Small GFC 500 Update

[mike_elliott]

On 3/10/2019 at 5:13 PM, Marauder said:

 

I fly with Garmin Pilot showing TargetTrend from the GDL-39 and the L-3 9000 ATAS providing aural warnings based on calculated risk (a lot less false positives).

TargetTrend is a nice feature because as you look at a target, you can tell quickly whether you are overtaking a plane. The vector line will come out of the back of the target display. It also shows the relative motion of the plane. You can see that in the picture below.



We have some congested airspace here in the northeast as Don does in California. I found that TargetTrend is fine to get a quick understanding what traffic is doing around you. What I do care about is what specific plane is a threat.

In this photo, none of these planes were a conflict for me and I never received an aural warning from the L-3. I have however gotten Garmin Pilot warnings which seems to use a different criteria for potential risks. The L-3 has never issued a warning that wasn’t a real threat.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

The L3 active traffic and ACAS is outstanding as you say, Chris. I never had a false positive with it in the airspace around Daytona Beach (check it out for traffic if you want to see busy)

[flyingcheesehead]

On 7/15/2018 at 11:36 AM, MIm20c said:

I can’t believe you’d go without an AP for multiple years to save a few thousand (possibly split multiple ways) on a pitch servo. You might even find the working servo has some value if you switch down the road. If I had to pick between a G5 and a working AP the decision to spend on the old junk would be made before I finished typing this response.  

I would. My avionics shop (who has earned my trust) is scheduled out into 2020, as are pretty much all of the good shops. If something goes wrong with my KFC 150 tomorrow, it's getting its breaker pulled and tied and an INOP sticker thrown on it until such time as I can get (at least) dual G5s and GFC 500 installed.

I've been through the entire system. I've replaced the roll servo, the trim power switch, trim activation switch, overhauled the computer, yadda yadda yadda. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they found that the main gremlin was in the pitch trim servo, and Honeywell/Bendix/King quoted us $9600 for an overhaul exchange! YGBFSM! That's most of the equipment cost for a full-on 4-servo GFC 500!

Luckily, our avionics shop has a guy who's a wizard at component-level repair (he's been doing it 35 years) and managed to resurrect our servo for a tiny fraction of the overhaul quote. So, our autopilot is working... For now. But, we're DONE with B/K's F-U pricing and terrible support. The next time the autopilot even thinks about malfunctioning, it's getting disabled. And if I have to live without a working autopilot for a year or two, so be it. 

[donkaye]

39 minutes ago, flyingcheesehead said:

I would. My avionics shop (who has earned my trust) is scheduled out into 2020, as are pretty much all of the good shops. If something goes wrong with my KFC 150 tomorrow, it's getting its breaker pulled and tied and an INOP sticker thrown on it until such time as I can get (at least) dual G5s and GFC 500 installed.

I've been through the entire system. I've replaced the roll servo, the trim power switch, trim activation switch, overhauled the computer, yadda yadda yadda. The straw that broke the camel's back was when they found that the main gremlin was in the pitch trim servo, and Honeywell/Bendix/King quoted us $9600 for an overhaul exchange! YGBFSM! That's most of the equipment cost for a full-on 4-servo GFC 500!

Luckily, our avionics shop has a guy who's a wizard at component-level repair (he's been doing it 35 years) and managed to resurrect our servo for a tiny fraction of the overhaul quote. So, our autopilot is working... For now. But, we're DONE with B/K's F-U pricing and terrible support. The next time the autopilot even thinks about malfunctioning, it's getting disabled. And if I have to live without a working autopilot for a year or two, so be it. 

If your KFC 150 has a part, servo or otherwise, go bad, now is the perfect time to repair it for almost nothing.  There will be a lot of servos and KC192 computers coming to market in the near future, as people like me go with the GFC 500.  In fact, I'll have some available in a couple of weeks .  I can't imagine flying cross country again without an autopilot.  I've done a number of trips in various E Models many years ago, but no more.  I did have the new purchaser/student to act as the autopilot, though.

[flyingcheesehead]

10 minutes ago, donkaye said:

If your KFC 150 has a part, servo or otherwise, go bad, now is the perfect time to repair it for almost nothing.

Of course it is, now that I've dropped five figures on keeping mine working. 

It's been working flawlessly for the last two years... But it's gonna get replaced. The only reason I would get any used parts for it would be just to keep it going until there's a slot free at the shop for an upgrade.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Agree with Don, there are good components and systems showing up on the used market.

After my KFC225 failed last year I got a “guaranteed working” pitch servo from eBay for around $900.  It worked perfectly.  Then I had the failed servo overhauled at Autopilots Central for $1800: Not cheap but far better than the obscene price from the manufacturer.   

Yes, under 91.213 you may fly a (non-turbine) airplane with the  autopilot disabled and marked.  Few CFII would advise single pilot IMC without a good autopilot.  

[ArtVandelay]

Agree with Don, there are good components and systems showing up on the used market.
After my KFC225 failed last year I got a “guaranteed working” pitch servo from eBay for around $900.  It worked perfectly.  Then I had the failed servo overhauled at Autopilots Central for $1800: Not cheap but far better than the obscene price from the manufacturer.   

I think in the future, servos will be plentiful enough that you’ll be able to skip the overhauls, and just replace with used servos as necessary.


Tom