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Bendix King KI-300/Sandia SAI-340 Emergency AD

kortopates

By kortopates
in Avionics/Panel Discussion

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kortopates Grand Master

kortopates

Posted
Posted

For any owners with the BK KI-300 or Sandia SAI-340, the FAA issued an emergency AD 2020-18-51 for incorrect attitude information.

This is an interim AD. "This emergency AD requires, before further flight, revising the existing Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) for your airplane to prohibit operation under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) or night Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and prohibit coupling the autopilot with an affected attitude indicator." 

see the attached:  2020-18-51_Emergency.pdf

carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Trade in offers make more sense when trying to lure a customer away from a competitor’s similar product...

When your competitor’s product has a miserable defect... one that can’t be readily solved...

It no longer is a competitive threat...
 

send us your broken useless boxes... we’ll sell you something you want... ours works...
 

The loser here is the consumer... and the folks stuck with a non-working device...
 

Bummer...

This has been coming for a while...

A few MSers had the first hand experience... and wrote about it here...
 

... and quickly shared it With our BK insiders... also around here...

What is surprising... how slowly the AD paperwork gets to this point... even in its electronic format...

 

There is an interesting procedure for business recovery from things like this....

Unlike New Coke... this device‘s failure might lead to somebody getting seriously injured...

 

PP thoughts only, not an avionics tech or lawyer...

Best regards,

-a-

 

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MB65E Grand Master

MB65E

Posted
Posted

Hopefully no one was hurt, but it all sucks. My airplane eats attitude indicators for breakfast. This logic of removing the vacuum system hasn’t worked out for me yet. I bet that old vacuum pump and old ADI would have lasted longer than the last three Electric ADI’s I’ve had the pleasure of seeing roll over. Scoff!!!!

At least I’m a CB and bought a used Q340A. However, add the last three Attitude indicators could have added up to a really nice reliable something...

Daytime VFR only...Might need a Luscombe or a Pitts! 

-Matt 

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Chris from PA Enthusiast

Chris from PA

Posted
Posted

I’ve had a basic SAI 340 (not affected by this AD) in my C model for a few years. No issues.  Sandia obviously ran into problems when they upgraded the original instrument to the “A” model by adding (instantaneous) vertical speed and an altitude bug.  I hope a fix is forthcoming for those affected by this AD but I suppose at this point many have simply lost confidence in the unit. 

Mark89114 Experienced

Mark89114

Posted
Posted

You guys are too mean about BK products, they only have been developing a simple electronic AI for what 10 years and delivered it four years late....give them one last chance.....typed in my most sarcastic font.

 

carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Mark,

It would be great if somebody will misinterpret your sarcasm...

It’s possible, that without one of these... :)  they won’t see your humor...

The barely finished KSN770, that never made a delivery date... that got finished by another team... that when it kind of got delivered was no longer current... A VGA or SVGA screen..?

Was it running Windows98? 

I was so looking forward to getting a WAAS update for my all BK panel... The brochure was hard to understand... it was clearly printed with the word WASS on it...
 

A spelling mistake for the key feature... with no intention of reprinting it...

 

Chuckle away...

PP thoughts only, not a software engineer... SMH...

Best regards,

-a-

NotarPilot Veteran

NotarPilot

Posted
Posted

Funny, I had a similar problem with my G5 and I posted about it back in 2017. Granted, I have since updated the software and it hasn’t don’t it since. However, I did have an issue where the G5 slows down and becomes choppy when I was doing lazy eights and eights on pylons for my commercial checkride last year. Under normal flying though it seems to work fine.

 

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Steve W Proficient

Steve W

Posted
Posted
Just now, tmo said:

Two companies, actually, right? BK and Sandia.

Correct. Like many things BK 'builds' these days the KI-300 is just a relabel of the SAI-340A.

 

squeaky.stow Rising Star

squeaky.stow

Posted
Posted

Just got this from Sandia Tech Support

I was a couple of weeks from installation.

“The FAA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive # 2020-18-51 on the SAI  340 A P/N 306171-20 and the Bendix/King KI 300 P/N 306171-10.   Sandia is currently working on a solution to this issue.  When one is found units will be updated at no charge.  In the meantime, all SAI 340Astandby attitude indicators should be placarded FOR DAY TIME VFR USE ONLY.  At this time we do not have a schedule for the fix but will post updates on our web site at www.sandia.aero. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience. We recommend against installing one at this time”

FoxMike Proficient

FoxMike

Posted
Posted

Excuse the sarcasm but Sandia has been selling these units for years and has been aware since the first unit was sold that the attitude indicator was junk.  I bought one when they first became available.  It did not work at all.  Sandia sent a replacement right away and it did better for a while.  Over the years I have gotten upgraded units some worked some did not.  Sandia has had plenty of time to debug the unit.  It could be the only way they will get a fix is to hire Garmin as a consultant.  Bet they could provide a fix pronto, but at an outrageous cost.  I would bet that B/K put the pressure on to get the FAA to issue the AD.

geoffb Rising Star

geoffb

Posted
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I’m on #3 and none have worked.  My first, before the A, was junk too.  I hadn’t had any Sandia products previous, but through this Dennis has shown little if any good faith.

Gary0747 Proficient

Gary0747

Posted
Posted

My original Quarto (non A) has worked flawlessly for four years now. The early software versions were too sensitive to panel vibration. Once software version 16 was implemented I think the problem went away unless panel shock mounts were bad or non existent.  The technical guy who worked for Sandia early and implemented software version 16 that has worked, went on to Aerovonics to develop the AV20 and AV30.   I think the A model and the BK stuff were all developed after he left.  He advised me to not upgrade to the A while he was at Aerovonics.  Not sure what he knew.  Aerovonics is now owned bu UAvonics. 

tmo Veteran

tmo

Posted
Posted

Unfortunately the AV30 is useless as a KI256 replacement when KFC-series autopilots are involved; fortunately there are other solutions for that (GI275, Aspen, etc),

  • 2 months later...

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