AeroCruze 100 Update

[NJMac]

6 hours ago, dominikos said:

Haha, I’m reviewing options… it just happens that it is unfolding as I’m making decision. In my case, there is no harm in waiting for a few more months before I decide on the route. I need clarity by August. I’m happy with my gradual improvements as they give me optionality.

I removed a functioning wing leveler 3 years ago because the trutrak was "right around the corner".  Word to the wise.  Don't plan for this to materialize. 

[carusoam]

Avionics rule of thumb...

Don’t wait for any new avionics to come to market...

The only one that came close to hitting the schedule was Avidyne...  an impressive feet!

Especially if you bought into their pre-sales special... a year or so out into the future...

 

Dynon has been uncomfortably slow, with no AP within reach yet...

Bk has dropped the ball so many times...  the abbreviation given, Q1, is meaningless with the year next to it...  a standing joke used often around here...  because BK does that for a reason...

 

Some avionics companies know what they are doing... design, build, document, walk through the certification process holding hands with the assigned FAA person...

The other guys just fail to deliver and blame the FAA for their problems... it makes no sense...

The longer it takes to get through certification... the more of your lunch gets eaten by the competition...  there is no magic left in this system... Medical devices aren’t much different...  people’s lives depend on the product... the certification makes them qualified... a necessary job, get it done...

PP thoughts only, not an avionics guru...

Best regards,

-a-

[MBDiagMan]

19 hours ago, dominikos said:

Haha, I’m reviewing options… it just happens that it is unfolding as I’m making decision. In my case, there is no harm in waiting for a few more months before I decide on the route. I need clarity by August. I’m happy with my gradual improvements as they give me optionality.

dominikos,  

I admire your faith, but it sounds as if you are just now boarding the train.  A month or so ago someone posted on this forum that King told them it would be certified in May.  Now you have been told it would be certified in June.  As much as I hope this is correct, in August or September of 2018 I stood across a trade show table from the TruTrak guy.  He looked straight into my eyes and said “ it will be certified for Mooney aircraft next month.”  They have continued to kick this can down the road for over 2 1/2 years.

I remember my Grandfather teaching me “it’s always your last chance when you’re making a first impression.”  In the case of these people their first impression was good, but a few months later after looking me in the eye and telling me a falsehood, it faded away.  The impression has gotten worse with every time they have made the same old worn out claim and it still doesn’t come true.

I was counting on what they told me to be true and here we are over 2 1/2 years later and still nothing.  I just hate to see you make plans based on this happening and then being sorely disappointed as I and many others have been.

[59Moonster]

On 5/26/2021 at 7:36 PM, dominikos said:

pure curiosity here… if, big if, Aerocruze 100 gets certified for Mooney and costs under $10K installed, any takers? Looking at socal monkey videos, it works nicely with Dynon Skyview.

Yes I would but only because garmin dropped my plane for approval. But as per the first post. My 1959 M20A probably isn’t in the group to be certified so still hosed because I’m not spending 30k for an STEC. 

[Hector]

pure curiosity here… if, big if, Aerocruze 100 gets certified for Mooney and costs under $10K installed, any takers? Looking at socal monkey videos, it works nicely with Dynon Skyview.

Yes, I’ve flown with it on a Cherokee and it simple, intuitive, and works very well. For my C it is all I need.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MBDiagMan]

It’s June 1st.I’ll take t to the avionics shop for the installation.  I’m sure they’ll be ready for me.

[hammdo]

He did say 'supposedly' ;o)

-Don

[Baker Avionics]

28 minutes ago, nosky2high said:

How’d that 4 week estimate work out? I can’t believe you had the guts to post this after the continual train wreck that is TruTrak now Bendix King and their fictional Mooney autopilot STC.

Yeah, you're right, maybe I should wait until it is already done and not update anyone. So sorry. The thing is, this is an informative forum to try and help and gtlet news out when we find out and our information is only as good as the people or company giving it to us. Shalll we stop? No, I apologize to everyone for this and hope that in the future, all of the entities that play a role in approvals and certification of things will beore accurate. I appreciate the follow up, but we are only doing all we can. So, to answer your statement, the ESTIMATE worked pretty good because it is only an estimate. 

[Hank]

The bug problem, @Baker Avionics, is that some customers are tired of waiting and are installing different systems. The longer they postpone, the more times they say "soon" but don't deliver, they lose customers.

Please try to get a real estimate or an honest answer. In the meantime, I'm continuing to save additional pennies and research other options. When my pennies match a system that I like, I will also likely pull the trigger. It looks like it won't be this wonderful system that is still not approved for my plane. C'mon Dynon! I can build a whole new panel with EFIS, Engine Monitor and AP!

[Baker Avionics]

1 minute ago, Hank said:

The bug problem, @Baker Avionics, is that some customers are tired of waiting and are installing different systems. The longer they postpone, the more times they say "soon" but don't deliver, they lose customers.

Please try to get a real estimate or an honest answer. In the meantime, I'm continuing to save additional pennies and research other options. When my pennies match a system that I like, I will also likely pull the trigger. It looks like it won't be this wonderful system that is still not approved for my plane. C'mon Dynon! I can build a whole new panel with EFIS, Engine Monitor and AP!

I agree, believe me. I am with each and every one of the rest you all here. I just try and give you all the same I do we get. This is why Avionics, in particular, is a hard business to be in. We are at the mercy of the "engineering firms" that supposedly know what they are doing and when things get out of whack, we, the shops, usually take the brunt of the punishment. I feel so bad for the owners and that is why we do business the way we do. We do fixed price bidding and keep folks informed the best we can. You all her are such a great group, I can't even begin to tell you! I love the questions, comments and informative rhetoric! And I truly mean that too, no sarcasm!

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

The bug problem, @Baker Avionics, is that some customers are tired of waiting and are installing different systems. The longer they postpone, the more times they say "soon" but don't deliver, they lose customers.

They lost me. I was on a waiting list for the TruTrack install. I finally gave up, put in G5's last year and picked up my plane last Wednesday from a GFC500 installation. Flew from SoCal to St George and back last weekend. After 500+ hours hand flying without even the wing leveler I felt like I died and went to heaven. I'm sure I would have been happy with the TruTrack, but I don't regret spending the extra for the GFC500. 

[Baker Avionics]

1 minute ago, Skates97 said:

They lost me. I was on a waiting list for the TruTrack install. I finally gave up, put in G5's last year and picked up my plane last Wednesday from a GFC500 installation. Flew from SoCal to St George and back last weekend. After 500+ hours hand flying without even the wing leveler I felt like I died and went to heaven. I'm sure I would have been happy with the TruTrack, but I don't regret spending the extra for the GFC500. 

The GFC500 is a different animal than the TruTrak, good purchase Richard!

[MBDiagMan]

Baker,

Sorry you’re getting pummeled here.  As frustrated as I am about this, I fully realize that you are probably more frustrated than the rest of us since it effects your livelihood.  I’m not one to shoot the messenger.  We appreciate what you’re doing to try to keep us informed.

Skates,

Sounds like time has paid off.  If I hadn’t run into not one but TWO engine rebuilds this year, I would have done exactly what you did.  Good move.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, MBDiagMan said:

Baker,

Sorry you’re getting pummeled here.  As frustrated as I am about this, I fully realize that you are probably more frustrated than the rest of us since it effects your livelihood.  I’m not one to shoot the messenger.  We appreciate what you’re doing to try to keep us informed.

Realistically, based on location, I was never a potential Baker customer. He's the only path I know for BK to get feedback from the marketplace.

[steingar]

I am just SO glad I bought an airplane with a legacy autopilot.  It might only do roll control, but it'll follow the GPS or a heading bug, so its good by me. If you have an earlier airplane like mine I suspect legacy autopilots are going to be your only option for some time to come.  Lets face it, we're not low hanging fruit.

[Hank]

2 hours ago, steingar said:

I am just SO glad I bought an airplane with a legacy autopilot.  It might only do roll control, but it'll follow the GPS or a heading bug, so its good by me. If you have an earlier airplane like mine I suspect legacy autopilots are going to be your only option for some time to come.  Lets face it, we're not low hanging fruit.

My Brittain is hanging in there, but like everything, there's a limit it will eventually reach. Be nice to have a simple, inexpensive replacement rather than the current "rebuild your entire panel" options. 

[cliffy]

To bring up an old thread idea-

I'm seriously thinking in terms of going "Primary Airplane" and being able to use most anything I want to install.

The next announcement will be ?  See Ya at OSH!

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by cliffy
added text

[carusoam]

We had one MSer report going primary...

Haven’t seen him lately...

It would be interesting to get an update...

Best regards,

-a-

[NotarPilot]

Will the GFC500 work with a Dynon Skyview HDX and Avidyne IFDs?

[chriscalandro]

3 hours ago, NotarPilot said:

Will the GFC500 work with a Dynon Skyview HDX and Avidyne IFDs?

No. 

[Mooney in Oz]

5 hours ago, NotarPilot said:

Will the GFC500 work with a Dynon Skyview HDX and Avidyne IFDs?

The GFC500 works well with the Avidyne IFDs, as long as you have a G5 to drive it as a K owner mate of mine with a G3X attests without any compatibility problems. You won't have VNAV function on STAR arrivals or SID departures and you will only be able to change radio or Nav frequencies on the IFD units, which in my opinion is no big deal.

Before anyone suggests it is illegal because Garmin don't list the IFD as an approved source, Avidyne lists the IFDs as a legal substitute for the GNS series of navigators, which are approved with the same limitations.

Avionic shops that I know of on this side of Pacific have no issue with it and judging by what I have read on this and the Avidyne forum, I assume it is much the same over on your side of the Pacific.

There is a parallel thread running at the moment with the owner of a J @dzeleski who has just completed a similar install. 

There are also a few Msers who have mated their G5s with an IFD.

 

 

[NotarPilot]

13 hours ago, Mooney in Oz said:

The GFC500 works well with the Avidyne IFDs, as long as you have a G5 to drive it as a K owner mate of mine with a G3X attests without any compatibility problems. You won't have VNAV function on STAR arrivals or SID departures and you will only be able to change radio or Nav frequencies on the IFD units, which in my opinion is no big deal.

Before anyone suggests it is illegal because Garmin don't list the IFD as an approved source, Avidyne lists the IFDs as a legal substitute for the GNS series of navigators, which are approved with the same limitations.

Avionic shops that I know of on this side of Pacific have no issue with it and judging by what I have read on this and the Avidyne forum, I assume it is much the same over on your side of the Pacific.

There is a parallel thread running at the moment with the owner of a J @dzeleski who has just completed a similar install. 

There are also a few Msers who have mated their G5s with an IFD.

 

 

Yes, I’m one of those MSers with a pair of IFD 440s and a G5. It does work well together but I’m upgrading to a Dynon Skyview and would like a proper AP to get with it. I have an S-TEC 30 that’ll have to do until someone gets something STC’d for the mid bodies.

[dzeleski]

On 6/6/2021 at 12:18 AM, NotarPilot said:

Yes, I’m one of those MSers with a pair of IFD 440s and a G5. It does work well together but I’m upgrading to a Dynon Skyview and would like a proper AP to get with it. I have an S-TEC 30 that’ll have to do until someone gets something STC’d for the mid bodies.

The GFC 500 wont work with a Skyview, the G5 is the autopilots brains in that config. You may be able to get a Skyview into the panel with a GFC 500 and a G5 but I doubt any of the nice features will work properly and the Skyview and G5 will not sync. If you want the GFC you are better off looking at a G3X with a G5.

[chriscalandro]

4 hours ago, dzeleski said:

The GFC 500 wont work with a Skyview, the G5 is the autopilots brains in that config. You may be able to get a Skyview into the panel with a GFC 500 and a G5 but I doubt any of the nice features will work properly and the Skyview and G5 will not sync. If you want the GFC you are better off looking at a G3X with a G5.

You would need the Dynon skyview, the Dynon D10 AND the Garmin G5

[NotarPilot]

4 hours ago, chriscalandro said:

You would need the Dynon skyview, the Dynon D10 AND the Garmin G5

Yeah I’ll pass on that idea. Do you (or anyone else) know if the S-Tec 30 will track a heading bug off the Skyview? Maybe @Baker Avionicsmight know.