Aerocruz 100 for Mooney Ranger

[Lionudakis]

On 12/24/2024 at 10:06 PM, cliffy said:

Having looked at the Trio install drawings for a Mooney I think the AC 100 is easier to install

Also the Trio uses 3 servos with cable bridles for control connections unlike the AC 100 with 

solid push pull rods on 2 servos. The Trio uses a tray across the width of the tail cone aft of the radio access

hole on the left side of the fuselage with 2 servos mounted side by side to connect to the Mooney 

push/pull rods with clamp on cable bridles. I guess I'm just not a fan of cable bridles but they have 

been used on many A/P installations in the past.

Trio or Dynon? Trio just got going on the Mooney IIRC.   A recently approved ProPilot is in transit for my wife and sons Cessna 150

[cliffy]

My mistake in saying "Trio" I was referring to the Dynon autopilot with bridles for the pitch and yaw. The roll servo uses a push/pull rod.

I guess because I had just been researching the Trio one the name stuck in my head. 

The TT/BK Aero 100  uses only 2 servos (pitch and roll) both with push/pull rods.

In addition so far only the J/Ks are approved for the Dynon AND another limitation on installation is that some Js have tapered rod ends on the rudder push pulls and only the ones with flat/square ends are covered by the STC   (page 2 below)

https://www.dynoncertified.com/downloads/documentation/mooney/104368-000_RevB_AP_Install_Manual_Mooney_M20J_M20K.pdf

[cliffy]

On 12/27/2024 at 6:20 AM, 65MooneyPilot said:

Should I remove my PC system for an Aerocruise 100 AP. 

If you want an autopilot and not just a wing leveler then yes

[cliffy]

On 12/25/2024 at 4:47 AM, 65MooneyPilot said:

Awesome report, did you happen to take any pictures of the install? I am thinking about installing one and as we know a picture is worth a thousand words. 

 

[EricJ]

53 minutes ago, cliffy said:

 

In my J model there's a factory bracket for the pitch servo in the tail that's very straightforward and uses a hole in one of the swing arms that is specifically for connecting an autopilot.   I wish they'd have used that instead, but this works, too.

[47U]

@cliffy

Thank you for posting these pictures.

Did you fabricate this angle (circled in blue) to support the servo tray aft mount bracket, or was it in the kit?  Were the servo tray forward and aft mount brackets you installed in your initial kit order, or did Duncan send them to you as a modification after your kit was delivered?  Your servo mount tray didn’t have to be shortened?  

My servo tray forward and aft mount brackets are bent at 90 degrees, and my servo tray is too long… it’s for a mid-body.   Per a draft print Duncan sent me, the servo tray needs to be shortened and the forward and aft mount bracket’s angle changed so the servo tray is installed at an angle slightly off from horizontal… which the reason appears to be to cleanly install the aft servo tray mount bracket through the step support structure on the aft side of the bulkhead.  Your installation appears to avoid the structural variances between models in the aft bulkhead.    

I think I need to contact Duncan… this is progress.

[cliffy]

In the Duncan drawings there are two different ways to mount the tray. I used the long body one with the upper bracket hung from the floor of the baggage compartment. I just shortened the tray , remounted the supplied brackets (angle reset to 105 degrees to match the bulkhead angle) and used all the supplied hardware. I did make the gray angle bracket on the floor of the baggage compartment to mimic the stiffener that is on the long bodies but not on the short bodies. 

So the mounting is exactly as it is on the long bodies just with a shorter tray. 

I did it this way to avoid problems with using the bulkhead with the step issues.

I notched the tray flanges to clear the flap rod as allowed on the drawings. 

The gray angle piece is .032 2024 with a radiused bend

[hammdo]

I’ve ordered mine from Duncan today. Should know more after the holiday….

-Don