Folks, we need to fortify the front against Garmin (Autopilot)

[Dr.Dan]

Originally Posted by Cglencross

I emailed Max Unruh in March 2022.

Coles Notes of Conversation:

1. Planning on doing the GFC 500, will require a GI-275
2. Timing was estimated in little over 1 year from March 2022
3. They would be looking at the model that is the heaviest from the factory (or with 5% of heaviest gross weight) and turbocharged.

I will follow up with him and see where they are at. Another group to pressure is the Dynon Certified guys. They have already done it with a twin (piper seneca) so all is not lost.

Chris

I have offered by T337G (pressurized) for the gfc 500.
GI275 x2
GTN 750 XI

I haven't heard anything back.

DD

[n86121]

When I was a kid I used to design medical diagnostic tech robotics.
I was admittedly, a weird kid.

The feedback tasks of any autopilot are really very simple.

This clever gadget would probably work just fine on a 337.

As a portable device, no FAA involvement.
'Clamp and go'

My Ye Olde Navomatic gets its course correction off the CDI.
I just upgraded my panel to Avidyne fantasy suite w new King CDI.
KI 209 I think?

The CDI gets signals from IFR GPS 550 AND and provides left right guidance to AP.
Including GPSSS, which is merely anticipating turns over a fix, instead of hard correction.

Doesn't drive AP elevator, but that's trivial anyway.
Trim for level flight, engage AP. Done.
Little AP head by right knee can climb / descend, hold heading, intercept/track, hold altitude, etc.

The portable AP looks like $3K.
https://www.portapilot.com/product-page/portapilot-vnav

Plus another $100 to supply power from 24 volts
https://www.portapilot.com/product-p...ng-power-cable

I four AP is dead and no longer supported,
and you really need one, to hold heading, altitude and track course,
for $3k I'd give the portable a try and see how it does.

If its terrible I'm sure they'd take it back.
My guess is it would work just fine.

It's just some some stable convergent (not divergent) feedback systems after all.

Report back to us if you do.

[wslade2]

Darn interesting

https://www.portapilot.com/media

[mshac]

It is interesting, and not a bad idea at all, but I bet it has "FOR VFR USE ONLY" stamped prominently in the manual somewhere!
EDIT: They go even farther - " LIMITED TO DAY VFR CONDITIONS, OVER SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS, AT LEAST 5 MILES FROM AN AIRPORT"

I want one of those inflatable autopilots like they had on Airplane! The Movie.

Pretty soon you'll be able to say "Alexa, fly me home" LOL

[patrolpilot]

PortaPilot seems a reach. My airplane isn't that tough to fly, even great distances.

[mshac]

Originally Posted by patrolpilot

PortaPilot seems a reach. My airplane isn't that tough to fly, even great distances.

I flew without an autopilot for the first many years of having my license. I flew Cessna 150, 172, 310 and more from Texas to California and Florida, hand flown every mile.

I used to think less of pilots who used autopilots. I eventually bought a few singles and two twins without (working) APs and always considered myself a better pilot for not needing one. Then I flew 135 and 121, and started to see the benefit of having a good AP. I still liked not having one when I flew GA aircraft, just to stay sharp.

Then I bought my first Bonanza with an AP in great working condition. I could trust it to hold an altitude, steer a course, or hold a heading. I could even trust it to fly a specific VS and capture an altitude. I could hit "direct-to" and I knew the plane would take me there. I am now sold on having an AP in my GA airplane!

My P337H has the STEC 60-2 AP with the ST360 preselect module, and life is great, but I don't think I'm as sharp as I was before when hand-flying was the only choice.

Be happy with what you have and where you are. We are truly blessed to be Skymaster owners.

[YankeeClipper]

I am not yet an experienced pilot, but my current CFI who has many thousands of hours in small jets (135) has advised me that flying IMC alone (even with lots of experience) with a navomatic 400 might be one of my least risk averse moments. That task management in suddenly worsening IMC could pile up dangerously, and a failed or inaccurate AP could spell real trouble in that moment.

A 400a, in good rig, would be another story, since they are better to begin with (or so we've both read/heard), and still serviceable. Even AP Central said they won't take the 400 aught anymore.

Much as I'd love to be happy with mine, I have learned to heed his advice. And when Genesys is saying they probably can't even get inventory for the newer model (that I can't afford), the last option we have, I get even more concerned.

[wslade2]

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/...rim-issue-fix/

Garmin might have been a little preoccupied to add any more aircraft to their STC list lately. “GFC placarded as inoperative.” Pretty serious problem to put their time and attention on. Maybe now or soon, can approach them again.

[GAdams]

To be helpful to the group: Yesterday I completed the final flight test of the 55X system in my 337D model. All went flawless and I now have an autopilot nicely matched to the 337. I started working on this project back in April of 2022. I paid less than half the numbers you all are quoting for the 55X and the install. I did not elect to install the electric trim option as my airplane doesn't have electric trim anyway. Manually trimming this airplane is a non issue with the autopilot. The path to this success was long and not without setbacks but I may have paved the way for the rest of the fleet to an autopilot solution. My installer was the key. He worked with an Genesys dealer for the purchase of a remanufactured 55X, he did the installation and the dealer signed off the final inspection and paperwork. The dealer doesn't want to do the install and if you make him, he will quote 120 hours flat rate where the install took 54 hours. The install rate was $75 per hour. I have warranties as if it was a factory new unit. I'm not going to publish the installer's name and number here but PM me and I will share the information. We now have a path to replace our aging 300/400/400A's with at least a modern supported autopilot. Not digital but perhaps good enough for our birds. That's your decision.