ARC Nav-o-matic 300 autopilot

[Petehdgs]

My 1964 Mooney has a factory installed ARC Nav-o-matic 300 autopilot.  It was working properly 5 years ago when I bought the plane, but only in warm weather.  This unit has a dedicated gyro behind the baggage compartment for roll and yaw control and I figured the grease in those bearings had gotten old causing the problems in cold weather.  I pulled the gyro and sent it off for rebuild.  The system, hasn't worked since reinstalling it.  I even sent it back to the rebuilder with no luck.  

 

This autopilot is mounted under the panel on the hump of the floor between the front seats, not in the panel.  I only have one picture showing its location.  While I don't use it, I would like to bring back its capability to the cockpit.  The idea is to have all the functionality of the original airplane when I eventually stop flying and sell it.  

 

Has anyone dealt with this system and either had it repaired or replaced it with something else?  I know the experience pool for these is getting pretty thin as older technicians retire and more.  I figure there were plenty of them around as they were the standard for Cessna for years,  

 

Thank you in advance for your time and help.  

[skykrawler]

https://www.rainierflightservice.com/aircraftdocs/cessnaarcnavomatic300a.pdf

Doesn't look like you have a heading bug on your DG - so maybe all you have is wing-leveler and turns, perhaps nav tracking.

I ran across an old post you made on POA in 2022....seems like you've had this problem for a long time.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, skykrawler said:

https://www.rainierflightservice.com/aircraftdocs/cessnaarcnavomatic300a.pdf

Doesn't look like you have a heading bug on your DG - so maybe all you have is wing-leveler and turns, perhaps nav tracking.

I ran across an old post you made on POA in 2022....seems like you've had this problem for a long time.

This autopilot doesn’t use a DG with a heading bug. It uses a DG that gives resolver output referenced to N on the DGs compass card. It then generates the heading error inside the control head using the heading selector knob. The DG is kind of a rare unit.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Petehdgs said:

My 1964 Mooney has a factory installed ARC Nav-o-matic 300 autopilot.  It was working properly 5 years ago when I bought the plane, but only in warm weather.  This unit has a dedicated gyro behind the baggage compartment for roll and yaw control and I figured the grease in those bearings had gotten old causing the problems in cold weather.  I pulled the gyro and sent it off for rebuild.  The system, hasn't worked since reinstalling it.  I even sent it back to the rebuilder with no luck.  

 

This autopilot is mounted under the panel on the hump of the floor between the front seats, not in the panel.  I only have one picture showing its location.  While I don't use it, I would like to bring back its capability to the cockpit.  The idea is to have all the functionality of the original airplane when I eventually stop flying and sell it.  

 

Has anyone dealt with this system and either had it repaired or replaced it with something else?  I know the experience pool for these is getting pretty thin as older technicians retire and more.  I figure there were plenty of them around as they were the standard for Cessna for years,  

 

Thank you in advance for your time and help.  

Does it work in roll (wing leveler) mode with the center knob pulled out?.

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, Petehdgs said:

My 1964 Mooney has a factory installed ARC Nav-o-matic 300 autopilot.  It was working properly 5 years ago when I bought the plane, but only in warm weather.  This unit has a dedicated gyro behind the baggage compartment for roll and yaw control and I figured the grease in those bearings had gotten old causing the problems in cold weather.  I pulled the gyro and sent it off for rebuild.  The system, hasn't worked since reinstalling it.  I even sent it back to the rebuilder with no luck.  

 

This autopilot is mounted under the panel on the hump of the floor between the front seats, not in the panel.  I only have one picture showing its location.  While I don't use it, I would like to bring back its capability to the cockpit.  The idea is to have all the functionality of the original airplane when I eventually stop flying and sell it.  

 

Has anyone dealt with this system and either had it repaired or replaced it with something else?  I know the experience pool for these is getting pretty thin as older technicians retire and more.  I figure there were plenty of them around as they were the standard for Cessna for years,  

 

Thank you in advance for your time and help.  

Does this autopilot show up in the logbooks?

[Rwsavory]

There’s an auto pilot guy named Bob Weber who might be of assistance. https://webairconsulting.com

[Andy95W]

@Bob Weber