Autopilot upgrade

[Oscar Avalle]

Question for the experts: I have a STEC 30 autopilot installed (with altitude hold). My avionics shop offers me to upgrade the system to an STEC 60-2 (obviously used) for a great price. My question is: what paper work to I need to do? Do I need to send in the unit to STEC? How does it work.

[duke]

If your avionics shop is installing the unit, they usually do the paper work, w&b and logbook enteries.

[Marauder]

Oscar - I think you may find that Cobham (the new owners of STEC) will require you to pay for the STC for that unit I your make and model. I remember reading a thread where someone bought some sort of used upgrade (like altitude hold) and Cobham made them pay for the required STC paperwork.

[OR75]

Modern autopilots are the least standard kind of part that can be installed on an aircraft. The servos are in general aircraft model dependant.  Cannot just take a used AP off the shelf and install it on an aircraft. I am sure your A&P knows that and will know what to do.

I believe I saw somewhere that S-Tec STCs are aircraft (down to serial number) specific and used parts need to be recertified. Make sure the cost associated with that is in the quote you get.   

[Oscar Avalle]

Oscar - I think you may find that Cobham (the new owners of STEC) will require you to pay for the STC for that unit I your make and model. I remember reading a thread where someone bought some sort of used upgrade (like altitude hold) and Cobham made them pay for the required STC paperwork.

Yes, I just got the final quote back. Us$7500 with the STC for the 60-2 and my STEC 30. I am not convinced...an opinions?

[OR75]

what do you gain going from Stec 30 to 60-2 ?

[Marauder]

Oscar - is that with them keeping your 30?

[Oscar Avalle]

Oscar - is that with them keeping your 30?

yes.

[Oscar Avalle]

what do you gain going from Stec 30 to 60-2 ?

Electric trim, glideslope and FD.

[bd32322]

Why not wait for avidyne dfc 90? When I talked to them, they had Mooney on their list of planes they wanted to provide a STC for. And they reuse stec servos. Maybe we need to make more requests on their forum

[Alan Fox]

All autopilot STCs are by serial# not just STEC..... The DFC90 is supposed to Blow away the STEC 60 , if thats possible...

[KSMooniac]

Electric trim, glideslope and FD.

 

IMO, those are just luxuries and not really huge safety-enchancers for our class of airplane.  Do you have WAAS and GPSS?  If not, those upgrades are for more beneficial IMO.  

 

I also agree that it would be worth holding out for the DFC90 if you're really itching to upgrade.  As it stands today, I'm very satisfied with my STEC-30, GPSS and WAAS combo.  

[triple8s]

I dont know what you gain going from a 30 to a 60 but I can tell you this. To have a "legal" installation an authorized S-Tec dealer must install any of their units, that dealer must have an install "kit" which includes the 337, it must be for your serial number aircraft. It must be tested, if any of the parts or pieces of the existing system are left in the plane it will have to be inspected and tested, by that authorized dealer. The install kit from Cobham will cost 1500$ thats dealer cost. Then there is the labor for any and all installation labor and tests. I had a 60-2 in my plane and couldnt find paperwork nor anything on the FAA CD so I had an expense piece of hardware that I couldnt use. To be legal I would have had to disconnect the power source and label it "INOP" so having gotten the IFR ticket, I spent a little (did I say a little?) got a G430WAAS  and HSI installed, and while into it had the S-TEC all straightened out. Now I have a nice looking C model with nice avionics low time engine and prop. Yes I have more in it than i could sell it for but I have several years to enjoy it. I only wish I had've went with the new digital transponder, oh well, I'll have to suffer with the knob twisting. The funny thing about all of this is I found a rocket forsale right after my work was done but I am a new IFR pilot have about 500 hrs and I havent "needed" more than 880 will give. Until I grow as a pilot I will hang on to her, hard to beat her for just two people. 

[Oscar Avalle]

All autopilot STCs are by serial# not just STEC..... The DFC90 is supposed to Blow away the STEC 60 , if thats possible...

Yes, good points. Thank you very much for all your advice. I will wait for the DFC 90, or just keep what I have...

[Marauder]

I'm pretty sure Oscar's plane is WAAS equipped. If he is able to get the version I think he can ( with autotrim) it probably is a good deal. The installed price can easily run $18k+ for an STEC 60-2. I have flown behind my 60-2 for 16 years and absolutely find it a major asset while flying. Before the STEC, I had just the wing leveler and did fine for the 7 years I flew with it - it just wasn't an integral part of my IFR flying. I find that a full blown AP is a real benefit in many ways. Whether it is something simple as being George while on long legs so I can take a nature break or letting it fly an approach while I monitor the situation. I do hope cheaper alternatives become available.

[Oscar Avalle]

I'm pretty sure Oscar's plane is WAAS equipped. If he is able to get the version I think he can ( with autotrim) it probably is a good deal. The installed price can easily run $18k+ for an STEC 60-2. I have flown behind my 60-2 for 16 years and absolutely find it a major asset while flying. Before the STEC, I had just the wing leveler and did fine for the 7 years I flew with it - it just wasn't an integral part of my IFR flying. I find that a full blown AP is a real benefit in many ways. Whether it is something simple as being George while on long legs so I can take a nature break or letting it fly an approach while I monitor the situation. I do hope cheaper alternatives become available.

 

Yes, indeed my plane is WAAS and GPSS equipped. I got just tempted by my avionics shop.On the field there was this Bonanza and they upgraded its autopilot from a 60-2 to a STEC 55X and the 60-2 became available.

 

What I really liked was the autotrim and the Flight Director that could be connected to the ASPEN.

 

I think what I need to do now, is to fly my plane with the new avionics I installed and wait until I get used to everything and cheaper options become available.

[Marauder]

LOL Oscar! Waiting for things to get cheaper in aviation is like buying the winning lottery ticket every drawing. My STEC 60-2 in 1997 was $11k installed (without a flight director). That same system today with the single cue FD (just added it to mine to work with the Aspen) will run you over $20k. Don't know, tough call for you. If you are flying IFR a bit, the full integrated AP functionality with auto trim is nice. Good luck with the decision!

[OR75]

If you fly IFR, I would do it. The GS and auto-trim are great features.

Real IFR is a two persons job ( one flies and the other monitors). A good autopilot can be that second person.

[jlunseth]

If you fly IFR, I would do it. The GS and auto-trim are great features.

Real IFR is a two persons job ( one flies and the other monitors). A good autopilot can be that second person.

 

What he said.  I love my KFC200 which has GS and autotrim.   It flies the plane itself.  I can supervise.

[Marauder]

I agree with the previous two posts. Moving from a basic wing leveler to something that I can Integrate into IFR flying was a serious consideration for me. Never regretted the decision. Whether being in a supervisory mode while I sorted out a complex re-route or giving me time to fully brief myself on an alternate, the added capability is worth it. But I do think the decision point should be based on your intended missions.

[Marauder]

Oscar -- I found a picture of my Mooney in a climb with the flight director engaed on the Aspen. Thought you might be interested to see what the single cue FD looks like.

[Oscar Avalle]

Oscar -- I found a picture of my Mooney in a climb with the flight director engaed on the Aspen. Thought you might be interested to see what the single cue FD looks like.

Oscar -- I found a picture of my Mooney in a climb with the flight director engaed on the Aspen. Thought you might be interested to see what the single cue FD looks like.

Thanks looks really great.

[Oscar Avalle]

Just to report back. At the end I had to send the unit back to STEC. Adding up everything it just did not make much sense... So I decided not to do the upgrade;

[Marauder]

What did Cobham want to "recertify" everything? Dd they give you one price for the system or charge per module?

[Oscar Avalle]

I had my avionics shop do the work and they came back to me with a 12k installation quote of a used 60-2 taking my System 30.... My Minister of Finance, called Erika,  jumped in and said NO WAY.