76 Mooney M20C Autopilot Install

[Bryanmooney]

Folks,

I am wondering what it would cost, what would be advised for an autopilot install. Is there a cheaper way to get even one axis for a fair price? I have a 430W onboard so maybe being coupled would be nice or something really fancy but at this point I am just trying to figure out the costs/ options.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[Hank]

Call Brittain in Tulsa. AccuFlight puts in a heading bug; AccuTrak will couple to the 430 and fly nice approaches, leaving you to adjust power and manage altitude. This requires a functional PC system. I love mine, but use the heading bug much more than the other.

[Bryanmooney]

Whats a "PC System"

[Hank]

Positive Control. It keeps the wings level, but is easy to override. There's a big thumb switch to temporarily disconnect it when maneuvering. Some planes have a switch on the panel instead.

I can send an Owner's Manual excerpt tomorrow.

Maintenance of the Brittain systems is simple, fast and inexpensive, but I have no idea about the install cost.

Look inside the ELT panel, the two tail servos should be visible, one on each control rod.

[Alan Fox]

If your plane is 64 or later , It should have a PC , if it does , you can add a unit called an accutrack II that will track one of two heading sources , I have one I will sell for about 1200  but you have to have the PC to add it too..... Putting a PC in an aircraft that never had it would be a big project , because the brackets to mount the vacuum servos in the wings would be a bitch to mount.....

[Hank]

I don't know if Mooney was still putting in the PC in '76. And some owners removed them over the years. What were they thinking?

I recommend buying hu s AccuTrak before someone else does . . .

[Hector]

If your plane is 64 or later , It should have a PC , if it does , you can add a unit called an accutrack II that will track one of two heading sources , I have one I will sell for about 1200 but you have to have the PC to add it too..... Putting a PC in an aircraft that never had it would be a big project , because the brackets to mount the vacuum servos in the wings would be a bitch to mount.....

Do you have the Accuflite piece as well? If you do I would be interested in buying that from you. Already have Accutrak.

[Alan Fox]

Accutrack II and BI805 valve.....

[Bryanmooney]

I know it used to have an autopilot. Not sure about whats left. I will call the ap tomorrow. Definetly interested in the PC

[danb35]

AccuTrak will couple to the 430 and fly nice approaches, leaving you to adjust power and manage altitude. 

Although the AccuTrak does indeed fly nice approaches, it isn't approved for approach use--or at least, mine isn't according to the AFMS.  You can even use the Icarus SAM GPSS module with the AccuFlite for GPS steering.  It really works quite well, especially for pretty old tech.

[Bob_Belville]

www.brittainautopilots.com/

 

They go back 50 years with Mooney providing pneumatic powered wing levelers and autopilots. (They also make the servo that lifts the retractable step that was a feature for several years.)

 

They usually have a 1-2 year backlog for their systems but that's the place to start.

 

Stec is the other common alternative: http://sharepoint.s-tec.com/

[Bob_Belville]

Bryan, I'm not that familiar with what was standard equipment in '76 but I would be very surprised to learn that Mooney was building new planes then w/o at least a wing leveler. It might be that you still might have the servos from a Brittain PC system in the wings at least. If you have complete logs you should read through for any evidence of removal/disable of a wing leveler. As I understand it, Mooney felt that thee airplane was too much of a challenge for transitioning pilots without a full time wing leveler. I remember PC with great fondness from my earliest Mooney time in the 60s. 

[Marauder]

Bryan -- highly likely that at a minimum you have the wing level PC system. That is what was on my 1975 F. Take a look at your pilot yoke and see if there is either a switch on the left inner grip or there is a slot there. That was the disconnect.

[Bob_Belville]

Bryan -- highly likely that at a minimum you have the wing level PC system. That is what was on my 1975 F. Take a look at your pilot yoke and see if there is either a switch on the left inner grip or there is a slot there. That was the disconnect.

If you find that the guts of the system are still there but the system is disabled I would certainly call Brittain and discuss your options. I suppose the system was giving trouble and the owner was not willing to get it properly fixed. That system is simple, robust and worth repairing unless you're willing to spend quite a few thousand dollars for an autopilot. (If you're planning to keep the plane and fly IFR or longer cross countries, an STEC would be a big workload reducer.)

[Hank]

Bryan--

 

Look for something like this in your Owner's Manual. The little picture on p.1 shows the disconnect button on the pilot's yoke, and the roll trim knob on the Turn Coordinator.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions. I just had a wing servo overhauled at Brittain for $124, a small fraction of what an STec servo overhaul would cost. But it's just a low-powered pneumatic system that runs on vacuum, with one electronic piece mounted in the tail cone to coordinate everything.

[N601RX]

On the newer models it is going to be driven off the turn coordinator instead of the blind gyro in the tail.

[DanM20C]

My 69 C still has the PC stickers on the cowling, but a PO had the system removed and installed a S-Tec 30.  If you have the extra $$, the S-tec 30 with GPSS is a fantastic setup if you fly IFR.  I don't know what it would cost to put one in but I'm sure it would be over 10amu. 

[Marauder]

Bryan - here are some pictures of Brittian PC stuff you may have installed. I promised to send this to someone on this forum but I lost their contact information! If they don't come forward, if any of this will work, you can have it. I certainly am not using it.

 

 

 

I'm not sure if your 76 came with these man yokes, but this is what was on my 75 before I converted it over to the J style. I do miss them in heavy turbulence. The PC disconnect switch is in a groove below the PTT button and on the knobby portion.

 

 

I should add that I also have the servo boots too.

[scottfromiowa]

If you have time and do not mind checking Ebay on a regular basis you can find deals on Accu-flite, Accu-trak and any other Brittain pneumatic system components. I purchased all online and .7 AMU's was most I paid. Brittain has no problem refurbish/certifying what you send them for a modest fee. Jerry, Kevin and CC are good people.

[Hank]

I love mine!

[N201MKTurbo]

I have an almost complete Century 41 system including the attitude gyro if you are interested. It doesn't have any servos. I was going to put it in my 201, but I haven't found that round tuit yet.