Aerocruze update

[Scooter]

This is the latest and greatest from Duncan. Looks like it is held up at Bendix.

Hi Scooter

 

Yeah, this is hard to stomach and I am sad for Mooney operators.... I wish we could get some traction with upper management at the OEM to get this pushed forward...but this is where we are at the moment...

 

The original STC drawings and installation instructions have been revised by Duncan Aviation Engineering, which was sent off to Bendix King in June of 2025.

 

BK Engineering has been evaluating the revised Duncan information (for several months now), and once that evaluation is completed, BK Engineering will ask the BK ODA to approve this additional data "as approved supplemental data to use with the original STC".

 

We are hoping to have the BK ODA approve on this revised data the end of Quarter 4 of 2025, but additional parts have to be designed, manufactured and added to the original STC kits (which won't happen until approximately the end of Quarter 1 of 2026).
 

Thanks

[hammdo]

Mine goes into the shop in September. IA said no problem doing a 337 for the extra steps needed. 
I have the ‘submitted’ drawings so we’re gonna run with that…

-Don

[LANCECASPER]

19 hours ago, Scooter said:

This is the latest and greatest from Duncan. Looks like it is held up at Bendix.

Hi Scooter

 

Yeah, this is hard to stomach and I am sad for Mooney operators.... I wish we could get some traction with upper management at the OEM to get this pushed forward...but this is where we are at the moment...

 

The original STC drawings and installation instructions have been revised by Duncan Aviation Engineering, which was sent off to Bendix King in June of 2025.

 

BK Engineering has been evaluating the revised Duncan information (for several months now), and once that evaluation is completed, BK Engineering will ask the BK ODA to approve this additional data "as approved supplemental data to use with the original STC".

 

We are hoping to have the BK ODA approve on this revised data the end of Quarter 4 of 2025, but additional parts have to be designed, manufactured and added to the original STC kits (which won't happen until approximately the end of Quarter 1 of 2026).
 

Thanks

You might consider changing "Aerocruz" to the actual name of the autopilot,  "Aerocruze"   (https://aerospace.honeywell.com/us/en/products-and-services/products/cabin-and-cockpit/avionics/autopilots-and-indicators/aerocruze-100-autopilot).

 

This will help anyone in the future who does a search on here. A search for "Aerocruze" won't pull up "Aerocruz"

[Scooter]

Thanks. Done

[ProtoFly]

On 8/1/2025 at 5:45 PM, hammdo said:

Mine goes into the shop in September. IA said no problem doing a 337 for the extra steps needed. 
I have the ‘submitted’ drawings so we’re gonna run with that…

-Don

Can you elaborate?  I was under the impression that a field approval would be needed for installing on my F....  If I can avoid the FSDO, then I may go ahead and order one up....

[rklems]

Autopilot installations can not be field approved per the FAA job aid: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/5394780C328E120C862581600045B7E7.0001

See the definitions on page 4 and the autopilot reference D.13h on page 13, which notes it as STC. The STC definition does have the caveat of "With the complexity of broad applications concerning major alterations, inspectors occasionally encounter a situation in which the guidance material identifies “STC”, but the applicant feels the change doesn't warrant approval as a major change to the product's type design. See the discussion below for the reclassification process." There is D.13h(1) which makes a simple single axis AP ENG (So possibly just DER approval), but an Aerocruze is not a single axis AP.

Getting a specific project reclassified out of STC would require FSDO supporting that, then forwarding it on to the ACO and then ACO approving the reclassification of the process and forwarding it back to the FSDO for evaluation.

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, ProtoFly said:

Can you elaborate?  I was under the impression that a field approval would be needed for installing on my F....  If I can avoid the FSDO, then I may go ahead and order one up....

Talk to Duncan.    Quite a while back when they first pulled the STC back for Mooneys there were offering to still ship them if you took the option to get it approved yourself.   My understanding is that a number of people have done this.   I suspect Duncan has some good guidance on how to do this (I'm thinking of going that way myself with the new delays).

 

[Yetti]

1 hour ago, rklems said:

Autopilot installations can not be field approved per the FAA job aid: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/5394780C328E120C862581600045B7E7.0001

See the definitions on page 4 and the autopilot reference D.13h on page 13, which notes it as STC. The STC definition does have the caveat of "With the complexity of broad applications concerning major alterations, inspectors occasionally encounter a situation in which the guidance material identifies “STC”, but the applicant feels the change doesn't warrant approval as a major change to the product's type design. See the discussion below for the reclassification process." There is D.13h(1) which makes a simple single axis AP ENG (So possibly just DER approval), but an Aerocruze is not a single axis AP.

Getting a specific project reclassified out of STC would require FSDO supporting that, then forwarding it on to the ACO and then ACO approving the reclassification of the process and forwarding it back to the FSDO for evaluation.

Above is more my understanding that the FSDO will always refer to the Portland Autopilot Office.  There seems to be more restrictive language about Autopilots and the Boeing 737 Max AP issue exasperated  the problem.   My friend's Baron getting the Dynon Autopilot waited for 6 months because a hole location was moved on a Servo Bracket.  DER signed it off.   Apparently the completed paperwork waited on one guys desk for the majority of the 6 months just needing a signature.  

[DXB]

The implementation of the Trutrak / Aerocruze 100 for Mooney has been a ongoing clusterf*ck  for several years now.  It's painful to watch. Everything BK touches turns to sh*t.  

It would be great if the entire Mooney community wrote off BK and turned their attention to the Trio folks to encourage them to finish their STC.  They seemed committed to doing so by end of this  year when I spoke to them at KOSH - not that I put much faith in that outcome.   

[ProtoFly]

1 hour ago, DXB said:

The implementation of the Trutrak / Aerocruze 100 for Mooney has been a ongoing clusterf*ck  for several years now.  It's painful to watch. Everything BK touches turns to sh*t.  

It would be great if the entire Mooney community wrote off BK and turned their attention to the Trio folks to encourage them to finish their STC.  They seemed committed to doing so by end of this  year when I spoke to them at KOSH - not that I put much faith in that outcome.   

I have reached out to them as well.  First one that gets their act together is likely the first to get my business.  Yeah, I wouldn't mind the GFC-500, but the price tag is....too much.

[Hank]

4 hours ago, ProtoFly said:

I have reached out to them as well.  First one that gets their act together is likely the first to get my business.  Yeah, I wouldn't mind the GFC-500, but the price tag is....too much.

Me, too. Sadly the Dynon folks left us out in the cold, roo. I'd love a Skyview panel ans AP, but apparently it can't be . . .

So I'm left cheering for whoever finishes up their blasted AP first. And if it's Dynon, they'll sell a full panel, too. Otherwise my steam gages will soldier on.

[aviatoreb]

How much is the aerocruze all in including install 

[ProtoFly]

1 hour ago, aviatoreb said:

How much is the aerocruze all in including install 

For me, I've done an install of an Aerocruze on a PA28, and it was pretty straightforward, so will likely do the install on my Mooney myself.  Thus, the price of the autopilot is where it is at for me.  Last I checked, it was around $7k.