Need replacement trim servo for M20K! ($$)

[AndyFromCB]

Quick update, Kent at Bevan Rabell couldn't find anything but recommended Capital Avionics in FL. My guy here also had them on his to-call list and will try tomorrow. He's also going to try Autopilots Central in Tulsa.

 

He also remembered a place he used to work with in CA and they can do a rebuild for $2000 and turn it around in a day or two. That wouldn't be so bad.

 

Flying today with the trim intermittent was certainly a joy. Can't wait to have this fixed. Oh and my GMX 200 rebooted during an RNAV approach. Hope that's not another big expense coming down the line.

 

Will update as this plays out.

 

GMX-200 rebooting for no apparent reason is quite normal. Believe it or not, it runs on Windows XP. It really is not a Garmin product, but an inherited/updated UPS/Apolo MX-20.

 

As to Capitol Avionics, if anyone can do it, they can. They've rebuild my pitch servo for KFC150 a few months ago for like $1800. 

 

Welcome to the airplane world where shit breaks all the time, nobody can tell you how much it will be to fix it and you get blank stares when you question a $10K bill ;-)

 

KFC-150 is one of the finest autopilots ever built when it works and from my experience, the overall system has a MTBF of about 200hours before writing a $2000 to $4000 check so about $20 to $40 a flight hour to keep it working. 

[ArtVandelay]

GMX-200 rebooting for no apparent reason is quite normal. Believe it or not, it runs on Windows XP.

Actually it runs Windows NT, the ATM machines used to run OS/2, sometimes is just better not knowing

[nickmatic]

GMX-200 rebooting for no apparent reason is quite normal. Believe it or not, it runs on Windows XP. It really is not a Garmin product, but an inherited/updated UPS/Apolo MX-20.

That's actually a relief to hear, strangely

 

As to Capitol Avionics, if anyone can do it, they can. They've rebuild my pitch servo for KFC150 a few months ago for like $1800.

Never got through to them or a call back. We could have waited a bit more but went with Vista since my A&P has done work with them before and they were ready to go and promised a quick turnaround.

 

Welcome to the airplane world where shit breaks all the time, nobody can tell you how much it will be to fix it and you get blank stares when you question a $10K bill ;-)

 

KFC-150 is one of the finest autopilots ever built when it works and from my experience, the overall system has a MTBF of about 200hours before writing a $2000 to $4000 check so about $20 to $40 a flight hour to keep it working.

Good way to budget it out over time I do love the KFC-150 though. Painful love...

[AndyFromCB]

Capitol Avionics is good for one major reason. They are the ones that actually designed all the test gear for Bendix/King in the 1980's and early 1990's. 

[AndyFromCB]

Actually it runs Windows NT, the ATM machines used to run OS/2, sometimes is just better not knowing

 

Actually, I think you might be wrong here. MX-20 run on NT but I'm pretty positive GMX-200 runs on XP embedded…Hence I believe MX-20 was a better product, all be i, much slower. NT was actually a decent operating system. XP, while fine for desktop, never really amounted to much for embedded systems. Don't ask me how I know and why I have so much gray hair at 35.

[nickmatic]

Quick update. Vista evaluated the servo and indeed the motor is bad. However, they had assumed it was a Globe motor and originally quoted on that, but it's a Pitman motor. They have a new Pitman motor with 1 year warranty for $2000, plus their charge $415 for the change, test, and recertify. More than the $2000 max they promised but whatcha gonna do? I'm happy that it's a new motor with a warranty. Hope to have it back wednesday morning.

[flyboy0681]

 

Last year the trim switch on my yoke went bad and needed to be replaced.  Where it was $400 just a few years ago I was told, the direct from King price was last year $2500.  For a tiny switch.  

 

 

 

I paid $900 last year for a brand new switch. I'm wondering if the shop that quoted you $2500 thought they had a sucker in their sights.

[aviatoreb]

I called several shops and got that price but found one new old stock for much less - on my own leg work.

[nickmatic]

Finally got to fly with the new servo and all is well. Nice not having to reach down to feel whether the trim is moving... now it's super responsive

 

Motor: $2415

Remove/Replace Labor: $472.50

[kortopates]

Does your GMX-200 have XM weather? If so there is a known buffer overflow bug causing crashes for all installations. Its been a known bug for over a year now and the fix won't be out till end of the year, or so we hope. You can email the error ID to Garmin for confirmation. If that is the problem, the work around is to keep it on a page that does not display weather while you really can't afford to see it crash. For example while doing approaches, you can put it on the IFR map page and it will still display approach charts, but the custom map page has access to wx so that page will still allow it to crash.

[nickmatic]

Does your GMX-200 have XM weather? If so there is a known buffer overflow bug causing crashes for all installations. Its been a known bug for over a year now and the fix won't be out till end of the year, or so we hope. You can email the error ID to Garmin for confirmation. If that is the problem, the work around is to keep it on a page that does not display weather while you really can't afford to see it crash. For example while doing approaches, you can put it on the IFR map page and it will still display approach charts, but the custom map page has access to wx so that page will still allow it to crash.

Paul - I literally just now read about that somewhere by coincidence. Wasn't even searching for it. That was indeed most likely the issue. I'll remember to put it in IFR mode on approach next time as I do have XM weather. Thanks!