Auto Pilot add-on axis question

[Mooney13]

I have a Century IIB autopilot that is supposed to be slaved to my Garmin430w...I know this is only one axis. Does anyone know how I can turn this into a 2 axis without having to buy an entire new auto pilot or am i just better off replacing this older technology? Or...is this auto pilot fine and maybe i don't need altitude hold...? I plan to start working on my Inst. rating ina  month or so and I hear they are very helpful...

I have zero experience with auto pilots...in fact have not even attempted to use it yet

thanks for any advice

[alun]

would be interested in this too...!   exactly the same situation.

[Rustler]

Joe--

Take a look here for a similar discussion amongst Piper owners:  http://forums.piperowner.org/read/2/97893

It may not answer all your questions, but it should help some.

 

 

 

[defrkm20j]

Hi guys,

we have the same probleme. A Century IIB.  has no alt hold capability.

The budget solution is a STEC 30 ALT. It provides alt hold only and is a stand alone system.

The STEC 60PSS is more sophisiticated.It has ALT Hold , VS Hold and can follow a glideslope.

You can add an autotrim on top otherwise you will have to trim manually which is no big deal. The system tells you what it wants. 60PSS is as well a stand alone system.

Anyway it is such a simple and old system and I find the price ridicolous and decided to hold the alt myself. i do enough flying with George ;-)

 

Axel

[jttexam]

Is there anyone in The Fort Worth/Dallas Area that owns an aircraft with an S-Tec System 30 ALT that will take me flying in their bird?

I just sold an aircraft and about to pull the trigger on a J Model, but keep running across this Century IIb/S-Tec System 30ALT combo.  All of the aircraft that I have considered are on one of the far coasts and I would rather not take on the expense and time of travelling 1000 miles just to test fly something and come home empty handed if I'm not pleased.

I'm sure that there is something here that I am missing, which is why I need to put my hands on one, but I keep finding many posts in different message boards of people stating "...you just have to keep it in trim, which is no big deal...".  The last aircraft that I owned that did not have altitude hold, you just kept it trimmed, and it was no big deal.  If a pilot spends that much time monitoring manual/manual electric trim, he/she essentially is the altitude hold.  In reality, what is the difference in monitoring a couple of annunciators and monitoring your altimiter, besides $8,000.00?  My next questions is what is the point of a pitch servo when there is no vertical control or glideslope coupling?  Is it just there to act secondary to the pilots manual trim inputs? Am I the only one with these concerns?

Help straighten me out guys, any and all input is welcome.

Thanks

[KSMooniac]

I have an S-Tec 30 with altitude hold and GPSS in my J.  Is that what you are specifically wanting to demo, or the Century + S-Tec altitude combo?  I do fly down to McKinney somewhat regularly.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with the S-Tec system in my plane.  The GPSS + WAAS GPS is a wonderful combo and takes most of the hard work out of instrument flying and make single-pilot IFR much safer IMO.  The altitude hold works very well, and allows you to divert your attention to other tasks.  If the pitch force required to maintain altitude exceeds a threshold value, it will honk at you to re-trim, so you don't need to closely monitor your altitude once it is engaged.  Best of all, the System 30 lives in the turn coordinator to save space and weight, AND it does not rely on an expensive attitude indicator to work, so if you lose vacuum or your AI it will continue to function. 

[Cruiser]

I too find it easy to depend on the AP for flight in IFR conditions. I also find that it makes me rusty and somewhat frustrated when I do hand fly the plane. I have made it a point to always hand fly on the instruments at some point in the flight just to keep the confidence up and stay sharp on the controls.

Spending too much time with the AP on can make you a very sloppy pilot if you need to hand fly as some point.

[The-sky-captain]

Very true Cruiser. I have the Stec 30 Alt and I love it for cross country flying. It does make life easier in the clouds but my IFR instructor only lets me use it every 4th approach so I keep my hand flying skills up. It with the 430 really makes the approaches and holds a breeze.