KFC 200 AUTOPILOT

[mooney2201]

ATTENTION ALL KFC 200 AUTOPILOT DRIVERS..Last week I had a crazy experience happen on a flight..Beautiful day in cruse I got a failure of my autopilot..disconnect ,never had a problem in 700 hours...IM going to save you hours of stress looking for this problem. ASSURED IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU, KNOWN PROBLEM BUT NOT MENTIONED IN ANY FORUM....I went to turn autopilot back on but it wouldn't engage...THE PADDLE ON THE MODE CONTROLLER KC290,...WAS STUCK ..WOULDNT MOVE,,,TURNS OUT THAT PART IS PLASTIC, AND IS A MAGNETIC SWITCH,,THE BACK SIDE OF IT HOLDS A PIECE OF FERRIS SQUARE METAL....OVER THE YEARS OF USE AND ABUSE, IT WILL BREAK..GUARANTEED...NEW PART NUMBER IS 088-0535-02 AUTOPILOT CENTRAL HAS THEM, 260.00 BUCKS...ONLY TOOK 8 HOURS OF MY TIME TO FIX THIS PROBLEM...HOPEFULLY IT WILL SAVE YOU MUCH TIME....FLY SAFE MY MOONEY PALS...

[carusoam]

In case anyone needs a pic of what a KC290 looks like...

https://www.seaerospace.com/sales/product/BendixKing/KC-290

Best regards,

-a-

[milotron]

Some wise individual on this very forum recommends disconnecting the AP using the yoke or trim switch and not turning that switch off, just to minimize the times it gets touched. I use this advice all the time. That little magnetic paddle switch thingy does not feel robust at all.

 

iain

[timpercarpio]

My KFC200 shuts off frequently with no apparent reason. Sounds like you may have a fix, thanks. 

[81X]

On 6/15/2019 at 4:46 PM, timpercarpio said:

My KFC200 shuts off frequently with no apparent reason. Sounds like you may have a fix, thanks. 

My KFC150 did this as well. Then I noticed a little ammeter wiggle when that was happening. Cleaned the master switch contacts, fixed for another several months!  

[Bob Weber]

The KC 290 and the KC 192 are two completely different animals. There is around a quarter mile of wiring and many switches and connections that must function properly to keep either of these systems engaged. When the lever fails in the KC 290, it generally will not latch due to the failure of the tangs holding the iron plate on the cheesy lever. Rarely, if ever, would it be intermittent. 

 

Bob Weber

WebairConsulting.com

616 822 1999

[FloridaMan]

Anyone know what causes it to hunt for pitch? Flight director is spot on, but the KFC 200 will get into an increasing pitch oscillation when flying a couples approach, turning or attempting to capture altitude if you’re climbing or descending at over 500fpm

[Bob Weber]

21 hours ago, FloridaMan said:

Anyone know what causes it to hunt for pitch? Flight director is spot on, but the KFC 200 will get into an increasing pitch oscillation when flying a couples approach, turning or attempting to capture altitude if you’re climbing or descending at over 500fpm

I can help you with this.

WebairConsulting.com

616 822 1999