Need advice on where to get my avionics repair/upgrade done. Thanks.

[Steve Parker]

I bought a 2006 M20R Ovation this summer and the Mooney service center that did my prebuy (to have an uninterested third-party evaluation) said the avionics were all working well (but didn't actually check it out, instead just asked the seller ).  I have a Garmin G1000 with the 2014 WAAS upgrade and when I started my instrument proficiency training rides the STEC 55X autopilot did not function correctly.  It does direct nav and altitude change and altitude hold but the GPSS fails every time I try to engage it and the autopilot goes off on wild climbs/dives/banks during ILS, etc., even after established on localizer and glideslope, making me have to disconnect the autopilot and hand-fly to reacquire LOC/GS.   

Who is the best to sort out repair/upgrade of my autopilot situation, Sarasota Avionics?  If a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot will work with my G1000 (or maybe have to add a G5) better than an STEC 55X?  Will the GFC 500 make my tasks easier during IMC approaches?

Thanks

[ArtVandelay]

Autopilots Central in Tulsa have a good reputation of repairing misbehaving autopilots.

[Ragsf15e]

You’ll also have to be very careful considering changes to your avionics (ie autopilot replacement) as the G1000 is part of the tcds and can’t be changed.  Not sure if that includes your current autopilot as well, but that could complicate changes….

[atpdave]

40 minutes ago, Steve Parker said:

I bought a 2006 M20R Ovation this summer and the Mooney service center that did my prebuy (to have an uninterested third-party evaluation) said the avionics were all working well (but didn't actually check it out, instead just asked the seller ).  I have a Garmin G1000 with the 2014 WAAS upgrade and when I started my instrument proficiency training rides the STEC 55X autopilot did not function correctly.  It does direct nav and altitude change and altitude hold but the GPSS fails every time I try to engage it and the autopilot goes off on wild climbs/dives/banks during ILS, etc., even after established on localizer and glideslope, making me have to disconnect the autopilot and hand-fly to reacquire LOC/GS.   

Who is the best to sort out repair/upgrade of my autopilot situation, Sarasota Avionics?  If a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot will work with my G1000 (or maybe have to add a G5) better than an STEC 55X?  Will the GFC 500 make my tasks easier during IMC approaches?

Thanks

I experienced the GPSS fail when I bought my 2005 Ovation2.  I think the baud rate on an RS232 output from the GIA63 to the S-TEC 55x was set wrong, probably happened when the GTX345R was installed for ADS-B.  I think it defaults to an incorrect setting.  When I did the WAAS upgrade it had to be reset again with the GIA63W.

Paul Maxwell knows all about the GPSS fail.  The first time he told the seller's agent how to fix it over the phone and the second time he reset it as part of the WAAS install.

I don't know if the ILS deviation is a different problem or not. I don't recall that happening.

[AnAngryGoose]

Its a long way from you, but Coastal Winds Avionics at KMOB is excellent. Small shop, but the owners there have decades of garmin experience and will do great work for a good price. Great work there. Give em a call and they may be able to help over the phone similar to what @atpdave was saying about Paul.

Edited October 24, 2022 by AnAngryGoose

[LANCECASPER]

3 hours ago, Steve Parker said:

I bought a 2006 M20R Ovation this summer and the Mooney service center that did my prebuy (to have an uninterested third-party evaluation) said the avionics were all working well (but didn't actually check it out, instead just asked the seller ).  I have a Garmin G1000 with the 2014 WAAS upgrade and when I started my instrument proficiency training rides the STEC 55X autopilot did not function correctly.  It does direct nav and altitude change and altitude hold but the GPSS fails every time I try to engage it and the autopilot goes off on wild climbs/dives/banks during ILS, etc., even after established on localizer and glideslope, making me have to disconnect the autopilot and hand-fly to reacquire LOC/GS.   

Who is the best to sort out repair/upgrade of my autopilot situation, Sarasota Avionics?  If a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot will work with my G1000 (or maybe have to add a G5) better than an STEC 55X?  Will the GFC 500 make my tasks easier during IMC approaches?

Thanks

Call Paul Maxwell @Pmaxwell at Don Maxwell Aviation in Longview TX. He is a G1000 expert and a Mooney guru. Don't go to a generic avionics shop and don't go to Autopilots Central in Tulsa for this. The Mooney/G1000/STec is a very rare combo (2005-2007 Ovations, 2005-2006 Bravos and the first 31 Acclaims - almost all of which were later converted to the GFC700 Autopilot).  Only a handful of people know what they are doing on this combo and know all of the gotchas.