Ksaunders Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 Any experience/recommendations out there in adding the Altitude Pre-Select option on the KFC 200 Auto Pilot? Mine does not currently have and was wondering what would be the cost to add + degree of difficulty.
PTK Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 Do you feel you need it? I have the KFC150 and was pondering the same thing. I spoke to my avionics shop a couple times. It is a few thousand dollars at least in my case. For that kind of money I can push the alt button!
jlunseth Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 This question keeps coming up, it seems an attractive option. The problem is that it is not just the 297 alt. select unit that needs to be added, you would also need a new "drum" altimeter. The total cost would be in the range of 15 AMU's, and that is just too much for a functionality that you can already do manually. The altimeter is the KEA-346 and the Alt. Preselect is the 297 A or B depending on whether you have the 200 or the 150 AP. You can look them up on a parts supplier such as www.seaerospace.com and probably see what the cost would be.
HopePilot Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 On a side note, I talked to Aspen about adding altitude pre-select and what a killer app that would be, but apparently there are difficulties in making the feature compatible with the KFC-150. What difficulties, I have no idea, but apparently they've at least thought about it (and it is easier to do with other autopilots).
Ksaunders Posted October 25, 2011 Author Report Posted October 25, 2011 It's about the only option my bird does not have. Would be really nice to have to reduce workload and improve cockpit management when flying IFR solo. Saw the unit for sale at over $5k. If I could get and have installed under $3K I would jump but for $5K + install.....no deal. Just throwing it out there to get some feedback. Always hoping someone will see my post and say, "Have one collecting dust, I'll send it along with my install expert, have a wonderful day".
Seth Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 I have the KFC 200 in my new Missile and it does not have altitude pre-select. The MSE Missile for sale right now on controller.com does have that along with a KFC 225. That is a nice plane - I flew it but the owner did not take my offer. He has lowered his price quite a bit, but still no bites. I'm very happy with mine! Altitude pre-select would be very nice, but for $5 to $8 AMUs, I'd rather put in a Garmin GTX 330 and get traffic on my 430w. For the time being - I'll push the Altitude hold button or level off myself. I hand flew the first Mooney for 500 hours. I'm amazed with the better management and lesser workload a functional autopilot allows. Take care, -Seth
Piloto Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 Altitude preselect feature is only worth it on turbocharged planes. Unlike a non turbo turbos can keep a a constant rate of climb to higher altitudes where the altitude preselect is nice to have. For most NA planes the climb rate will be less at altitude than what you tipicaly would set. This could induce flight behind the power curve or a stall. José
johnggreen Posted October 25, 2011 Report Posted October 25, 2011 Ksaunders, You actually asked a technical question and since I've never done it, I don't know. There have been comments as to why you should or should not, but nothing as to the #1 reason for having altitude preselect. If you fly much IFR, altitude preselect will, sooner or later, save you busting an altitude and perhaps a suspension of your license. 90% of my time in the air is on an IFR flight plan and regularly into and out of metro airports (including the DC SFRA) which will usually (almost always) include a SID. Bust an altitude assignement, and there will be many, and you'll have more time to spend on Mooneyspace cause with your license suspended you won't be flying. I had a REAL close call ten days ago, when for some unknown reason, my pre-select simply didn't engage. Tower was squawking to me about some other issue and I flew right through the first assigned altitude of the SID. I caught it about 20' short of a bust and pulled a couple of negative g's leveling off. VFR only, you don't really need it. Jgreen
N9937c Posted October 26, 2011 Report Posted October 26, 2011 One big point is that preselect works on the way down also. I put in an Apollo Altitrack for about 600 amd get a bong and light at set alt. also at dh. Next best thimg. much cheaper/ larry
Cris Posted October 26, 2011 Report Posted October 26, 2011 Inputing flight plans, modifying/changing checking for doglegs, overlaying weather on the MFD verifying traffic uodating the portable Garmin, Ipad etc etc. What happened to simple! Change the VOR freq & fly the airway or occasionally push D on the GPS and call flight watch after a check on the stormscope. Adding still another device to monitor & adjust goes to the info overload issue and as Jose' points out is just not really that helpful in an NA plane. Even so look at the early Malibu (turbo)issues where the KFC autopilots decoupled with full up or down trim & were not caught in time to prevent the brutal endings. Maintaining climb/decent alt is one way to remain engaged with the A/C & the flight envelope. While we all believe GPS has made flight easier it has added an amazing amount of heads down to our flying especially if you do not have cross fill or use differant boxes. Recently I actually had a controller give me a change with the comment I'll give you a couple of minutes to set up the new course! He was of course being helpful but it amazes me that it takes so long today to be more safe with the new systems than with the basic systems. BTW I'm a big beliver in a capable autopilot but preselect I don't think it helps or is really very desirable especially with the possibility of an inadvertant stall. That may be why the airlines need an extra crew person. They need one to fly the A/C & the other to cross check & input/manage the systems. Next we will need an Ibot for our Mooney's.
Earl Posted October 26, 2011 Report Posted October 26, 2011 I looked into adding the 297 to my Mooney 252 and as others have pointed out the cost for the unit is not the problem. It is the new altimiter you have to add. Brings the total cost to ~$15K which is too much in my opinion. Having said that, I fly a lot of SPIFR and being able to dial in an altitude and rate of ascent/descent would be a big workload management tool. Still have to monitor its progress but would reduce workload. The feature will be a must have on my next plane.
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