GFC500 functions

[elimansour]

Since the GFC500 STC was approved for the Mooney M20 I wanted to take a look at the flight manual supplement to see features etc.  The supplement contained the below checklist of available features for M20 aircraft - which surprised me.  Unless I am reading it incorrectly am it I understand that the GFC500 will not offer electric trim, heading mode, nav or approach modes?

 

[carusoam]

You might want to find the thread where somebody has been flying around with one of the first GFC500s and is giving pireps...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=GFC500

Best regards,

-a-

[Bob - S50]

6 minutes ago, elimansour said:

Since the GFC500 STC was approved for the Mooney M20 I wanted to take a look at the flight manual supplement to see features etc.  The supplement contained the below checklist of available features for M20 aircraft - which surprised me.  Unless I am reading it incorrectly am it I understand that the GFC500 will not offer electric trim, heading mode, nav or approach modes?

 

I'm pretty sure that is just a generic sample.  It's what you would get if you install the basic 2 axis system without a GMU11 or GPS navigator.

Add a pitch trim servo and that box will be checked for your plane.  Same for the yaw damper servo.

Add a GMU11 and you'll get heading mode.

Add a GTN or WAAS GNS navigator and you'll be add the rest of the lateral modes plus the GPS or ILS glidepath.  You'll also get low speed protection (the autopilot needs GPS based AGL info to give you low speed protection).

If your navigator is a GTN series with at least software version 6.50, you'll also add VNAV.

[elimansour]

Ok.  That makes sense.  Thank you 

[flyingcheesehead]

That one threw me for a loop originally too... But, not to worry: Read the first line underneath the "Installed Features Checklist", and emphasize this aircraft. This is an AFMS, not a Pilot's Guide. The AFMS becomes part of your official airplane flight manual, which is specific to your aircraft and yours alone. 

So, when your installer has completed your installation, they'll generate an AFMS that has the boxes checked for the options that are installed in your airplane. I think the ones that are checked in the example are the ones that everyone gets, ie a bare-bones installation.

[elimansour]

Thank you.