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03-04-2016, 08:38 PM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: X35 - Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,679
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For full disclosure, I am a dealer of Dynon equipment, but that doesn't change my opinion of them. I sell their stuff because I like it, I don't like it because I sell it.
I also have installed a lot of TruTrak auto pilots. They work somewhat differently than the Dynon, but overall are very stable and dependable as well.
I have also installed some Garmin servos, and they work well also.
I have never had the need or request to install Trio or GRT equipment, but I hear good things about both.
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Jesse Saint
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03-05-2016, 10:54 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cactuspilot
I haven't read the article, but I don't have a clue what he is talking about. I have never flown an airplane with an autopilot, (inc. g/a, commuter, Boeing, Airbus, etc.) that required me to preflight or otherwise test the autopilot as part of the preflight checks.
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The King autopilot in my Mooney had to be ground tested or it would not engage in flight, so it's not unheard of.
"POWER ON AND SELF-TEST
When power is applied to the KAP 150 the TRIM light will be illuminated indicating that the system self-test should be initiated. The test must be completed before the A/P can be engaged. To perform the test momentarily push the TEST button."
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Dave Gamble
Grove City, OH
RV-6 N466PG Purchased already flying - SOLD!
The Book: The PapaGolf Chronicles
Built RV-12
http://www.schmetterlingaviation.com
The Book: Being written.
The above web blogs and any links provided thereto are not instructional or advisory in nature. They merely seek to share my experiences in building and flying Van's RV airplanes.
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03-05-2016, 11:48 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dynonsupport
There are no clutches in a Dynon servo. They are inherently safe in that the internal drive motors are torque limited. Every time you "slip" the servos you are experiencing the maximum torque it can exert in a failure.
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The servos also have a shear pins which will break, if the AP jams.
Mac is a good writer but he doesn't seem to understand the experimental products we enjoy so much.
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Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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03-05-2016, 12:21 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Fargo, ND
Posts: 1,073
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The preflight checks in Even a basic late model 172 have you engage the AP during preflight and move the controls, I believe to verify that you can over power the controls, then you disconnect the AP and hear the annunciation.
The Garmin AP instructions tell you to do the same. During any preflight when I knew I would be using the AP on my G3X I would do this... AP master switch on, Engage AP (GMC 305), move controls, disengage using remote disconnect/CWS button. Sort of a loop to verify all is good, takes two seconds. 
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Derek Hoeschen
EAA Tech Counselor
RV-9A #92103 - N803DK
G3X, Superior XO-320, Dual Pmags, Catto 3B
www.mykitlog.com/dbro172/
1974 Bellanca Super Viking - N16AW - Flying
RV-8 #83565 - N184DK - building
1968 Mooney M20C - N6801N - Sold
1956 C-182 - N744W - Sold
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03-05-2016, 02:07 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Belleville
Posts: 306
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49clipper
In the King Air models, it is part of the checklist to check break out force and to see if they move in the right direction on each startup. I never do it on my TruTrak though. Maybe I should at least check the direction.
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03-05-2016, 02:08 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 863
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dbro172
The preflight checks in Even a basic late model 172 have you engage the AP during preflight and move the controls, I believe to verify that you can over power the controls, then you disconnect the AP and hear the annunciation.
The Garmin AP instructions tell you to do the same. During any preflight when I knew I would be using the AP on my G3X I would do this... AP master switch on, Engage AP (GMC 305), move controls, disengage using remote disconnect/CWS button. Sort of a loop to verify all is good, takes two seconds. 
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This is exactly the answer I was looking for. Can I do that with my Skyview and how? I understand that the slip warning is a virtual slip as well explained by the Dynon representative (not knowing better I had taken the slip warning as the sign of a clutch existence  ) but still, is a preflight test of the Skyview AP really useless?
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03-05-2016, 04:24 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SC
Posts: 12,887
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WingedFrog
This is exactly the answer I was looking for. Can I do that with my Skyview and how? I understand that the slip warning is a virtual slip as well explained by the Dynon representative (not knowing better I had taken the slip warning as the sign of a clutch existence  ) but still, is a preflight test of the Skyview AP really useless?
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Yes you can. The Dynon AP has a self test function.
Check your PM's.
__________________
Bill R.
RV-9 (Yes, it's a dragon tail)
O-360 w/ dual P-mags
Build the plane you want, not the plane others want you to build!
SC86 - Easley, SC
www.repucci.com/bill/baf.html
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03-06-2016, 06:10 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 421
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Well I read the article, and it was excellent.
I will say that this thread probably misses the intent of the article all together.
Fly the plane...use automation to help you fly the plane...know the limits of that automation...intervene to correct when necessary.
First off, I am no expert on autopilot servos, but it strikes me that generally testing servos the way some suggest here is putting wear and tear on devices that don't necessarily need to be tested that way.
Second, a refresher:

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03-06-2016, 09:45 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Prescott, AZ
Posts: 1,614
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automation and staying on track
Mac is pretty old school... well, so am I so look who's talking.
But, some of the writers don't get around much before they start typing these days. I do have" not so fond" memories of rental Cessnas that came with an autopilot. No one I ever knew would engage one of those without a firm grip on the wheel. More likely than not, the plane would be headed for an oil starvation situation in moments.
One item that always sticks in my mind though, was asking the FAA flight test engineers how much force was allowed to be in the pilots hands if elevator trim ever went full travel (un-commanded) at cruise speeds. It was at a time when an Italian professor was introducing his autopilot via STC here in America. It had no servo on the elevator. Only a brushless motor servo on the trim tab. It came to mind again this weekend when I was hefting a sixty pound sack of concrete pre-mix for a backyard project. The FAA, the designer and of course the marketing people could never give me a straight answer. But I do have a suspicion that the forces in pitch would certainly be a challenge until one got slowed down and or pulled a breaker.
My Tru Trak and my Trio are very well mannered BTW.
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"Kindness is never a bad plan."
exemption option waived. Donation appropriate.
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03-06-2016, 05:39 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 863
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This thread is getting more and more interesting and funny... Eventually I would like someone to come with an idea on how to do this preflight test in a way that's not as cumbersome as the Dynon test which IMHO is more adapted to test the installation than for a preflight test. I personally (I may be wrong) do not see great harm in not having this test but as an avid user of the autopilot, it would bother me having to turn around after finding out that 10 minutes into my flight the autopilot is not working. Yes, I admit, I hate flying my RV-12 on a straight and level flight of one or two hours! 
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