Aerocruze 100 Installation manual

[7.Mooney.Driver.0]

Has anyone placed an order with Duncan aviation for the Aerocruze 100 autopilot? If so, did they supply the installation paperwork yet? I would like to have a look at the installation manual if possible.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

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[carusoam]

Siu,

There is an aerocruze thread around here…

I haven’t seen any success stories that I remember falling out of it…

Might still be early…

Best regards,

-a-

[47U]

15 hours ago, siu1526 said:

I would like to have a look at the installation manual if possible.

The install docs for brand C and P are on the BK website… the interface Aerocruze has with other avionics should be similar.  (If that helps.)  

[Terrys]

I was told I could interface my tablet EFB (iFly GPS) to the Areocruze 100 but I can't find any interface information.  Does the autopilot support USB and can I then use a USB OTG cable for the interface?

[LANCECASPER]

8 hours ago, Terrys said:

I was told I could interface my tablet EFB (iFly GPS) to the Areocruze 100 but I can't find any interface information.  Does the autopilot support USB and can I then use a USB OTG cable for the interface?

I doubt that you could on a certified airplane, maybe on an experimental

[carusoam]

Who would tell you that..?

Sounds interesting…

Possibly… asking the installer the question may get an answer…

What gets shared via the tablet?

+1 as Lance pointed out above… there are many things available in the experimental version… that may not have made it to the certified version….

Sooo few aerocruzes in the wild around here…

 

Best regards,

-a-

 

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, carusoam said:

Sooo few aerocruzes in the wild around here…

 

Best regards,

-a-

And at the moment it looks like there may be unlikely to be more.    AS still shows "No Stock" for the majority of the selections, including experimental, except for Mooney, where it says "Special Order", "Indefinite Backorder". 

Not looking good.

[Hector]

I was told I could interface my tablet EFB (iFly GPS) to the Areocruze 100 but I can't find any interface information.  Does the autopilot support USB and can I then use a USB OTG cable for the interface?

I know a piper owner that has the aerocruze hooked up to a panel mounted aera660. Works pretty well other than he has no coupled vertical guidance for approaches.


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[7.Mooney.Driver.0]

I was told I could interface my tablet EFB (iFly GPS) to the Areocruze 100 but I can't find any interface information.  Does the autopilot support USB and can I then use a USB OTG cable for the interface?

The attached document will show all supported GPS. I don’t think a tablet will work but some Garmin portables will. Hope this helps.

https://www.bendixking.com/content/dam/bendixking/en/documents/document-lists/downloads-and-manuals/TT-186-Vizion-PMA-Approved-GPS-Manual.pdf


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[Joshua Blackh4t]

You can bluetooth a phone/tablet to a portable such as an an aera 660, and the aera can drive the Aerocruze. So I suppose you can, in a way. If you use Garmin pilot. 

[Rspencer612]

FYI I supposedly have the first Mooney order to be fulfilled with Duncan Aviation from about 4 months ago. I ordered the day they announced the STC. 

 

As of last week I was told to expect 25 more weeks due to supply chain issues with chips and servos………

[EricJ]

15 minutes ago, Rspencer612 said:

FYI I supposedly have the first Mooney order to be fulfilled with Duncan Aviation from about 4 months ago. I ordered the day they announced the STC. 

 

As of last week I was told to expect 25 more weeks due to supply chain issues with chips and servos………

Some of us ordered on AS more than a year ago when they first made a Mooney kit available for sale.   I think we've all since had our orders cancelled, mine just a while back.

 

[Rspencer612]

33 minutes ago, EricJ said:

Some of us ordered on AS more than a year ago when they first made a Mooney kit available for sale.   I think we've all since had our orders cancelled, mine just a while back.

 

Duncan claimed that since BK approached them to do the STC which they did, Duncan has the exclusive rights to selling it……..don’t hold me to that though. BK did not do the STC For the Mooney, Duncan did. 

[carusoam]

Interesting….

The first Mooney we know to get an aerocruze…

and it’s mounted in a Missile!

No concerns with multiple STCs on the airframe… (like other STC holders)

 

Other than that…

How is the AP working out so far?

Big G needs the competition…

Best regards,

-a-

[Rspencer612]

7 hours ago, carusoam said:

Interesting….

The first Mooney we know to get an aerocruze…

and it’s mounted in a Missile!

No concerns with multiple STCs on the airframe… (like other STC holders)

 

Other than that…

How is the AP working out so far?

Big G needs the competition…

Best regards,

-a-

They told me I was the first to be delivered, but it hasn’t happened yet, been delayed about 4-5 months already and now they are saying 23 more weeks. So we finished panel up just pre wired for the autopilot and I brought her home. So nothing to report yet. 
 

the Missile STC does not limit the airplane from other STC’s certified for the airframe, so we don’t see any issue with that. Maybe one day I’ll get to report back to y’all!  Haha. BK is certainly a troubled company……..

[vik]

On 11/30/2022 at 7:32 PM, Rspencer612 said:

Duncan claimed that since BK approached them to do the STC which they did, Duncan has the exclusive rights to selling it……..don’t hold me to that though. BK did not do the STC For the Mooney, Duncan did. 

They told me the same in the email. Moreover, they told me the other dealers will have to go thru them for parts etc. When I asked Duncan to buy few parts to finish the install (I do have STC permission letter from BK issued to my tail number), they told me to put myself on their waiting list to purchase the whole system anew. When I complained my email was blocked.

With that kind of "support" AeroCruze 100 / Trutrak for Mooney is dead for all practical purposes. I am going with the D brand. For not much more I will get the modern glass panel and a better integrated autopilot once it is approved. Things are moving now as we see C182 autopilot got approved and Baron is close. Mooney is next.

It is hard to predict when, but about 1/2 year from now (when dreamers hope to finally receive their AeroCruze 100 / TruTrak and start planning the installation) I will start counting months. For me, it worth waiting few months for a much better system and better overall deal. Autopilot installation takes a lot of effort. Especially for a stand alone system. Add (rather subtract) to that basically non-existent support in case of a future problems and it becomes a no brainer. What if an AD pops up later for AeroCruze 100? Does anyone really expect BK or the self-proclaimed "master dealer"/avionics shop to take care of it and fix the hardware/software?

My guess is that Andrew had the usual arrangement with BK to stay for a year after he sold his company to support the product. Since he now moved to different adventures TruTrak/AeroCruze went south. Not the first, not the last. I can only thank Andrew for his great work and wish him the best in whatever he decides to pursue. I think he made the other companies to move their b.tt, so we have much better choices now.

[Rspencer612]

7 hours ago, vik said:

They told me the same in the email. Moreover, they told me the other dealers will have to go thru them for parts etc. When I asked Duncan to buy few parts to finish the install (I do have STC permission letter from BK issued to my tail number), they told me to put myself on their waiting list to purchase the whole system anew. When I complained my email was blocked.

With that kind of "support" AeroCruze 100 / Trutrak for Mooney is dead for all practical purposes. I am going with the D brand. For not much more I will get the modern glass panel and a better integrated autopilot once it is approved. Things are moving now as we see C182 autopilot got approved and Baron is close. Mooney is next.

It is hard to predict when, but about 1/2 year from now (when dreamers hope to finally receive their AeroCruze 100 / TruTrak and start planning the installation) I will start counting months. For me, it worth waiting few months for a much better system and better overall deal. Autopilot installation takes a lot of effort. Especially for a stand alone system. Add (rather subtract) to that basically non-existent support in case of a future problems and it becomes a no brainer. What if an AD pops up later for AeroCruze 100? Does anyone really expect BK or the self-proclaimed "master dealer"/avionics shop to take care of it and fix the hardware/software?

My guess is that Andrew had the usual arrangement with BK to stay for a year after he sold his company to support the product. Since he now moved to different adventures TruTrak/AeroCruze went south. Not the first, not the last. I can only thank Andrew for his great work and wish him the best in whatever he decides to pursue. I think he made the other companies to move their b.tt, so we have much better choices now.

I understand 100%. But the Dynon 182 isn’t done. After approval they found a major oversight and have pulled back all orders and issued refunds. Back to the drawing board, then the Baron, then the Mooney. It’s 2 years out or more of you base it on the last 2-3 approvals they have done. 
 

With a Dynon HDX, I wish it was sooner as I would rather the integration, but the wait has and will Continue to be a long time. That said, BK’s post STC supply chain issue is a HUGE BUMMER!

[7.Mooney.Driver.0]

I was extremely excited about the Aerocruze 100. Unfortunately that candle has been turned off by Duncan and B/K, the support from Duncan was very unprofessional and B/K has no interest in this product. The price went up too, it’s close to $7000 without installation. I have the opportunity to get a GFC 500 with pitch trim for $12K installed. I’m tired of waiting and being fed lies by sales personnel who just want us to keep a dream alive, perhaps one day we will have more options for our aircraft but I might not be around to even see those options so I rather just go with what’s out there and proven to work. I know Garmin has had a few issues with their AP but at least they jump on the wagon and get them resolved.


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