:
Once I get the prop dialed back in wide open throttle at 7500 feet is good for about 190 to 195 miles an hour. Current prop pitch is too flat.?

You can check my prior posts for some photos of the panel and GPS during cruise. ? Here are a couple, 184mph at 2400rpm.?

<09944F0B-9767-4DCE-9A07-A1C6731D6483.jpeg>
<EEB9333E-6B32-4CD2-8841-23271FA00AC3.jpeg>






On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 5:19?AM Thomas B via <tbinpittsboro=[email protected]> wrote:
Just curious as to the performance numbers you observed during your short flight - MAP, rpm gps & IAS, altitude, ambient temp...?

Looks like a nice TW !

Thomas in NC


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI

--
Dave
N365ED
Wittman Buttercup


--
Bob Wray
N115WT
KABI

 

To add to Jim's comments, I've installed two in N168A.? The first was a TruTrak "AlTrak" altitude hold.? Bought it used off the RV Forum.? It worked well until the control head contacts fell apart on the way to OSH one year.? Talked to TruTrack there and asked for options.? They no longer supported that AlTrak so I was able to buy the new (at that time) Vision autopilot for $1800.00.? I installed it with out a lot of problems except standing on my head installing new mounts for the roll servo.? ?The autopilot is driven my a Garmin 496 and will track a waypoint from the 496 or the ground track heading you're currently flying.?
?
You have to remember to punch the NAV button twice to get to the GPS track.? ?I have trouble with part of the operation...Bob Wray can comment on that!? The pitch servo was mounted similar to the Jim Clement install, but the roll servo is mounted using a pic from Valerie Steen.? I have the rectangle control head mounted a hole that once was originally the transponder installation.? When you want to change direction using the 496, the airplane will roll into a 30 degree bank, turn to the new waypoint, lock on and level the wings.? All you have to do is keep the ball in the center.? There is nothing sloppy about the operation.? It also has altitude pre-select for climb.? I normally only use it on long cross country flights.??
?
Jim Berry?
Abilene, TX
 

I may as well chime in here.? I have GRT autopilot servos on pitch and roll.? Both servos are located behind the baggage compartment on some? aluminum angles that are attached to some tabs I had welded on to the diagonals on the floor of the fuselage.? ?The AP is controlled by a GRT Sport EX EFIS and does a really good job.? My Garmin GPS 175 IFR Navigator? also can feed commands to the EFIS which in turn controls the autopilot.? ?I am very pleased with how it works.? Below are some of the functions that it will do very well.
  • Climb to an altitude and level off when reached.? Climb can be set for vertical speed or airspeed.? I have the climb set to maintain an airspeed.? The airspeed is adjustable on every climb if you like.? ?If you set the climb based on vertical speed,? you can cause problems with low airspeed as your plane climbs into the higher altitudes and starts loosing its ability to maintain that VS.? ?Airspeed drops off too much!
  • Descend to an altitude and level off when reached.? I have the descent set to a vertical speed.? Descent VS is adjustable on every descent very easily.
  • Navigate following a flight plan from the EFIS or the Garmin GPS 175 (the best bang for the buck in IFR navigators)
  • Navigate following a heading
  • It has roll steering so that it can anticipate turns and not overfly the course
  • The roll steering allows it to fly holds, course reversals, missed approaches etc.
  • It will follow an IFR approach.? Once it captures the glide slope it will follow both vertically and laterally right down to the missed approach point.
  • It will then fly the missed approach as well.
I do not feel any "drag" on the controls when not using the AP.? I did have to do a few minor adjustments at the start but after that is is working great.? The only issue I noticed is that if i am in very smooth air (it does happen occasionally) I will get just a little back and forth in roll but hardly enough to notice and not enough to worry about adjusting it out.
?
It is a very capable AP and has more features than most of the other planes I have flown.? In particular the "roll steering" feature is a must have if you expect your AP to fly IFR approaches.
?
Keith

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