PierreZee Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 Is there an STC out there to add an electric trim on an F model? Thanks for your comments Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Pinecone Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 In my M20K, the electric trim is part of the autopilot.
hammdo Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 GFC-500 (Garmin autopilot) has it automatic if you add the trim servo. Not sure if there is an STC to add the manual version. May need to see if there are any F’s that came from the factory with it… -Don
Ragsf15e Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 The gfc500 includes it. There may be another way via an old stc, but that’s not likely available or supportable to install. If you do an autopilot such as the gfc500 it’s an option. Is the airplane new to you? I had an F with manual trim for 10 years and I really liked the manual trim. It’s also (relatively) maintenance free. 1
Shadrach Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 I am curious; why would you want to do that? The strongest selling point of vintage machines is their simplicity and lighter empty weight. @Ragsf15e and @hammdo does the electric trim with the GFC500 actually spin the jackscrew and trim the whole empennage or does it just allow for electric manipulation of the elevator position? 1
PierreZee Posted October 20 Author Report Posted October 20 42 minutes ago, Shadrach said: I am curious as to why you would want to do that? The strongest selling point of vintage machines is their simplicity and lighter empty weight. I fully agree, but my copilot has a wide ass. (Luckily for me, although I didn't know it at the time I bought the airplane a few months ago, the airplane was modified somewhere in its past, to an electric gear. Actuating the manual gear would have been a problem with the current state of my copilot hips) 3
MikeOH Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 59 minutes ago, Shadrach said: I am curious as to why you would want to do that? The strongest selling point of vintage machines is their simplicity and lighter empty weight. ^^^ THIS ^^^ My only disappointment is that my F has electric gear and flaps! It does have just manual trim, which I love! My ideal purchase would have been J-bar, and completely manual flaps like a B model (NOT even hydraulic). 1
Ragsf15e Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 3 hours ago, Shadrach said: I am curious as to why you would want to do that? The strongest selling point of vintage machines is their simplicity and lighter empty weight. @Ragsf15e and @hammdo does the electric trim with the GFC500 actually spin the jackscrew and trim the whole empennage or does it just allow for electric manipulation of the elevator position? It spins the trim wheel and fully actuates the normal trim system. When hand flying I usually revert to using manual trim, or when lazy, i use electric trim but put my fingertips on the wheel to feel it move. 1
IvanP Posted October 20 Report Posted October 20 2 hours ago, PierreZee said: I fully agree, but my copilot has a wide ass. (Luckily for me, although I didn't know it at the time I bought the airplane a few months ago, the airplane was modified somewhere in its past, to an electric gear. Actuating the manual gear would have been a problem with the current state of my copilot hips) This is the greatest of reasons for modification of a plane I recall seeing an STC for E models somewhere that did not involve installation of new autopilot as I was exploring this possibility few years ago for reasons not related to the width of my co-pilot's posterior, but cannot find it in my old docs as I no longer own the E.
Matthew P Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 On 10/20/2025 at 1:17 PM, MikeOH said: ^^^ THIS ^^^ My only disappointment is that my F has electric gear and flaps! It does have just manual trim, which I love! My ideal purchase would have been J-bar, and completely manual flaps like a B model (NOT even hydraulic). You can always demodify it and go back to original
LANCECASPER Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 On 10/20/2025 at 12:17 PM, PierreZee said: I fully agree, but my copilot has a wide ass. (Luckily for me, although I didn't know it at the time I bought the airplane a few months ago, the airplane was modified somewhere in its past, to an electric gear. Actuating the manual gear would have been a problem with the current state of my copilot hips) It's probably a lot less expensive to buy a Stairmaster than to add electric trim , and could improve useful load. . . lol. However, suggesting that may cost you much more than electric trim. 1 2
N201MKTurbo Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 I have electric trim. I only use it to set takeoff trim. I never use it while flying. With electric trim you cannot feel the backlash in the trim system. You can trim it much more precisely by hand. 2
MikeOH Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 2 hours ago, Matthew P said: You can always demodify it and go back to original My electric gear is original. If the worm gear need replacing and new ones can't be found, I may well MODIFY it to manual. 1
Jackk Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 On light aircraft up to about a caravan size manual trim is so much nicer I’d think electric would be a downgrade 2
Matthew P Posted October 25 Report Posted October 25 8 hours ago, MikeOH said: My electric gear is original. If the worm gear need replacing and new ones can't be found, I may well MODIFY it to manual. Did you see my seperate post regarding the worm gears?
MikeOH Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 1 hour ago, Matthew P said: Did you see my seperate post regarding the worm gears? You mean LASAR? I’ll wait to see how that works out price wise.
1967 427 Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 25 minutes ago, MikeOH said: You mean LASAR? I’ll wait to see how that works out price wise. According to LASAR’s web sit, I can’t even get a seat roller (out of stock), and that is one of the simplest parts ever.
Matthew P Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 5 hours ago, 1967 427 said: According to LASAR’s web sit, I can’t even get a seat roller (out of stock), and that is one of the simplest parts ever. I sent the discount pricing info for first 50, but undestand your skepticism. I asked John if they were going to purge their website of items they haven't had for years nor could they get and didn't really get an answer, and then you listen to their plea to have us join the assurance program that is vauge to say the least...not sure who their marketing person is, but they need a better one when it comes to the assurance program. 1
Matthew P Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 5 hours ago, 1967 427 said: According to LASAR’s web sit, I can’t even get a seat roller (out of stock), and that is one of the simplest parts ever. Did you call them.
1967 427 Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 Will make that call first thing tomorrow. Hopefully they will have them in stock and if they do, I will make the commitment to them to update their web site. (Since the Internet seems to be the way the world works). I agree with you Matthew, marketing can make or break a company I started writing rant about companies, but deleted it, as I’m sure that’s not how laser works. Also, I will need to purchase parts from them in the future 1
Ragsf15e Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 19 hours ago, 1967 427 said: According to LASAR’s web sit, I can’t even get a seat roller (out of stock), and that is one of the simplest parts ever. Ha! I tried to order those from lasar twice in the last 8 months. They keep telling me they’re working on it… as you said, simple part for sure! I finally had to install some rollers with a bushing from another ms member and that helped one seat a lot.
Ragsf15e Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 8 hours ago, 1967 427 said: Will make that call first thing tomorrow. Hopefully they will have them in stock and if they do, I will make the commitment to them to update their web site. (Since the Internet seems to be the way the world works). I agree with you Matthew, marketing can make or break a company I started writing rant about companies, but deleted it, as I’m sure that’s not how laser works. Also, I will need to purchase parts from them in the future You can surely try again, but I usually skip the website and go directly to Heather via email. Last I checked was September and they didn’t have any. I’ve been trying for ~8 months.
Aerodon Posted October 26 Report Posted October 26 So I am installing a GFC500 which has a trim servo behind the avionics tray. This thread got me thinking, the GMA28C spins the shaft for the elevator trim, and it 'reverse drives' the manual trim wheel. But now I see there is a trim servo near the manual trim that I still need to remove. This could probably be retrofitted to the manual trim and operated with an up down switch, but legality? Aerodon
1967 427 Posted October 27 Report Posted October 27 23 hours ago, Ragsf15e said: You can surely try again, but I usually skip the website and go directly to Heather via email. Last I checked was September and they didn’t have any. I’ve been trying for ~8 months. So I first have to apologize for hi-jacking this thread, but thought I would share my response from Dan @ Lasar. I first checked their website to get their phone number and their site now states that it has been updated, which is great. I checked the seat roller just last week and I know for a fact that it stated a cost of less than $12 a piece, and now it no longer shows “out of stock” but the price is $116.57. In talking to Dan he said that they only have 2 and these are the expensive ones. I stated, “Well if you say these are the expensive ones, where are the ones I saw listed last week?” He responded that they no longer have those. I know we were told that their pricing was going to increase, but that is ridiculous. 3 1
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