TruTrak Autopilot

[bradp]

Pecking order for these experimental things seems to be C172/C182, PA-28, beech, mooney


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[peevee]

2 hours ago, bradp said:

Pecking order for these experimental things seems to be C172/C182, PA-28, beech, mooney


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I'm not holding my breath.

[LevelWing]

2 hours ago, bradp said:

Pecking order for these experimental things seems to be C172/C182, PA-28, beech, mooney


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While I would love to see these certified for Mooneys quickly, I'm personally not in a hurry to get one. I'm more excited about the fact that these instruments are being made available to certified aircraft at reasonable prices when compared to the traditional range of available certified autopilots. The corollary will hopefully be other instruments that are widely available in the experimental market getting certified and bringing down the costs.

[J. mitchell]

Done.  Does anyone have any insight as to which autopilot seems the best fit for a Mooney M20C? After reviewing the data both seem to be fairly similar.  Any thoughts here? 

[SkyTrekker]

Done.  

[Gunderbear]

You guys did a GREAT job.  TruTrak called me last week and said that they are about to do the testing and fitting for the first Mooney.  I will keep you updated!

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Gunderbear said:

You guys did a GREAT job.  TruTrak called me last week and said that they are about to do the testing and fitting for the first Mooney.  I will keep you updated!

Wohoo!

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Gunderbear said:

You guys did a GREAT job.  TruTrak called me last week and said that they are about to do the testing and fitting for the first Mooney.  I will keep you updated!

Is yours the first mooney?

[cliffy]

Gunderbear-  YAHOOO!!!

I'll purchase as soon as they are available. Been waiting a long time. I want, I want, I want. 

Cash burning a hole in my pocket for this. 

The Accutrac will go up for sale just as soon as it comes out. 

[LevelWing]

5 hours ago, Gunderbear said:

You guys did a GREAT job.  TruTrak called me last week and said that they are about to do the testing and fitting for the first Mooney.  I will keep you updated!

Awesome! Please keep us updated on how the progress goes.

[Gunderbear]

On 10/31/2017 at 9:28 PM, aviatoreb said:

Is yours the first mooney?

I am trying to push for it to be the first since I am based at the same airport, but I think they are looking at other models than the 65 M20E

[J. mitchell]

I really appreciate you keeping us informed on Trutrak’s progress on certifying their autopilot for our vintage Mooneys.  I spoke with a representative from Garmin at the AOPA Fly-in in Tampa and the Garmin GFC500 won’t be available for us until the 4th quarter of 2018.  

[Wayne Cease]

On 11/5/2017 at 9:19 PM, Gunderbear said:

I am trying to push for it to be the first since I am based at the same airport, but I think they are looking at other models than the 65 M20E

Any updates?

 

[MooneyBob]

1 hour ago, David Herman said:

Done

Done what? 

[Toolman]

Just got off the phone with Corey at Tru trac; (479) 751-0250

Expect June or July time frame.

cost is:

5,000 for everything's except install and you have to pay EAA for the STC since they pushed it through. That is only 100.00

System is 100% self contained. Has GPSS and a track mode, also altitude hold. No other instruments except a GPS to to provide inputs.

In track mode you are able to fly a vector "Victor"

Sales guy said about 20 hours for install. It will follow the magenta line and do the approach, similar to a flight director and for around $7,000 installed.

[cliffy]

Can anyone verify that the D model will be included? Being as so few were made,  Brittian bypassed it on theirs.

 

I've got my hand up for the second one. The race is one.  It will compliment my new interior at the same time  :-)

 

[NJMac]

Where do i send my money to get one? Im in.

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[cliffy]

No jumping the line!  Stay in your own place in line. I'm before you 

. 

 

[Andy95W]

4 hours ago, cliffy said:

Can anyone verify that the D model will be included? Being as so few were made,  Brittian bypassed it on theirs.

I'm wondering about the strength of the servos for the pre-1965 models with the old style curved ailerons.

When the PC system was added in 1965, they had to re-design the ailerons so the servos had enough muscle to move them.  Currently, the only autopilots with enough power to move the old style ailerons is the S-TEC.

I first heard this in 1998 when I added an autopilot to my first Mooney, I most recently heard it from Russell Stalllings a few years ago before he died.

[gacoon]

I dont believe this autopilot supports Heading Mode.  Will work OK for VFR operations, but not so well for IFR where a lot a lot of vectors are based on heading.  Sure you could track the assigned heading, but in any significant wind it would give ATC fits.  I had this autopilot in a VFR experimental and it worked great. 

[Wayne Cease]

22 hours ago, gacoon said:

I dont believe this autopilot supports Heading Mode.  Will work OK for VFR operations, but not so well for IFR where a lot a lot of vectors are based on heading.  Sure you could track the assigned heading, but in any significant wind it would give ATC fits.  I had this autopilot in a VFR experimental and it worked great. 

Looks like both the TruTrak and Trio Avionics Pro Pilot use GPS exclusively.  That's a bummer for those of us that fly IFR.  I know I get lots of vectors on departure and arrival.  Fortunately I live near the zero magnetic deviation line, but winds will still throw things off.  I suppose one could fly manually to the heading, get the ground track for that heading and then set that.  Or flip it and start the track with a good approximation, then adjust the track to match the given heading.  Looks, from the documentation, like both will engage on the current track, so you could get there manually then engage.  Vector updates from there could be adjusted and the AP will turn to track that new track/heading.  Not as simple as setting the heading bug and punching Heading, but doable.

Plus these won't track an ILS.  Not all are overlaid with GPS.  I looked at my home field and while the GPS Z has the same heading/track as the ILS, it does not have an LPV and is 170' higher than the ILS.   Meaning there are ILS approaches that will have to be flown by hand.  Fortunately I practice both autopilot and manual approaches.

Either of these would be a big step up from Positive Control and a huge step up from no autopilot.  Both are significantly more affordable than certified autopilots.

 

Edited January 25, 2018 by Wayne Cease
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