Search the Community

I bought my M20C two years ago and this odd little autopilot sits down behind the J-bar and flap pump handle. Its labeled "Mooney". No documentation on the thing at all. The AP works--with a little drifting and gentle s-turns. Its obvious a one-axis AP and I'm thinking its a Century I retro-fit item (AK-319), but I'm finding a paucity of information on it, and just don't know. Reading the Century I Manual, the controls and feature are very similar, but very different too. The heading knob on it is a mystery. I put an e-mail into Century describing the instrument and never got any word back from them. Supposedly, the Century I had a "retro-fit" model and I can't find any information about that kit--called the AK-319. I can't find any photos of this autopilot or any documentation to verify who manufactured it. Its an all electric system, which rules out Britton, but unlike most Century I autopilots, I don't have a Century I turn coordinator. Yes, my turn/slip instrument is electric, but there's no control knob on it, and its not branded as a Century gauge. Just behind our baggage compartment, in the tail, there is an electric gyro instrument, which seems as if it s part of the autopilot system. A warning label on this electric gyro warns against avoid any shocks or blows to the instrument. I'm lost and was hoping someone in the community might provide some information on this. I'd like to I.D. the device, obtain a manual for it and provide any sort of service the unit calls for. Short of pulling the servo to look for a manufacturer, I don't know what else to do. Even the electric gyro in the tail doesn't have a branding on it. Help!