TT/Aero 100 Autopilot News?

[Hank]

1 hour ago, Shadrach said:

It will happen. Can I get right of first refusal on those antiquated Brittain systems?  

Sure. You are now at the top of the list. Is it lonely at the top? It should be, no one else has expressed interest in them.

[Shadrach]

Just now, Hank said:

Sure. You are now at the top of the list. Is it lonely at the top? It should be, no one else has expressed interest in them.

Great!  I have a soft spot for the design.  My wing leveler and vacuum step have been essentially maintenance free for 57 years.  The boots are still supple and leak free. Just a TC overhaul from time to time and new vacuum tubing behind the panel every 5-6 years. 

[cliffy]

58 minutes ago, EricJ said:

They had drawings, but on deployment there were installation issues that revealed some unanticipated installation differences across models and/or serial numbers.   My understanding is that the drawings (and evidently additional bracketry) are to accomodate the discovered differences.

Remember that Garmin had a bunch of trouble deploying their autopilot on Mooneys, too.   Seems to come with the territory.

OK if that is the case then things moved faster than the known data was found ( the submitted package was short of the empirical data need)(not looking far enough ahead?) BUT, also, IF that is true, it foreshadows more models being approved in the initial AML. 

Could it be that both BK and Dynon will have approvals at the same time? The sky will truly fall if that happens.

I have almost 2 complete Brittian systems on the shelf and if either BK or Dynon come through in the next 6 months I'm going to sell them. 

[Hank]

1 hour ago, Shadrach said:

Great!  I have a soft spot for the design.  My wing leveler and vacuum step have been essentially maintenance free for 57 years.  The boots are still supple and leak free. Just a TC overhaul from time to time and new vacuum tubing behind the panel every 5-6 years. 

I like them, very simple and good enough. But I'd like to go Dynon Skyview . . . . but not without the autopilot, and i dont really like Garmin's attitude.

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, cliffy said:

OK if that is the case then things moved faster than the known data was found ( the submitted package was short of the empirical data need)(not looking far enough ahead?) BUT, also, IF that is true, it foreshadows more models being approved in the initial AML. 

Could it be that both BK and Dynon will have approvals at the same time? The sky will truly fall if that happens.

I have almost 2 complete Brittian systems on the shelf and if either BK or Dynon come through in the next 6 months I'm going to sell them. 

What kind of systems?

 

[BasicPlaneGuy]

15 hours ago, EricJ said:

They had drawings, but on deployment there were installation issues that revealed some unanticipated installation differences across models and/or serial numbers.   My understanding is that the drawings (and evidently additional bracketry) are to accomodate the discovered differences.

Remember that Garmin had a bunch of trouble deploying their autopilot on Mooneys, too.   Seems to come with the territory.

That explanation makes more sense to me when working across so many different models. I'll maintain hope then. Thank you for the news.

 

While making calls the other day, I also spoke with a representative at Dynon who gave me an inkling of hope that they may have their AP available for F, J, and K models at some point in the future - but they weren't 100% sure yet the STC would apply to all, or anything outside of those for that matter. 6 months ago they told me they thought their AP would only be certified for the J and maybe K models. So, maybe we'll be blessed with multiple solutions to our AP needs.....someday. 

[Florian Guthardt]

They got an STC approval for all M20s but found only Long Bodys to actually work. Short bodies need a roll servo install mod while mid bodies require a pitch servo modification . The STC revision will take some time but you can do the modifications on your own risk using a DER - for those willing to do so they are now shipping install kits as well as for long bodies … 

[cliffy]

Questions IF anyone knows-

Is there any indication just what the short body mod might entail? Do they have an idea of what is entailed?

I wonder what the possibility of getting a field approval due to similarity of airframe with the short body mod? It happened with the Trio A/P on Cessnas

I can't think that DER involvement would be too difficult if only a roll channel hardware mod is contemplated.

Can anyone confirm that they are delivering units? Who has a supply  as I'd might be willing to be the Guinee pig for the short body 

[Florian Guthardt]

Short body needs the pushrod and bracket of the roll servo modified as far as I got the information- they already have the STC revision underway - you can order with Duncan on your own risk and a DER needs to do the approval of the mod or you can wait till the STC revision is done. On our M20F there needs to be a mod on the pitch bracket so we ordered at our risk - from what we have seen so far there is a chance the STC drawings will actually work on the M20F ( on the J and K they are not working) but we will know when the kit is on hand ( expected delivery next week - they sent it out already) 

[cliffy]

2 hours ago, Florian Guthardt said:

Short body needs the pushrod and bracket of the roll servo modified as far as I got the information- they already have the STC revision underway - you can order with Duncan on your own risk and a DER needs to do the approval of the mod or you can wait till the STC revision is done. On our M20F there needs to be a mod on the pitch bracket so we ordered at our risk - from what we have seen so far there is a chance the STC drawings will actually work on the M20F ( on the J and K they are not working) but we will know when the kit is on hand ( expected delivery next week - they sent it out already) 

PM sent to Florian

[Florian Guthardt]

5 hours ago, cliffy said:

PM sent to Florian

Just checked back with Duncan - no roll servo mod required on the short body Mooneys however there is a pitch servo install mod required - waiting for approval from them to share details

[cliffy]

Holding my breath that all this comes to pass. 

I'm in for helping get any kind of approval for the short bodies

If they are willing and want resume from me to help move it along with my short body - I can supply both