TruTrak Autopilot Pre Order's / Status Update

[Bob R]

10 hours ago, MIm20c said:

Might be worth dropping the price on certain repair items, like replacement screens for 155/165’s or servo parts for your AP’s, to gain a massive amount of good will and positive outlook going forward. 

Might be worth getting the STC done on the short body Mooney's without raising the price. We have been promised them for almost 2 years.

[BarkerBK]

11 hours ago, Bob R said:

Might be worth getting the STC done on the short body Mooney's without raising the price. We have been promised them for almost 2 years.

I'm working to get you folks timing on when the Mooney's are going to be certified, but I can tell that the certified package will remain at $5100 including the STC. 

[cliffy]

If we ever meet, the meal is on me!

[Bob R]

2 hours ago, PearceBK said:

I'm working to get you folks timing on when the Mooney's are going to be certified, but I can tell that the certified package will remain at $5100 including the STC. 

That would be great and I truly hope we get a release date we can rely on.

[MBDiagMan]

I would be absolutely beside myself if this AP were actually certified for my F.  Maxwell has done a great job putting together the plane and when I bought it a year ago I just assumed it would soon have an autopilot and I set money aside for it.  The only serious disappointment with the plane has been the lack of an AP.  Getting the TT installed would make it everything I expected.

Out of frustration I might have been unfair to TT.  I am all about giving a second chance to TT after their fresh start with King.  If King sets a date and meets the date at the expected price, I will be a promoter with the same energy level I used as a detractor.  I will be showing people my autopilot and promoting for you..

If King gives a date and delivers close to that date, I will be writing positive things about King.

Oh, and BTW, you come through on this Steve and Cliffy won’t be the only one offering a meal.  Put me on that list too!

[Jeev]

As Pierce noted the guys at TT have also confirmed that it will be $5000 retail plus the $100 STC.  Whenever they get the approval I will be paying for the STC ($100), the shipping ($50) and giving an additional $50 off making the total with STC, shipped in the CONUS $4,950.  If you would like to be on my pre order list please email your N number, model Mooney, name, address, phone and what controller you want, there is no money due till it is approved and we place your order.  Now all we need is an approval . 

sanjeev@wolfaviationsales.com

[BarkerBK]

Status update time: 

We are finished with the initial installation design on the M20E, but are working to ensure model compatibility to capture as many of the M20 models as possible. Flight testing still needs to be completed and the paperwork needs to be drafted and sent to the FAA. The goal is to have everything done and the paperwork submitted to the FAA by the end of October. 

One thing to note is we will not be compatible with the wood wing Mooneys. 

I appreciate everyone's patience and I'll continue to provide updates on what's going on. 

Cheers, 

Steve

[MIm20c]

4 minutes ago, PearceBK said:

Status update time: 

I appreciate everyone's patience and I'll continue to provide updates on what's going on. 

Cheers, 

Steve

Thanks for the update. I was told (at OSH) the paperwork for the aspen/g5 interface was already submitted. Can you confirm that this has been done?

[BarkerBK]

31 minutes ago, MIm20c said:

Thanks for the update. I was told (at OSH) the paperwork for the aspen/g5 interface was already submitted. Can you confirm that this has been done?

Yes, I can confirm that the Aspen/G5 interface paperwork has been submitted, and the software release is expected shortly. 

[Navi]

 Hi Steve!

OK …… I will throw a thought or two in here..  (Background... I am a private pilot and aircraft owner, but retired from a lifetime in business (s) and consulting)

Your new product, the TT Vizion/AeroCruise, is a remarkably good piece of equipment. (I have been flying it for 17 months).... But not many realise how close it is to being a market killer...

BK has acquired an individual (Andrew) and an amazing team that surprised everybody.  It is not a reach to presume that there are about twice the number of TT autopilots being installed these days as ALL OTHER BRANDS combined. But I will assume that your corporate people know this ..

What is NOT considered often is how close it is to being an exceptional product..

TT have the Autotrim figured out... they know how, and the Vizion software and mechanicals are almost ready now..

IAS Select  is only a software change, everything else is already there..... (needs STC)

Operation below 700 feet only has to be tested and approved...

(These features were omitted for fast STC approval , a good corporate decision BTW)

The Aspen<>TT interface is considered the "sweet spot" combination by so many waiting...

Integration with the AeroVue touch would be another sweet combo... but the BK reputation will have to improve to get substantial market interest (your presence here will help a lot!)  (Supporting your dealers with manuals and parts again will be the biggest step to fixing this)

If  BKs expertise and investment can deal with these items... and add these features to the existing..  (!) (I would order ALL of these upgrades)  …...well, probably best to ramp up the production capacity first and get the backlog under control, but I see an amazing opportunity here..

So there it is, some information that I fully accept you may already have... but , in case you don't... 

I think this is an incredible corporate opportunity for BK <> TruTrak. Andrew lives and breathes autopilots and he is now on your team. Don't let your people mess this one up.... You guys could rip up this market…

FWIW...

N

Edited August 22, 2019 by Navi
Typo

[carusoam]

Easy question for Steve...

What made the wood wing Mooneys fall out of contention?

We have a few M20A owners around here that may want to know...

Best regards,

-a-

[DustinNwind]

21 hours ago, PearceBK said:

Status update time: 

We are finished with the initial installation design on the M20E, but are working to ensure model compatibility to capture as many of the M20 models as possible. Flight testing still needs to be completed and the paperwork needs to be drafted and sent to the FAA. The goal is to have everything done and the paperwork submitted to the FAA by the end of October. 

One thing to note is we will not be compatible with the wood wing Mooneys. 

I appreciate everyone's patience and I'll continue to provide updates on what's going on. 

Cheers, 

Steve

Pearce, thank you for the update! Is there a lead time on this?  

[BarkerBK]

On 8/22/2019 at 1:55 PM, DustinNwind said:

Pearce, thank you for the update! Is there a lead time on this?  

We are working with the TT folks to help them clear their current backlog of orders, but I don't expect that to be done by the time the Mooney's are ready. From my understanding most people are seeing a 60+ day lead time at the moment, I'm expecting the time to be decreased by the time October rolls around. 

Short answer: I think there still will be a lead time, just not sure what are this point. 

I'll continue to update as we get closer to submitting the STC.  

Cheers, 

Steve

[Hank]

On 8/26/2019 at 6:11 PM, PearceBK said:

We are working with the TT folks to help them clear their current backlog of orders, but I don't expect that to be done by the time the Mooney's are ready. From my understanding most people are seeing a 60+ day lead time at the moment, I'm expecting the time to be decreased by the time October rolls around. 

Short answer: I think there still will be a lead time, just not sure what are this point. 

I'll continue to update as we get closer to submitting the STC.  

Cheers, 

Steve

Thanks, Steve. Many of us are waiting for the Vintage Mooneys to be approved, and afe hoping that BK maintains the original pricing intent. 

Waiting with bated breath and some worry . . . .

[Browncbr1]

On 8/21/2019 at 7:17 PM, PearceBK said:

Yes, I can confirm that the Aspen/G5 interface paperwork has been submitted, and the software release is expected shortly. 

Will dual G5’s be able to drive the AP heading, GPSs, alt hold, alt preselect, vertical speed?    And would it interface via GAD29B?

[Sandman993]

As I understand it, the autopilot could simply hook up to your gps for course etc... but beyond that, it doesn’t need anything to drive it. The altitude pre select and hold is baked in the unit.

the garmin needs one g5 at minimum and then can only do part of what it’s designed for... so to get all the goodies, the first 10k you’ll spend is for 2) g5’s installed price... 

[BarkerBK]

7 hours ago, Browncbr1 said:

Will dual G5’s be able to drive the AP heading, GPSs, alt hold, alt preselect, vertical speed?    And would it interface via GAD29B?

The G5, single or dual, sends the following things to the autopilot:

• Baro corrected altitude
• Heading bug command
• Altitude bug command (this works for select and hold)

There is not a vertical speed bug or GPSS output to the autopilot. 

Yes, the GAD29 is where the ARINC 429 signals come from.

[Navi]

What is coming in the Aspen E5 Interface Steve?

Nav

[NJMac]

Just saw they released this video on the book face. Congrats on the progress!  

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by NJMac

[BarkerBK]

Beat me to it @NJMac with the good news. 

I appreciate the support folks, and I'll continue to update in regards to the Mooney STC. 

Cheers, 

Steve

[cliffy]

Now we can work on the Mooney STC :-) :-) :-)

[Browncbr1]

20 hours ago, PearceBK said:

The G5, single or dual, sends the following things to the autopilot:

• Baro corrected altitude
• Heading bug command
• Altitude bug command (this works for select and hold)

There is not a vertical speed bug or GPSS output to the autopilot. 

Yes, the GAD29 is where the ARINC 429 signals come from.

Noted, for the AP to follow GPSs, I would have to select gps on the G5, which is fine.  It’s how I currently do it anyhow. 

[McMooney]

After 10+ hours of ifr flying over two days with a broken autopilot ( brittain ),  I've come to the conclusion the first new AP Avail, gets my money.  Trio, Trutrak, Garmin come on guys step it up.  Can't believe how tired I was after 5+ hour legs.  

[jamesm]

I would NOT be betting on Garmin GFC 500 for the next approved AP for the short body Mooney's (C & E models).  I looked on Garmin's website the other  day in the currently and future Airframe models  for the short body Mooney's slipped AGAIN now  to number five on list. who knew that the market for C-172RG have more of market share and demand than C&E model Mooney's. If I were a gambling guy I  think I  probably put money on the Spruce Goose before any chance a short body Mooney's have legitimate actually being approved for the GFC 500. If Garmin does get the GFC500 approved ( using the term 'if' real loosely) for the short body  Mooney's it will on tail of Garmin releasing GFC 500's replacement once it has reached end of life.

 

[Sandman993]

12 hours ago, McMooney said:

After 10+ hours of ifr flying over two days with a broken autopilot ( brittain ),  I've come to the conclusion the first new AP Avail, gets my money.  Trio, Trutrak, Garmin come on guys step it up.  Can't believe how tired I was after 5+ hour legs.  

FAA helping you fly safer by acting like the FDA. Good thing we had the part 23 rewrite...sarc 

The garmin is likely to cost almost as much as your plane. The trio ain’t gonna happen (Mooney space hammered their engineer and he walked away)... so it’s tru trak you’re waiting on. Wild guessing, I figure 1st quarter, but dog years and aviation years aren’t the same apples.