AcclaimML,
Are you sure???
Maybe I'm. Misunderstanding your statement...
Are you saying... Your autopilot is making corrections for the cross winds while in cruise. The corrections include wing low into the wind and rudder input to balance the turning force generated by the lowered wing...? Aka slipping while cruising.
Of course, you experience the extra control inputs are slowing you down a few knots.
You have the most modern Mooney, so all things are possible...but,
Even a 65C at the hands of a new pilot would handle a cross wind in cruise the same way as the most modern mooney with G1000 instruments, ya?
They would both would fly straight and level and adjust the heading into the wind, no? Aka crabbing.
Of course, for the strong cross wind that you have experienced, the correction would be quite large. A 25kt cross wind is about 13% the scale of a 200 kt cruise speed.
But, no wing low and rudder being used in a continuous fashion, right?
Or did I completely miss the boat on this one?
Or is it possible the G1000 has determined a "better" way of handling cross winds? Maybe, such a strong cross wind is being controlled in an honestly strange fashion?
My aged KAP150 simply points into the wind more, while keeping the plane on the Magenta line.
Is the rudder actually active to coordinate turns that are being commanded by the AP? I would think so, because we have a motor driven rudder trim, but don't know for sure. Could be just the spring interconnections?
It's good you brought this question out to better understand what the G1000 is thinking.
As usual, I'm trying to help, but if I missed the boat, I don't want you to send a nastygram and quit using MooneySpace on my account...ya know?
Let me know your thoughts.
Best regards,
-a-