Brittain Autopilot Systems

[outermarker]

Thanks for the “gentle” correction on rotation and clarification on the box. This is a great group. I don’t have any Mooney owners near me to learn from. I have a 65’ E that I’m viewing as a college 050 course, you pay for the course but don’t get the credit...you do get a lot of knowledge however!

Edited August 16, 2020 by outermarker

[outermarker]

I wanted to take this moment to say that I am really a newbie when it comes to learning and maintaining a pre-201 Mooney. This years effort has been learning and rebuilding the Positive Control system and then the Accu-Flite and Accu-Trac systems. My posts have reflected ignorance and innocence. Without experience or someone with experience to consult with, well, you know, your sorta lost in the wilderness looking for Moses. My Moses(s) have been Cecilia who still responds to emails and KEVIN WESTBROOK. Kevin, I was told worked for Brittain for decades. I would like to say that Kevin can help if you have questions about your Brittain systems. Kevin's phone number is: 1.918.521.5139.

albert

 

[carusoam]

Great pirep, albert!

Thanks for sharing the details...

Best regards,

-a-

[Raymond J1]

I resurrect this post, filled with good informations. But what has become of Brittain industries since 2018 ? Kevin and Cecilia are part of the community, what happens to this capital of knowledge ? Thank you.

[Raymond J1]

Pour me corriger si j'écris des bêtises ...

Dans le système d'origine B6 Groupe 1, la référence de cap est donnée par le capteur BI 102, qui peut effectivement être remplacé par une vanne de débit, voir un directionnel avec sorties analogiques ou un HSI / RMI dont nous exploitons également les informations de cap. Même s'il n'est pas encore certifié.

Dans le contrôleur b601 ou b603, les informations du capteur de cap sont utilisées avec tous les modes: en "Capture" Le nouveau cap est intercepté à 45 ° et à la vitesse 1; En "HDG" nous suivons l'itinéraire avec des corrections limitées à 30 ° (l'interception classique d'un QDM); en mode «Tracking», on suit un itinéraire radio avec limitation en cadence 1 et 30 ° ... La sécurité de la poursuite étant la bascule automatique en mode «HDG», d'où la recommandation de Brittain de prérégler le HDG du panneau B6 sur le parcours à suivre pour garder la route (donc avec correction de dérive possible). Enfin, en mode "LOC", utile pour suivre un QFU, avec des excursions limitées à 3 ° de la route, le taux de virage est limité à 1/2 et 5 ° d'inclinaison maximale, là encore, le boîtier passe automatiquement en HDG si on perdre le signal. I understand that the Brittain, before being configured to track a radial VOR was used to track a Locator QDM (exploitation of the analog outputs of the ADF RMI).

Je suis bon sur tout?

Edited November 27, 2020 by Raymond J

[cliffy]

The best I can do at translation of the above   :-)

 

To correct myself if I write nonsense ... In the original B6 Group 1 system, the heading reference is given by the BI 102 sensor, which can effectively be replaced by a flow valve, see a directional with analog outputs or an HSI / RMI from which we also use the information of cap. Even if it is not yet certified. In the b601 or b603 controller, the information from the heading sensor is used with all the modes: in "Capture" The new heading is intercepted at 45 ° and at speed 1; In "HDG" we follow the route with corrections limited to 30 ° (the classic interception of a QDM); in "Tracking" mode, we follow a radio route with limitation in cadence 1 and 30 ° ... The safety of the pursuit being the automatic switch to "HDG" mode, hence Brittain's recommendation to preset the HDG of the panel B6 on the course to be followed to keep the road (therefore with possible drift correction). Finally, in "LOC" mode, useful for following a QFU, with excursions limited to 3 ° from the road, the rate of turn is limited to 1/2 and 5 ° of maximum inclination, again, the box automatically switches in HDG if you lose the signal. I understand that the Brittain, before being configured to track a radial VOR was used to track a Locator QDM (exploitation of the analog outputs of the ADF RMI). Am I good at everything?

[drapo]

55 minutes ago, cliffy said:

The best I can do at translation of the above   :-)

 

To correct myself if I write nonsense ... In the original B6 Group 1 system, the heading reference is given by the BI 102 sensor, which can effectively be replaced by a flow valve, see a directional with analog outputs or an HSI / RMI from which we also use the information of cap. Even if it is not yet certified. In the b601 or b603 controller, the information from the heading sensor is used with all the modes: in "Capture" The new heading is intercepted at 45 ° and at speed 1; In "HDG" we follow the route with corrections limited to 30 ° (the classic interception of a QDM); in "Tracking" mode, we follow a radio route with limitation in cadence 1 and 30 ° ... The safety of the pursuit being the automatic switch to "HDG" mode, hence Brittain's recommendation to preset the HDG of the panel B6 on the course to be followed to keep the road (therefore with possible drift correction). Finally, in "LOC" mode, useful for following a QFU, with excursions limited to 3 ° from the road, the rate of turn is limited to 1/2 and 5 ° of maximum inclination, again, the box automatically switches in HDG if you lose the signal. I understand that the Brittain, before being configured to track a radial VOR was used to track a Locator QDM (exploitation of the analog outputs of the ADF RMI). Am I good at everything?

Impressionnant! Vous êtes engagé!

[cliffy]

 

Je vous donne mon salut monsieur

[Raymond J1]

It is true that the most important thing is to understand yourself... Thank you for your translation.

[carusoam]

The Mooney world has spread across a few Continents...

Uses several languages...

Can have deep conversations about speed and efficiency while traversing a few time zones in a day...

We have MSers from Canada to Brazil...

Northern Europe down to South Africa...

Australia and New Zeeland have checked in from time to time...

A couple of MSers check in when they are in Japan...

I recently found a Mooniac in Japan (via YouTube!)... but haven’t seen him check in yet...

One MSer posted a round the Atlantic tour in his Mooney... all in French. A fantastic read!  
 

Find the post, it comes in two parts... the Google translation is really inspiring... in the native tongue it must be beyond spectacular!

Best regards,

-a-

[outermarker]

Over the past few years, being a newbie Mooney owner, I have asked a lot of questions as I have learned about my Mooney. I have been taking and not giving back. So, now I feel I have something to give back.

This is what I have learned this year.

1. Replacing non-working post lights (from turning the base when they become loose) is expensive and a time consuming challenge depending on the location of the broken post. It is far better spend the time to open the radio access panels, remove radios or instrument(s) if necessary to get to the nut and tighten it. The wire that provides current to the bulb breaks easily if rotated in an attempt to tighten a loose post light.

2. If the positive control system leaks then forget about getting an AcctTrak or AccuFlite system working. Brittain at one time sold a kit that replaced the servo seal (rubber cup) and O-ring with instructions on how to achieve an air tight seal to maintain a good positive control system. The photos posted show that when the previous owner(s) replaced the servo seals they obviously didn’t read the directions. On two servos the servo seal was tied with twine, no tape! This was never going to be a good seal! One servo had been sealed with the proper tape, still not according to directions and leaked. The remaining servo was taped properly but had a tear & pinholes. I had nothing that was ever going to work in its current state.

I tried to buy new servo seals but I couldn’t locate any. With nothing to loose I decided to use the Flex-seal product. I know it sounds bush league, but I bought a can that you paint on in thin coats and a spray can which applies a much thicker coating. I repaired the pin holes and small tears with the same tape that is used to seal the O-ring. For a tear I taped the inside and outside of the servo seal by using tape coverage 10x the size of the area to be corrected. For the inside I painted a thin coating over the entire area, again coating an area 10x greater than the tape. On the outside I used the same procedure only using the thicker product in the spray can.

After drying for 24 hours, that is 24 hours when I did the inside, then another 24 hours when I did the outside I then taped the servo seal O-ring. To test for a good seal I attached a hose to the fitting and applied a light suction from a brake bleeder pump and watched the gauge for a vacuum drop. At first I couldn’t get a good seal, it’s a developed skill. After re-taping a few times I sort of got the hang of how much pressure to place on the tape to get a good seal.

Since the system is a vacuum system, the servo seal is pulled tight against the metal piston. This has the potential to give a false positive indication. So, I put the servo into a container (sauce pot) with water and applied a slight positive pressure to the servo and checked for air leaks. With no leaks I was ready to put the servo back into service. Still, I had no idea if the Flex-seal would hold, or at very cold temperatures.

There is a procedure on checking for leaks in the tubing, which I also did. I also cut new ends and put on new fittings. Taking the servos out are a real pain on vintage Mooney’s. I understand that there on some Mooney's there is a small hole if you lift the aileron which allows you easy access to remove the nut that holds the servo making the job simple, so check to see if you have an access hole. I didn’t have it so I paid the price in pain. It’s also best to be alone when taking out the servo. I have used words that surprised me, none positive either.

There are also some mechanical parts that need attention. For this I contacted Kevin Westbrook, a decades old former Brittain employee. Kevin serviced the parts at a very reasonable price and the turn around time was very short. I posted Kevin’s phone number in a prior post.

I then sent my radios and HSI to St. Cloud Avionics to have them checked. Again, very fair on price and quick turn around time. Ask for Chad. One thing that caught me was I found a King KA-52 adapter module. This interfaces the Brittain system with the King radios. Adjustments to the Brittain system is done within this box.

So, with all the vintage radios gone over, the question was would the servos hold up in all flight conditions. I had made a half dozen one hour test flights during the summer and everything worked as it should. But now with winter here I went on a long trip to check the positive control system, Accutrak and AccuFlite systems. At altitude (i.e. cold temp) from Illinois to Florida and points in between. A total of 18 flight hours within seven days and between 3-4 hour legs. That is a lot of flexing of the servo seals at different temperatures.  I’m happy to say that all is well and sound. I’ll be the first to buy new servo seals should they ever become available again, but for now, after 30 hours of servo seal flexing, I’m happy. I hope this helps others who want to get this wonderful system back online.

albert

[carusoam]

Great details, Albert!

Nice pics, and halo!

-a-

This may be a bit easier to read...

 

[Raymond J1]

On my 67F, Brittain company's LSA 4 servos (the Mooney PC system is Brittain Industries '# 4 "Lateral Stability Augmentation" system) was reinforced with 3/4 electrical tape, as per your explanations. The following image is the left side rudder servo in the tail cone, disconnected from the tube control. In this photo, the Strip is visible. On the post, my request is for the controller system, not pour for the "positiv control", checked before and ok now. My route is the same as yours, I had to change all the eastman pneumatic connectors, all the rilsan tubes (red for left and green for right), and rebuild the roller diaphragms. For this, together with a molded rubber specialist friend, we rebuilt all silicone rubber roller diaphragms. The first test was carried out on the actuator of the retract step system, because the course and diameter are the largest. I will describe this renovation operation on the specific post on "Mooney positiv control".

 

[outermarker]

In search of....I'm looking for a used i.e. cheap, VOR ground test box.

 

 

 

 

thanks!

[carusoam]

On 12/5/2020 at 4:33 AM, Raymond J said:

On my 67F, Brittain company's LSA 4 servos (the Mooney PC system is Brittain Industries '# 4 "Lateral Stability Augmentation" system) was reinforced with 3/4 electrical tape, as per your explanations. The following image is the left side rudder servo in the tail cone, disconnected from the tube control. In this photo, the Strip is visible. On the post, my request is for the controller system, not pour for the "positiv control", checked before and ok now. My route is the same as yours, I had to change all the eastman pneumatic connectors, all the rilsan tubes (red for left and green for right), and rebuild the roller diaphragms. For this, together with a molded rubber specialist friend, we rebuilt all silicone rubber roller diaphragms. The first test was carried out on the actuator of the retract step system, because the course and diameter are the largest. I will describe this renovation operation on the specific post on "Mooney positiv control".

 

JR,

Do you have any details regarding the silicone rubber roller diaphragms..?

There is a shortage of rubber diaphragms used in the Brittain servos...

I’m not sure if we are discussing the same thing...

 

But, if you have a method of making the rubber parts that other people need...

There is a process that can be followed to make “user supplied” parts...

Got any pics of the rubber parts you have made?

That will answer a bunch of questions... and probably ask a few more...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[Raymond J1]

As a preamble, like many of you, I am sorry for what happens to Brittain industries, the worst is the lack of information and the hypothetical hope for a better future. I have a deep respect for Cecilia and the team trying to get back up the slope, so I wouldn't want to hurt their efforts.
However, I have the will to return my 20 F to its strict original condition, as this is enough for the exploitation I envision and the technical solutions used by Mooney at the time are proven, so there is nothing to change. There are many parts whose supply is difficult, you talk about the servo drop-down membranes (this is the exact name in French, at home it is called "Rolling membrane"), but there is also the air inlet bellows, that of the depth trim, the interior plastics,...

In France with my " F " I'am alone in the world, clone to Tom Hanks on his island. There were only 4 "F" from before 1974 imported to us, the others are "E" or "J". The only "B" that flies from us is a "collector". I work for the machine tool industry, I am quite well equipped in industrial means and I have many partners and suppliers specialized in their field. Naturally, so I studied these rare parts and considered what is the simplest for me : remanufacturing.

To answer your question, Brittain membranes are a specific manufacture that goes a little beyond the industrial standard. By this I mean that the stroke /diameter ratio is particularly important. If you look at the servo step, you will see a diameter of 4"(102 mm) for a stroke of 8" 3/16 (208 mm), which is a deployment ratio greater than 2. For the running board, part of the run is done without load traction, this to organize the winding of the membrane without stress. As for the actuators of the "PC" (in wing and the tail cône), the ratio is less.

In the industrial field, the leader of this technology is "Marsh Bellofram". This supplier's catalog shows that what it does best is Class 2 giving a ratio of 1.12... This peculiarity explains that our membranes are made of rubber without reinforcing fabric, that the thickness is tiny, to age better, to be more flexible and that this thickness varies in some places to "organize" the winding. Brittain's chosen material is "Nitrile", a synthetic rubber. Today, silicone makes it possible to achieve the same performance, and it is simpler to implement. With a friend who specializes in contact molding, I made tools and we remanufactured several silicone diaphragms, identical to Brittain's. For the running board, it's ok, for the wing actuators, there is a small test bench or an actuator pulls a spring, we perform at this time and for 1 year fatigue tests, a small automate drive a solenoid valve, which simulates a flight of 5 hours per day with alternating stresses. the membrane is currently at 530,000 cycles, it is not yet torn.

This is my situation today, I have to consider the possibility of mounting these parts on my " F " with approval from the authority, this to keep my ICAO CDN. Currently, only the membrane of my running board was damaged, the servos of the PC system were in very good condition, but I have to project myself into the future.

In the coming weeks I would put the plans of the diaphragms in the Download section, but I will seek approval from Brittain's owner.

[carusoam]

Great details shared!

Thanks JR!

Best regards,

-a-

[takair]

11 hours ago, Raymond J said:

As a preamble, like many of you, I am sorry for what happens to Brittain industries, the worst is the lack of information and the hypothetical hope for a better future. I have a deep respect for Cecilia and the team trying to get back up the slope, so I wouldn't want to hurt their efforts.
However, I have the will to return my 20 F to its strict original condition, as this is enough for the exploitation I envision and the technical solutions used by Mooney at the time are proven, so there is nothing to change. There are many parts whose supply is difficult, you talk about the servo drop-down membranes (this is the exact name in French, at home it is called "Rolling membrane"), but there is also the air inlet bellows, that of the depth trim, the interior plastics,...

In France with my " F " I'am alone in the world, clone to Tom Hanks on his island. There were only 4 "F" from before 1974 imported to us, the others are "E" or "J". The only "B" that flies from us is a "collector". I work for the machine tool industry, I am quite well equipped in industrial means and I have many partners and suppliers specialized in their field. Naturally, so I studied these rare parts and considered what is the simplest for me : remanufacturing.

To answer your question, Brittain membranes are a specific manufacture that goes a little beyond the industrial standard. By this I mean that the stroke /diameter ratio is particularly important. If you look at the servo step, you will see a diameter of 4"(102 mm) for a stroke of 8" 3/16 (208 mm), which is a deployment ratio greater than 2. For the running board, part of the run is done without load traction, this to organize the winding of the membrane without stress. As for the actuators of the "PC" (in wing and the tail cône), the ratio is less.

In the industrial field, the leader of this technology is "Marsh Bellofram". This supplier's catalog shows that what it does best is Class 2 giving a ratio of 1.12... This peculiarity explains that our membranes are made of rubber without reinforcing fabric, that the thickness is tiny, to age better, to be more flexible and that this thickness varies in some places to "organize" the winding. Brittain's chosen material is "Nitrile", a synthetic rubber. Today, silicone makes it possible to achieve the same performance, and it is simpler to implement. With a friend who specializes in contact molding, I made tools and we remanufactured several silicone diaphragms, identical to Brittain's. For the running board, it's ok, for the wing actuators, there is a small test bench or an actuator pulls a spring, we perform at this time and for 1 year fatigue tests, a small automate drive a solenoid valve, which simulates a flight of 5 hours per day with alternating stresses. the membrane is currently at 530,000 cycles, it is not yet torn.

This is my situation today, I have to consider the possibility of mounting these parts on my " F " with approval from the authority, this to keep my ICAO CDN. Currently, only the membrane of my running board was damaged, the servos of the PC system were in very good condition, but I have to project myself into the future.

In the coming weeks I would put the plans of the diaphragms in the Download section, but I will seek approval from Brittain's owner.

Would you offer these as owner produced parts?  Or Perhaps as a supplier to Brittain?  Either way, it would be nice to know that there is a supply.  Do you have the altitude hold servo in your aircraft as well?  It is 5” diameter.

[Raymond J1]

7 hours ago, takair said:

Souhaitez-vous les offrir en tant que pièces produites par le propriétaire? Ou peut-être en tant que fournisseur de Brittain? Quoi qu'il en soit, il serait bon de savoir qu'il y a une offre. Avez-vous également le servo de maintien d'altitude dans votre avion? Il a un diamètre de 5 ”.

In the EASA space, the pilot-owner status of a normal category CDN does not provide for the installation of non-PMA parts (it is possible under "CDNR" (collector aircraft)). For my own machine, I am therefore forced to have the replacement part approved by the authority. The other alternative is to mount the part, then have the installation tested by an approved structure avionic that will issue a release certificate for the entire installation. As it stands, I am simply considering providing myself with replacement membranes and being able to keep my PC system in flight even if Brittain disappears.

I think Brittain could have engaged in the process of manufacturing silicone membranes without problems, because it is not very expensive as an investment. In addition, the molding of nitrile has also been simplified. With slightly larger volumes, it was possible to do too. So my current thinking is that Brittain is not looking for suppliers. But I can be wrong.

In the Mooney community, can we already know how many would be interested in membranes ?

My 67F doesn't have the Brittain group III option, just the group I without the "hold altitude" function. But the manufacture of a tooling is easy, if you have a model membrane to make the plans, it is possible to follow the same approach for this part.

[takair]

8 hours ago, Raymond J said:

In the EASA space, the pilot-owner status of a normal category CDN does not provide for the installation of non-PMA parts (it is possible under "CDNR" (collector aircraft)). For my own machine, I am therefore forced to have the replacement part approved by the authority. The other alternative is to mount the part, then have the installation tested by an approved structure avionic that will issue a release certificate for the entire installation. As it stands, I am simply considering providing myself with replacement membranes and being able to keep my PC system in flight even if Brittain disappears.

I think Brittain could have engaged in the process of manufacturing silicone membranes without problems, because it is not very expensive as an investment. In addition, the molding of nitrile has also been simplified. With slightly larger volumes, it was possible to do too. So my current thinking is that Brittain is not looking for suppliers. But I can be wrong.

In the Mooney community, can we already know how many would be interested in membranes ?

My 67F doesn't have the Brittain group III option, just the group I without the "hold altitude" function. But the manufacture of a tooling is easy, if you have a model membrane to make the plans, it is possible to follow the same approach for this part.

I would be interested in a set of spares.  I have some spares, but they are likely over 20 years old....so their longevity is unknown.  
 

Knowing you could make the altitude hold servos is good.  I am hoping to get some years out of them, but they are fragile and can suffer from maintenance induced damage too.

thanks for sharing your knowledge.  We would love to see pictures of the samples you made....and even the tooling if you are willing to share.

[outermarker]

For all you vintage guys. I'm a bit on the short side being only 5'7" tall which for me means moving my seat up almost all the way forward. Having an iPad mounted on the yoke blocks my view with some of the instruments and places the iPad basically in my chest. So on my right leg the iPad goes.

I found this the other day and tried it out. Well, it works great! It can be adjusted to any angle and can also be rotated. 

Up To 88% Off on Aduro U-GRIP Stand for Tablets | Groupon Goods

And this collar you can have personalized (Mooney N*****)

Qualtry - Up To 79% Off - Dayton | Groupon

Cut the collar so that the clip can be snapped on the side of your outside leg. (sew the two pieces onto the stand). One additional benefit is that the stand is very open for iPad cooling.  A bonus is that the air vent on the lower left side of the fuse can be directed to hit the iPad if additional cool air is required. 

The total cost without shipping for these two items is about $10. 

[Nukemzzz]

On 12/12/2020 at 3:51 AM, Raymond J said:

As a preamble, like many of you, I am sorry for what happens to Brittain industries, the worst is the lack of information and the hypothetical hope for a better future. I have a deep respect for Cecilia and the team trying to get back up the slope, so I wouldn't want to hurt their efforts.
However, I have the will to return my 20 F to its strict original condition, as this is enough for the exploitation I envision and the technical solutions used by Mooney at the time are proven, so there is nothing to change. There are many parts whose supply is difficult, you talk about the servo drop-down membranes (this is the exact name in French, at home it is called "Rolling membrane"), but there is also the air inlet bellows, that of the depth trim, the interior plastics,...

In France with my " F " I'am alone in the world, clone to Tom Hanks on his island. There were only 4 "F" from before 1974 imported to us, the others are "E" or "J". The only "B" that flies from us is a "collector". I work for the machine tool industry, I am quite well equipped in industrial means and I have many partners and suppliers specialized in their field. Naturally, so I studied these rare parts and considered what is the simplest for me : remanufacturing.

To answer your question, Brittain membranes are a specific manufacture that goes a little beyond the industrial standard. By this I mean that the stroke /diameter ratio is particularly important. If you look at the servo step, you will see a diameter of 4"(102 mm) for a stroke of 8" 3/16 (208 mm), which is a deployment ratio greater than 2. For the running board, part of the run is done without load traction, this to organize the winding of the membrane without stress. As for the actuators of the "PC" (in wing and the tail cône), the ratio is less.

In the industrial field, the leader of this technology is "Marsh Bellofram". This supplier's catalog shows that what it does best is Class 2 giving a ratio of 1.12... This peculiarity explains that our membranes are made of rubber without reinforcing fabric, that the thickness is tiny, to age better, to be more flexible and that this thickness varies in some places to "organize" the winding. Brittain's chosen material is "Nitrile", a synthetic rubber. Today, silicone makes it possible to achieve the same performance, and it is simpler to implement. With a friend who specializes in contact molding, I made tools and we remanufactured several silicone diaphragms, identical to Brittain's. For the running board, it's ok, for the wing actuators, there is a small test bench or an actuator pulls a spring, we perform at this time and for 1 year fatigue tests, a small automate drive a solenoid valve, which simulates a flight of 5 hours per day with alternating stresses. the membrane is currently at 530,000 cycles, it is not yet torn.

This is my situation today, I have to consider the possibility of mounting these parts on my " F " with approval from the authority, this to keep my ICAO CDN. Currently, only the membrane of my running board was damaged, the servos of the PC system were in very good condition, but I have to project myself into the future.

In the coming weeks I would put the plans of the diaphragms in the Download section, but I will seek approval from Brittain's owner.

I replaced the step servo and boot with a good used one and during test last week i noticed that the throw of this servo is VERY long.  Which is probably one reason it didn't quite retract all the way in still.  

I replaced 4 boots this year trying to keep my system going.  Two of the boots that I used still had the date code on them:  1969!  I guess there is a market for around 30 of these boots a year to be used by Mooney pilots that are still trying to avoid going to a modern autopilot.  Given the cost of a new autopilot that leaves you with a lot of room for mark-up, but the sales volume will be low.  Also, once everyone has fancy new silicon boots your market will dry up for another 40years!  I don't know there is a valid business case here...which is why we are using up inventory from the late 60's.  Side note:  Some old Beechcraft used Brittain systems as well.  Don't know how big their fleet is.  

[0TreeLemur]

1 hour ago, Nukemzzz said:

I replaced 4 boots this year trying to keep my system going.  Two of the boots that I used still had the date code on them:  1969!  I guess there is a market for around 30 of these boots a year to be used by Mooney pilots that are still trying to avoid going to a modern autopilot.  Given the cost of a new autopilot that leaves you with a lot of room for mark-up, but the sales volume will be low.  Also, once everyone has fancy new silicon boots your market will dry up for another 40years!  I don't know there is a valid business case here...which is why we are using up inventory from the late 60's.  Side note:  Some old Beechcraft used Brittain systems as well.  Don't know how big their fleet is.  

I see some systems on eBay from time to time removed from Bo's and Pi's.   I'd really like to upgrade to altitude hold, but concerned that with Brittain not out of ground effect, the aftermarket route is a dead-end.   I suppose not all systems have M20 on the AML. 

A couple of years ago Brittain had a sale on replacement boots, so I bought a complete set for the eventuality.   Not sure if they have any more.

[Nukemzzz]

24 minutes ago, 0TreeLemur said:

I see some systems on eBay from time to time removed from Bo's and Pi's.   I'd really like to upgrade to altitude hold, but concerned that with Brittain not out of ground effect, the aftermarket route is a dead-end.   I suppose not all systems have M20 on the AML. 

A couple of years ago Brittain had a sale on replacement boots, so I bought a complete set for the eventuality.   Not sure if they have any more.

My E has Acutrack with pitch and altitude hold. None of it worked when I bought the plane last December.  On ground tests the PC is working now. Fingers crossed Accutrak and Alt hold will work when we flight test finally next week!

[Yetti]

On 12/11/2020 at 8:23 PM, outermarker said:

In search of....I'm looking for a used i.e. cheap, VOR ground test box.

 

 

 

 

thanks!

Apparently a Raspberry pi has a low powered transmitter in it that you can tune to various frequencies.   You then send an audio recording of the heading you would like to emulate.   Probably should do this in your own metal hangar to create a faraday cage.

https://howtoraspberrypi.com/create-radio-transmitter-raspberry-pi/

There was a guy using Raspberry PI with a battery and a magnet and a play list to create an underground radio mesh.  He would just stick them all over the city