Replacement Autopilot

[231LV]

My Century 41 is 41 years old and though it still works, I am considering adding to the Aspen 1000 PFD with an upgrade to the Aspen 2000 Max and eliminate the steam gauges. I am anticipating replacing the AP sometime in the near future but the GFC500 is not compatible with the Aspen, as I understand it. I am wondering what other K drivers may be using apart from the GFC500?

[MIm20c]

At this stage you’d be money ahead to add a Garmin 275 instead of the second aspen screen.  This will allow you to remove your steam backup gauges and set up for a future gfc500 upgrade down the road.  A strange idea I know but it looks like the most efficient path right now. 

[A64Pilot]

I wish my Century worked, when you remove it, remember me.

Edited March 12, 2021 by A64Pilot

[HXG]

Dual Garmin G5s and GFC 500! 
 

That’s all I need. I see no need to upgrade to a txi500 or Garmin G3X- beautiful capable units that won’t really help me fly an approach any better.

I like Aspen and their service. I never had a problem with their older units. But, after experiencing 3 separate Aspen Max unit failures in 6 weeks during their early Max release,  I decided to move on.  I replaced my Aspen and KFC- 225. I couldn’t be happier with the decision. 

Aspen units are good, but, if you’re looking for an excellent new autopilot go GFC 500 with G5s. Well worth it. 
 

 

Edited March 12, 2021 by HXG

[PT20J]

It's an interesting problem. I have an Aspen PFD, and a KAP 150 autopilot. The Aspen is much nicer than two G5s. Garmin's autopilot system distributes the logic between the ADI and the servos; that's why it won't work with the Aspen. You can put in a G5 (or the much nicer GI 275) with the GFC 500, but I don't think there is a way to get the flight director to display on the Aspen PFD. Maybe someone knows for sure.

I'm a bit frustrated with Aspen's MAX rollout and subsequent ADs. Of course, my brand new GTX 345 had a bad AHRS and had to be replaced on warranty and my GNS 430W has a problem with the terrain database that just cropped up and Garmin support wasn't too responsive, so Garmin's not perfect either. If I do someday install a GFC 500, I'll probably install a G3X and A GTN 650xi to get the vertical modes for the autopilot. Garmin's pretty smart -- they want you to go all Garmin. And the way they architected the autopilot makes it hard not to if you need their autopilot.

Skip

[231LV]

Thanks all...after reading the old threads (2013) and seeing some comments, I think I want to stay with the Aspen...it is a nice box and I am fairly capable with it. The Century still works (and it is a really nice AP) and it seems my best option would be to have it overhauled/rebuilt rather than scrap it for an Stec. I have to keep my vacuum system for my speed brakes so really, the second Aspen would knock out some more steam gauges BUT I like the VSI and T&B coordinator gauges so they would stay and I have my IPAD for map/plates. Once my steam gauge AH goes TU, I will have to make a decision on overhauling it or going in a different direction....I guess, after thinking this through, I don't really need a second Aspen right now....I have my Garmin 430 WAAS tied to the Aspen PFD and a KNS 80 as a secondary approach backup (which is on its last legs) and most importantly, a wife who wants a new paint job more than an updated panel...decision made!

 

[HXG]

I’m looking at this from the autopilot perspective rather than Garmin vs Aspen.

I installed Aspen PFDs in my 2 most recent planes, but I didn’t miss the Aspen after going to G5s especially after gaining the GFC-500 autopilot. I like their simplicity and cost without the potential fancier Garmin unit headaches. I don’t need synthetic vision, which I have on my Ipad, to fly with precision I would definitely get a Garmin GTN or GTNXi 650 or 750.
 

I’ve flown many autopilots.  The popular Garmin GFC-500 and GFC-700 are the best in my experience. My GFC-500 has been rock solid and on rails in turbulent windy conditions. I like an autopilot that I can rely on when I’m getting tossed around in IMC over the rockies. My KFC-225, a very good autopilot, doesn’t come close to the GFC-500. 

[gsxrpilot]

I'm definitely in a holding pattern with regards to my panel. I've got a second Aspen, but have decided not to install it at the moment. My KFC150 is still working perfectly and I'll just keep everything the way it is for now. If at some point the KFC150 starts giving my problems, then I'll decide which way to go. But if it were today, I'd be installing a GFC500. I already have a G5 so I wouldn't need to change anything immediately. But it doesn't make any sense to add more Aspens at this point. And I really like the Aspen.

[A64Pilot]

No, no You NEED a new autopilot. and to give me your old one, or sell it cheap

Seriously, what is it you want an Autopilot to do that the Century doesn’t do now? Looks like the Cats meow to me.

[231LV]

On 3/12/2021 at 9:26 AM, A64Pilot said:

No, no You NEED a new autopilot. and to give me your old one, or sell it cheap

Seriously, what is it you want an Autopilot to do that the Century doesn’t do now? Looks like the Cats meow to me.

the Century 41 is a sweet AP and does everything I want it to do....of course, you have to know when to punch the approach button for it to capture and fly it ....my only complaint/worry is it is original.....41 years old and I am expecting to spend some money on it in the near future...was just trying to think ahead but really believe an overhaul is the best course of action rather than a full replacement.

[alextstone]

On 3/11/2021 at 7:52 PM, MIm20c said:

At this stage you’d be money ahead to add a Garmin 275 instead of the second aspen screen.  This will allow you to remove your steam backup gauges and set up for a future gfc500 upgrade down the road.  A strange idea I know but it looks like the most efficient path right now. 

I have "franken-panel".  When I replaced the KFC 150 with a GFC500, I installed the GI275 as a "standby ADI".  The GI275 provides AHRS data to the autopilot.  It displays flight director command bars.  The Aspen does not any more but it does show course and GS info from the GPS, etc.  The GI275 can be switched to HSI, HSI Map, Map only, or CDI.  

After a few hours of getting used to it, I find it to be better than I anticipated.  I was going to upgrade at some point to a G3X but I'm reconsidering just adding a second GI275 and calling it a day.  

 

[gsxrpilot]

9 hours ago, alextstone said:

I have "franken-panel".  When I replaced the KFC 150 with a GFC500, I installed the GI275 as a "standby ADI".  The GI275 provides AHRS data to the autopilot.  It displays flight director command bars.  The Aspen does not any more but it does show course and GS info from the GPS, etc.  The GI275 can be switched to HSI, HSI Map, Map only, or CDI.  

After a few hours of getting used to it, I find it to be better than I anticipated.  I was going to upgrade at some point to a G3X but I'm reconsidering just adding a second GI275 and calling it a day.  

I'm very interested in what if anything, the Aspen is contributing to the experience now with the GI275 and GFC500. Do you control GPSS on/off on the GI275 or the Aspen? If you move the heading bug on the Aspen, does the GFC500 follow it? I'm curious about all the things the Aspen/GFC500 might do.

Or does the Aspen just display what the airplane is doing and doesn't have any control over anything now?

[alextstone]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

I'm very interested in what if anything, the Aspen is contributing to the experience now with the GI275 and GFC500. Do you control GPSS on/off on the GI275 or the Aspen? If you move the heading bug on the Aspen, does the GFC500 follow it? I'm curious about all the things the Aspen/GFC500 might do.

Or does the Aspen just display what the airplane is doing and doesn't have any control over anything now?

Unfortunately, the Aspen does not control anything.  It is just a display now albeit one with GPS and LOC info.  However, I needed to keep it to have altimeter, Airspeed, HSI and ADI redundancy as I do not have a vacuum system anymore.  I would not do a fresh install of an Aspen and one GI275 to end up with this configuration but my Aspen was already there so this is where I ended up for now. 

[CharlesHuddleston]

On 3/12/2021 at 8:25 AM, 231LV said:

... and most importantly, a wife who wants a new paint job more than an updated panel...

 

So, can I have your wife call my wife??!! I got the panel done last year, so trying to get her on board for the paint this year!!! 

[Little Dipper]

On 3/12/2021 at 9:29 AM, HXG said:

I’m looking at this from the autopilot perspective rather than Garmin vs Aspen.

I installed Aspen PFDs in my 2 most recent planes, but I didn’t miss the Aspen after going to G5s especially after gaining the GFC-500 autopilot. I like their simplicity and cost without the potential fancier Garmin unit headaches. I don’t need synthetic vision, which I have on my Ipad, to fly with precision I would definitely get a Garmin GTN or GTNXi 650 or 750.
 

I’ve flown many autopilots.  The popular Garmin GFC-500 and GFC-700 are the best in my experience. My GFC-500 has been rock solid and on rails in turbulent windy conditions. I like an autopilot that I can rely on when I’m getting tossed around in IMC over the rockies. My KFC-225, a very good autopilot, doesn’t come close to the GFC-500. 

 

[Little Dipper]

I'm also in the GFC-500 club with the GTN 750.   It's simple to use and rock solid.

 

[carusoam]

There must be an interesting computer speed for the new digital APs...

Possibly measured in hz...

Things like GPS and early LB APs were pretty slow at gathering data then turning them into control signals...

Possibly only a few pieces of data per second...

The new devices might be measured in MHz... handling a thousand times more datapoints with finer outputs and the ability to check what it is doing against its expectations...

There has been a lot of modernization getting to the GFC 500!

Best regards,

-a-

[Steve Yucht]

To completely hijack this thread and get everyone's thoughts: I am starting to think about pulling my vacuum system and putting in two GI275's. I have a KFC-225 that is great but (here's where the collective sigh starts) I went with an Avidyne 540/440 combo for my NAV/COM.  I love the units but am not sure what will happen when I make that Franken panel. Eventually I will upgrade the autopilot and would love the GFC 500.  BTW  this will be next year because my wife wanted a new paint job and seat redo that is on the books for this summer (seems like the wives like new paint!). 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Steve Yucht

[gsxrpilot]

2 hours ago, Steve Yucht said:

To completely hijack this thread and get everyone's thoughts: I am starting to think about pulling my vacuum system and putting in two GI275's. I have a KFC-225 that is great but (here's where the collective sigh starts) I went with an Avidyne 540/440 combo for my NAV/COM.  I love the units but am not sure what will happen when I make that Franken panel. Eventually I will upgrade the autopilot and would love the GFC 500.  BTW  this will be next year because my wife wanted a new paint job and seat redo that is on the books for this summer (seems like the wives like new paint!). 

You'll be fine. Someday I'll have a GFC500 as well. I'll give up my Aspens but never my IFD540/440.

[Will.iam]

I was just told by a neighbor that the GI275 will bluetooth link to my gns530w and allow me to download a flight plan from foreflight into the 530. I. E. I wouldn’t have to get the garmin flight stream adapter as the GI275 has that ability built in. Has anybody else heard this. I said i don’t think so but he has a piper arrow that he just installed 2 GI275 and says he does it all the time to his garmin430 unit. If this is true, the GI275 is looking better and better to replace my aging vacuum AH to drive my kfc-150 autopilot. 

[PeteMc]

My ForeFlight is connect to my FS510 in a GTN 650Xi and I've never shared a flight plan with my GI275.  

Having said that...  The GI275 manual does say:

The Connext feature allows the MFI to serve as an access point for sharing flight plan information from Garmin Pilot to an external navigator. For example, when a mobile device is paired to the MFI, the pilot may create a flight plan in Garmin Pilot and Connext will share the flight plan to another configured, compatible navigator onboard.
Pairing instructions for the MFI are discussed in the System Overview Section of this guide.  See the pertinent flight manual of the external navigator for instructions on enabling the flight plan import function.

[LANCECASPER]

On 3/30/2021 at 4:35 PM, Will.iam said:

I was just told by a neighbor that the GI275 will bluetooth link to my gns530w and allow me to download a flight plan from foreflight into the 530. I. E. I wouldn’t have to get the garmin flight stream adapter as the GI275 has that ability built in. Has anybody else heard this. I said i don’t think so but he has a piper arrow that he just installed 2 GI275 and says he does it all the time to his garmin430 unit. If this is true, the GI275 is looking better and better to replace my aging vacuum AH to drive my kfc-150 autopilot. 

Your 530 doesn’t have Bluetooth and would need a flightstream 110 or 210 I believe.

[Will.iam]

Just now, LANCECASPER said:

Your 530 doesn’t have Bluetooth and would need a flightstream 110 or 210 I believe.

This is what i thought but the neighbor said otherwise. Will confirm he doesn’t have a flight stream to make sure. 

[squeaky.stow]

I recently added a GI275 and Flightstream 210. Although both will connect to the iPad, I can’t send flight plans from the iPad to the 530 via the GI275, only via the Flightstream. The avionics shop explained why but I can’t immediately recall the reason. I think it is the 530 that is the problem. I am pretty sure it can be done with a 650/750 through the GI275. This would eliminate the need to buy a Flightstream for those navigators. 

 

[PT20J]

Garmin has added Bluetooth to a number of newer devices including the GTX 345, the G3X and the GI 275 In addition to the older FlightStream. However, in typical Garmin fashion, not all have the same capabilities. Apparently, the G3X will upload flight plans to the GTN/GNS navigators, but the GI 275 can't. From ForeFlight's website:

You can connect your iPad to the Garmin GI 275 via Bluetooth. When you do so, wireless functions provide GPS position and back-up attitude information to ForeFlight. The wireless flight plan transfer via Bluetooth is available only when the Garmin GI 275 is paired with a GPS 175, GNC 355, or GNX 375.