Navi

Ya... the Mooney cert is in the same group, - Aspen,+ G5 + Mooney. Present effort. After that , the Piper Comanches ! N

>>I asked him point blank how the TT integration is coming. Said he spoke with aspen last week and the heading/barro is working between aspen and TT on their bench. Guessing it will be live by Oshkosh. Heard this on another forum.. Wondering … looks like they (TT And Aspen ) have stepped on the gas on this project? Nav

Caveat.. I don't know or have any information other than observations... IMHO.... TT doesn't appear to be a takeover target with it's business organization as I observe it... It seems that it would be in difficulty without Andrew and other key people there. (among other observations that would not appeal to "Takeover" investors) I thought the synergy was a good move by TT. Bottom line, they have to SELL and PRODUCE autopilots.. Boxes out their door is what pays the bills. It matters not whether these boxes have TruTrak or BK stamped on them.. Latching on to the distribution and installation network of BK looked to me to be a shrewd move and a deal good for both. King may not be very innovative, but I have BK units in my panel that have worked flawlessly and are decades old... TT did not have a network of dealer/installers, and now it has one suddenly. Trio and Dynon would kill for that. Andrew is a self confessed "Autopilot Nerd" , but bottom line , he has to provide for himself and his family... Time will tell... there are no guarantees in any business... I wish them well... N

Best information so far is that TT is now wholly owned by Andrew.. For David... I have bought and sold companies and assisted others in equity buyouts over my working career. I don't see the usual signs of them "preparing" for a buyout. The characteristics of a company "shopping" its equity are USUALLY obvious, and nothing in their marketing and production plan or history is displaying these characteristics. I think they would have to reorganise some business elements first.. An "equity partner" would be closer, but for a complete buyout, unless under duress, many things would have to change before any of my (past) clients would be interested.. I have no inside information however, I am just a user of their product.. What little bit that I see certainly does not position them as a strong acquisition target... What are you seeing? Not withstanding, there may be a price on anything... :) Nav

From the Bendix/TT Webinar last night... Auto pitch trim is DEFINATELY on the TruTrak radar though, certed approaches and IAS select is also there.. (both removed from the original plan to expedite the faster STC approval) It was emphasized in the Webinar that TT and Bendix are committed to integrate with other equipments. Integration with the AeroVue Touch will happen.. TT has been approached by others... re: feeding data to the TT. Avidyne is looking to be able to feed "stepped down" vertical guidance data to the TT. Garmin is not playing here at all.. In fact, strong rumor is that Garmin is going to change their proprietary data format to KEEP others from playing.. Its their business plan, but good luck with that... Andrew did state that the Mooneys are next, Comanchies and Twincos are to follow to the AML., they are not sure after that, probably Grumman and Bos... Anybody contemplating the addition of an AP really should have jumped on that Webinar last night. SUCH good info related to APs in general. Beginning to look like TT has captured the "low cost" AP market in a very big way. It may be lacking some features for now, but the way it flies these little planes is nothing short of spectacular for a little 5 K$ piece of gear. From my own experience flying with the TT in our Warrior, you can thread needles in the sky with this AP. The accuracy holding directions, tracks and alts is deadly. If your new "whizzit" cannot talk to the TruTrak and make it listen, your future market may be limited. From the Webinar, it was evident Andrew is pursuing an aggressive plan to make the TT feature rich in the integration with other equipments, perhaps by inserting a menu to tell it "whom" it is playing with. That could activate features that the other manufacturer worked with TT to make their PFD the choice.. FWIW.. N

OK.... So you're forgiven... Nav

>>Additionally, world wide the FAA was thought to be the gold standard for certification and now many countries are saying even when the FAA gets done THEY will do their own certification investigations to verify the FAAs work. This really is not something that has reared its head before. Most countries have accepted the FAA word on safety and certification. That may be a thing of the past now, how far down it drops in aviation from 121 to 91 is any ones guess. I think you have a point here.. Here in Canada, TC has rubber stamped the FAA STCs for years.. To wit ….."An American made" "Major alteration" to an "America made aircraft" with an FAA STC is good to go in Canada.. The process is formal and is usually done within 30 days. Only STC's Canada issues is for a Canadian made plane or a Canadian "major mod". There is now political pressure here to change that after the Boeing fiasco... More delays of safety equipment is now possible here as well... :(

Agreed! But it is the best info I have at this time... It is an interesting situation, - of all the industries I have been involved with over a long business career... I cannot recall so much "noise" among customers in many other industries frantically awaiting the announcements of products.. The EXTREME pent-up demand I guess… Years ago the software industry had a run with this.. I sense this is a new challenge for some of the companies new to navigating the FAA and other challenges of this market.. The wise business plan (IMHO) is to ONLY make a formal announcement when ready to ship.... and I guess that is what we are seeing.. I have seen "comments" and "information" labeled by others as "promises" far to often.. throw in a few anxious people that " hear what they want to hear".... and It can get out of control.. A company can only comment on so much, and not on a delivery date until it happens, SO MUCH of the process being not under their control.. FWIW... N

Hi Mac! What is the latest on the GFC 500? Last I have is dated... :( Nav

>>Secondly, to do a small "Minor Alteration" to an STC is no big deal. Document correctly and its fine. IF and I say IF they don't use that area for the wire run then no harm no foul. I'd go where they say to run it. Can't see the big issue. You are correct... not a "big issue".. But it appears to take as much TIME to get a small change through the FAA process.. as a big one.. Check my post above for the latest I have on the Vizion, from Steve and Zach.. FWIW.. N

Hmmmm…. Dono… Are they (management) aware of this "miscommunication" ? Has anyone here told them? Last word I have (from Steve over a week ago) was that they hoped to bundle the Firmware Update for the G5 and Aspen connection and a couple of small bugs, with the Mooney STC, and hoping for it to be available by OSH.. (I am fine with that.. ) Steve was forthcoming to my questions and was clear with their intent, and very clear in stating the hurdles they are facing.. I have no idea who this female is with different information, nor have I heard of a name attached. Pushing individual approvals though the FAA system is exhausting resources, so, like others have learned, they are bundling a few this time.. Delays expected. Autopilots and anything else attached to the controls of any aircraft are now under intense scrutiny. (Boeing/Cirrus) FAA has a gun pointed at them…. The TT STC for the PA- 32s and Cessnas was SENT BACK into the system for "another look" , delaying their approval letter several weeks... Work has to be done with Aspen whose resources are tapped out with other pressing tech and approval issues. Garmin is NO help. TT is on their own for G5 integration, and it is suspected Garmin is about to change their data communication protocol. "Headwinds" everywhere.. :( N

Who is this "some girl" that doesn't know anything but offers information anyway? Ask for Zach. If he is not avbl, call later... again.. May take a couple of tries. He is the one that designs the systems and the installations. He is on the test flights.. He is in his office only about half the day, rest of time in the air or out in the hangar on test installs.. He may have no information, but he is, at least, the person closest to the project. Caveat... Until the final wire routing is approved in the STC, the route is NOT FINAL.. FAA may come back and want it changed... FWIW.. :(

Makes perfect sense to me... Other manufacturers do it.. I expect you would have to "buy" the harness as a part, and ask them to "credit " you the harness cost when they ship the rest of the system without the harness... The wiring harness has significant extra length, and as long as they can tell you where the servos are approximately located, you can run the harness and put your interior panels back in. Nav

Join SocialFlight's Jeff Simon and TruTrak's Andrew Barker for a webinar on Enhancing Safety Through Autopilot Proficiency. REGISTER HERE https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4578463573115347467 Tuesday, April 23, at 8:00 pm Eastern. Presented by BendixKing and SocialFlight.

Yikes!!! Nav

I spoke with both last week on this, as an Aspen is in our future as well. If installed before the integration is complete, both the TT and Aspen will need a firmware upgrade. The TT going back to the factory, the Aspen can be flashed by any dealer.. Planned for next winter, unless our DG goes south.. (getting noisy) Looks like Garmin is really serious about NOT integrating with other products.... FWIW!

Latest "noise" so far, is that just the" heading" will be available off the G5 to the TT. Concern also that Garmin may change the data format to prevent interface with other equipment.. Ya, I know... but heard this from 3 sources now.... Nav

Darn! Call Zach at TT, explain the situation …. ask him where they intend to run the wires, and buy the cables to the servos! (2) Zach told me that they had the servo locations figured out a few weeks ago.. The two servo cables are in the complete harness, terminating in the big plug at the head. (with power ,grounds, data wires etc... )

FWIW... Spoke to Steve at TruTrak last week … Latest from him was there were "bundling" the STC applications for the G5<> TT interface, the Aspen <> TT interface, the fix for a couple of small TT firmware bugs and the Mooney installation into one submission. They would like to have it approved by Osh, - but the FAA is double examining everything now as a result of the Boeing MAX fiasco . Delays expected... Nav

Ahhhh ….. Vorlon1 beat me to it... Missed something as well...

OK, I can stand corrected .. thank you! So the 430 will only output data from an RNAV approach, NOT include the data outputs from the LOC/GS ? Corrected, and will correct my source! So the only way to get a TT to fly an ILS is to convert the Nav VOR/GS steering information through the Aspen system... So when the Avidyne eventually does this, the Aspen will just pass it through in GPS data format to the AP.. 'Pologies to WiskeyTango. Ragsf15e and Mim20c (Nav hangs head and shuffles feet) HELLO RNAV! Nav

>>>Awesome, really helpful. So, if I read it right, my 430w output is arinc, so if I have it tracking VLOC for an ILS, it will output that signal on the arinc and the tt will track it. (Corrected, Thanks to Jesse)… The AP will only follow the LATERAL (GPS Data sentence) You need to go to the ARINC Config page, Select Speed = Low Data+429 GAMA Enable "LABELS in the VNAV row. Then go to Ch #1 for the RS 232 line and select "AVIATION " (This sets the correct data sentence structure/format) Set the BAUD RATE to -9600 (it's probably already there) The three wires (pins 8,10,29) go straight to the TT, or a select switch (or the Aspen) and that should do it! >>>>The Cherokee driver you referenced... what type of approach? Can it do that on an ILS as long as it’s receiving the ils signal from an arinc source? Arrrrugh! Missed that detail... I believe it was an RNAV approach… The KI525 unfortunately uses the old analogue format (21 wires!!) communication. It would have to be hooked to the Aspen System (Aspen makes an adapter to translate the information) , then on the E5 and on to the TT in ARINC mode. DO allow $$$ for the adaptor, not cheap - the circuitry to accomplish the translation from the old format to ARINC 429 is involved.. ... Cap

Ummmm….. Yes... Kinda not WHAT it tracks as HOW it tracks.. If you wish to read for a few... :) The TT has one ARINC 429 input and one RS232 input , both inputs use the same connections.. It listens to 232 data initially, but internally switches to ARINC if it is present. If the VOR is digital, the ILS is digital, your GPS is digital, the DG is digital, and your HSI is digital, - it will follow any of them as long as the ARINC 427 data sentence has the standard order. The TT (or any digital AP) does not know WHAT it is listening to, or cares, - it just points the aircraft where it is being told to.. Problem is, most of the above output steering instructions in our OLD aircraft are in the old ANALOGUE (++150Mv) format. Good in its time, but this format can send only ONE steering signal at a time. (Vertical or lateral) Any flags etc. have to have a separate wire for each flag or digit. (ARINC can send gobs of information in a single wire) So, if you have modern digital instruments outputting in ARINC data, the new breed of digital autopilots are happy. This is why some of us are excited about the coming TT integration with the Aspen and G5. With the aspen, it understands the "old" format, accepts (say your old analogue VOR) the signal, translates it to ARINC and sends it on to the TT which happily does what it is told. Your GPS Navigator outputs whatever you need by a menu selection. Mine will output the old format and several types of ARINC sentences. So the Aspen will accept this data in whatever format the instrument sends (even a radar altimeter) and acts as a "switch", selecting whatever instrument you want to follow, translates whatever information it is using, sends it on to the AP in ARINC format and everybody plays together. I suspect the Garmin G3X may do much the same thing. The Aspen will do this now. What we expect will happen (waiting game again, Aspen has some work to do, and this has to be approved by FAA) is you will be able to set the Baro , Alt, VS and heading on either equipment and it will synchronise to the other instrument. Most VFR functions will be set on the Aspen and the TT will follow along obediently. The TT head will be (mostly) relegated to an "On - Off" switch... Your GNS 430 will function as this source "switch" and enable the TT to follow your VOR and ILS or RNAV or whatever your 430 is tasked to do at the time. FWIW, I heard from one Cherokee driver who tested the 430WAAS and TT on an approach. It flew the aircraft through the entire approach, power changes, flap extensions (calling for trim) and it flew to the Rny centerline in a 7-10 knot crosswind until he "squeezed and flared" at 5 ft. alt. ("squeezing" refers to the CWS switch on the yoke, discoing the AP) Apologise for the long answer to a short question... but this may be helpful to some... :) Nav

I could tell you about my conversation with Zach on Wednesday April 3. It was mostly about the Aspen integration, but I did ask about the Mooney Project as well . (One of my plane partners would like to have a Mooney) Call him yourself. Or call Steve. (Wait until next week, at least next Wed for Steve, he is at S&F now and let him get back and unravelled.. :) ) Zach and others are trying to fill in for Steve and others... The number is 479-751-0250. Nav

Ya! That's one pix, the other pix was in their hangar about Nov. 2018... Apparently the servo locations / mounting are all worked out as of now.. Nav