Alfredo Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 hi, i would like to buy a auto pilot, right now i have stec 30 but i would like to shoot an approach. i don have much money to change for 3100 so if i get a stec 50 will be ok? or does anyone have a better idea. thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marauder Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 4 minutes ago, Alfredo said: hi, i would like to buy a auto pilot, right now i have stec 30 but i would like to shoot an approach. i don have much money to change for 3100 so if i get a stec 50 will be ok? or does anyone have a better idea. thank you I have an STEC 60-2. I don't know if the 50 series can do the vertical guidance of an approach. I know the 55, 55X and 60 series can do vertical and horizontal guidance. I wonder what will be happening to all of those 55, 55X and 60-2 units that get upgraded to 3100s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DXB Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 STEC 50 is almost identical to the STEC 30 in functionality. STEC 55x is the lowest level STEC product that can intercept and follow a glideslope. It is not cheap however and makes no sense now that the 3100 exists. The Trutrak STC for Mooney is coming soon and is cheaper even with having to change out your servos. ~7000 all in with install. It will not track an ILS however. Garmin's GFC500 approval for Mooney is probably further off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIm20c Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 As DXB said the 50 is the same except it uses twice the panel space. The Trutrak is the cheapest option. 7k and try to sell your old system for 2-3k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragsf15e Posted March 18, 2019 Report Share Posted March 18, 2019 Recommend waiting on gfc500 or trutrack. In the meantime, get someone to show you how to use your stec30 on approach. It will trac the localizer perfectly. If you’re trimmed and on speed at the faf, small power change and you’ll follow the glide slope right on down. It really can minimize your workload. Very small trim/power changes while the AP does the lateral corrections. You may never want that more expensive AP!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964-M20E Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 stick with the 30 for now it is a good AP. Sure it doesn't give you vertical guidance but with the lateral guidance many of your issues are taken care of. Besides, even with a good AP you still want to practice and hand fly the plane. I have flown approaches with the 30 and it works fine while I control the decent. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Peace Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 I am waiting for an autopilot that is integrated with an MCAS system so I will be safer.... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81X Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 On 3/19/2019 at 9:56 PM, Jim Peace said: I am waiting for an autopilot that is integrated with an MCAS system so I will be safer.... You don’t have to wait long, The GFC500 and Trutrak APs that are coming out both have envelope protection software in them.... As with any aircraft automation, it generally does keep you safer but these are mechanical things that operate in a very dynamic environment. Knowing how the system is supposed to work and how to disable it in the case of an anomaly is critical to ensuring the highest levels of safety. (ever had runaway trim on an 80’s AP?, it’s fun) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Peace Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, 81X said: You don’t have to wait long, The GFC500 and Trutrak APs that are coming out both have envelope protection software in them.... meaning that AOA is always being sensed and the plane will nose over even when the autopilot is not on? Not sure I want that, especially with the level of oversite in software that Garmin has proven to F up in the recent past.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81X Posted March 22, 2019 Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 43 minutes ago, Jim Peace said: meaning that AOA is always being sensed and the plane will nose over even when the autopilot is not on? Not sure I want that, especially with the level of oversite in software that Garmin has proven to F up in the recent past.... The Garmin 500 is marketed as deck angle (and bank angle) protection, not AOA, but to your point, yes, even when the autopilot is not engaged. To add a thinking item, most all autopilots are “on” when the master/avionics master is on and in theory could have a failure mode where it could engage something undesirable at any point even when it’s not engaged. Highly unlikely but possible. While technology and innovation in aviation certainly makes our day to day normal aviation procedures easier, it adds to the amount of training and “committed to memory” items we need to remember in an emergency. In this instance, disabling the system via normal control panel interface with the override being pulling the CB; that will get you back to a better place should the system malfunction. I’ll take that any day of the week if I’m hand flying in the soup and look down at a chart for a few seconds too long and am cranking in excessive bank. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DXB Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 Recent events make me rather uninterested in my autopilot doing anything when it is not engaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.