AeroCruze 100, Be wary before scheduling…

[Jakes Simmons]

       Looks like the AeroCruze saga will be a bust for me. Anyone considering this product, get all your ducks in a row before plunking down money. I had been waiting for this autopilot like most everyone else interested for several years.
      Paid full price and got in the queue once I heard Duncan had finally accomplished the STC. Waited over six months before the kit was delivered to my avionics shop. Flew 3.5 hrs down to drop my ‘76 Ranger off, came back a week later to fly 3.5 hrs back after finding out Duncan had not shipped a complete kit and didn’t bother telling anyone they were missing parts.
     Parts issue finally resolved, flew another 3.5 hrs down to try again. Once belly pan was off, the fuselage did not reflect any of the CAD, (not actual pictures) drawings for an install. Only one email was returned by Duncan writing they needed an IPC for the Ranger to see what’s up. PDF of Catalog was sent, that was the last we heard from Duncan and BK after numerous calls and emails.
     Indirectly I’ve come to understand the STC was pulled for further research. No pieces for the pitch servo bracket will fit a stock ‘76 M20C Ranger serial 1213. It’s also no guarantee the AeroCruze100 will fit ANY Mooney. My shop is going to try a J next and said they are already noticing differences not accounted for in the instructions. Now I have to fly the 3.5 back home, “empty handed” but wallet lightened after 14 hours of flying to and from a place I had no other interest visiting.
     The “Hail Mary” pass will be a nearby sheet metal guy who is supposed to stop by as well as a local DER to see if the bracket could be modded or recreated to work in the future . That is however ANOTHER 7 hour round trip plus the unknown added costs of the sheet metal work and DER inspection/drawings without guarantees it will even work. This latest boondoggle has run me right up against a previously scheduled date to begin the annual. 
     I’m pulling the plug, sending the AeroCruze back for a deserved refund, and hopefully passing on fair warning to the rest of the dreamers. Make sure the STC is actually done, AND it covers your exact serial number, AND you have pictures of the mount points to share with your installer and the CAD instructions before you invest a lot in wasted hours, gas, and frustration…

[NickG]

That sucks. I had TruTrak (aerocruz 100) in my old Cherokee 235. Was an OK autopilot, lots of limitations. I have a GFC500 in my O and its an incredible piece of equipment.

What sucks is that there’s such limited choices at this point if you’re looking for something that is reliable and doesn’t require a home equity loan to buy.

I hear good things from people about the Trio - more complicated install than the BK100 but supposedly cost efficient and reliable. Sadly, not yet available for Mooneys.

The Dynon, of course is the one every is waiting for, but no STC date other than “soon”. If you can afford a GFC500, I can’t say enough good things about it, but it is expensive.

Sorry to hear about your travails.

[Bobaran]

Thanks for the honest report. So sorry for your pain and expense. I am in the process of making my Brittain system work in my F. You probably have saved others a great deal of trouble.

[Florian Guthardt]

Didn’t they send you the alternate installation drawings? Those require some mods and possible DER approval but should work? 

[Jakes Simmons]

No further contact from Duncan or BK since the initial email asking for an IPC for the airplane. They offered no alternate plans. Previous dealings with them indicate a history of pushing off any “issues” and liabilities to the shop being used. Disappointing to say the least. 
     I get it, partially. Not a lot of profit made on this unit but I would pay a grand more if the unit was better supported.

    On a side note, the Uavionix products are very reasonably priced, preform better over time, probably not a lot of profit there either but every single dealing I’ve had with them has been exemplary. Installing the STC’d AVLink and AVMag now. I wish they did an autopilot…

[EricJ]

When they stopped shipping due to the bracket issues they offered to customers to either wait until it got resolved, which they estimated would be somewhere around now, or they'd still ship it to you and offer support for a DER-assisted installation.    I opted to just wait, but the DER option was definitely offered.

 

[Florian Guthardt]

Are the revised drawings approved now? On the F the original drawings worked with minor modifications- I actually had quite quick replies and support from Duncan…

[BlueSky247]

Sorry to hear it didn't work out. We sure need reliable alternatives to big G.

[chunko]

>No pieces for the pitch servo bracket will fit a stock ‘76 M20C Ranger serial 1213

yep, I installed a GFC500 autopilot on a 1968(?) M20C and it had the funkiest control yoke ever. I had to make a custom bracket with standoffs. It was kinda dumb, honestly. Garmin just said "manufacture a bracket to fit lol good luck". However, we did not need a DER.

Edited August 2 by chunko

[N757DL]

Does anyone have first hand experience with the DER method of approval. I really want to install but would like referral to an DER that has already got one approved. Any help would be appreciated. I also have a kit ordered but am an A&P IA and will do the install myself but will still need DER approval.


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