Mooney M20A autopilot

[Sam Harris]

Hello everyone,

I have an M20A and would like to add an autopilot The STC's on the Bendix King  Aerocruze start with the B model - any ideas out there?

Thanks,

Sam

[chriscalandro]

Sell your airplane and buy one with approval for the autopilot you want. 

[kerry]

I have a Pathfinder P2A in my M20A. It was done with field approval by previous owner.  There are M20A that came from the factory with autopilots but probably not what you're looking for.

[chriscalandro]

Field approval cannot be done for an auto pilot. It MUST be done as a one time STC, and unless you’re building your own autopilot, you won’t get the engineering info needed from the manufacturer. 
 

it requires an FAA engineering rep, an STC, even if only for one serial number of airplane, a ton of engineering data, and a ton of paperwork.

if you have an auto pilot that was “field approved” I suggest you don’t say it publicly, and keep the name of who approved it buried deep in a log entry. 
 

a few of us tried to go this route for the Dynon autopilot. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by chriscalandro

[Rwsavory]

And even if the Aerocruze were available it appears to be akin to the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.

[EricJ]

17 hours ago, chriscalandro said:

Field approval cannot be done for an auto pilot. It MUST be done as a one time STC, and unless you’re building your own autopilot, you won’t get the engineering info needed from the manufacturer. 
 

it requires an FAA engineering rep, an STC, even if only for one serial number of airplane, a ton of engineering data, and a ton of paperwork.

if you have an auto pilot that was “field approved” I suggest you don’t say it publicly, and keep the name of who approved it buried deep in a log entry. 
 

a few of us tried to go this route for the Dynon autopilot. 

We were told many times long ago that autopilots could be approved under NORSEE, and that this would accelerate their availability to GA.   

[chriscalandro]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

We were told many times long ago that autopilots could be approved under NORSEE, and that this would accelerate their availability to GA.   

I can tell you two manufacturers who thought that would work out for them. 

[carusoam]

See how far Big G has gotten with their AP…

They were steadily working their way through the alphabet…

The oldest was probably the 65 M20C…

The M20A is slightly different from the M20C… 

The M20C already had the servo mounts from the factory from the Brittain system that was there originally….

Make contact with the Garmin factory… get on a list.  Or make a list for them….   
 

An AP is a wonderful thing to have for a plane….

Best regards,

-a-

[kerry]

N1960 has a Brittain Accu-Flite. I believe Dan Morris installed it.  I think Dan is on Mooneyspace.  If you can contact him then maybe he can give you some details on how he did it.

N1960 | 1960 MOONEY M20A on Aircraft.com

[Greg Ellis]

5 hours ago, kerry said:

N1960 has a Brittain Accu-Flite. I believe Dan Morris installed it.  I think Dan is on Mooneyspace.  If you can contact him then maybe he can give you some details on how he did it.

N1960 | 1960 MOONEY M20A on Aircraft.com

It was Dave Morris who owned this airplane, not Dan Morris, just FYI.  I do not think he installed it.  I believe he purchased the airplane already outfitted with the Accu-Flite but he does lurk on Mooneyspace so he may be able to chime in.  The issue with any Brittain product is availability.  They are scarce.  You would probably have to spend many months to years cobbling together a system.  The company is of course not making them any more either.  

[Greg Ellis]

5 hours ago, carusoam said:

See how far Big G has gotten with their AP…

They were steadily working their way through the alphabet…

The oldest was probably the 65 M20C…

The M20A is slightly different from the M20C… 

The M20C already had the servo mounts from the factory from the Brittain system that was there originally….

Make contact with the Garmin factory… get on a list.  Or make a list for them….   
 

An AP is a wonderful thing to have for a plane….

Best regards,

-a-

Garmin has stopped with the 1962 C model as the earliest supported model.

[Sam Harris]

Thanks for all your replies.