VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics

  #1  
Old 08-21-2013, 04:37 PM
PerfTech's Avatar
PerfTech PerfTech is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Redlands, Ca.
Posts: 1,458
Talking Easy Safety Check!

.... I am posting this as it may help someone else from the same experience I had last weekend en-route to the Vans Homecoming. We traveled the last 200 miles or so VFR on top with no ground sightings or holes to be had. We were between layers and things were getting worse rapidly when all of a sudden my airplane began a turn to the left for no apparent reason. This is when I became aware that my auto pilot, True-Trac ADI Pilot II, was not functioning. This is where I really needed it and the first and only time it has failed to function perfectly in 600 hrs. The altitude hold was working, all indicator lights were on, but no roll servo action at all. After returning home I went to work locating the problem and found it had sheared off the shear pin in the servo arm. Not a difficult fix, but in retrospect I think I know what caused it to quit. I have on two occasions put considerable stress on the airplane, once in severe turbulence and one high G drop on landing. I am sure this is what stressed the pin and it finely just let go at a very inopportune time. The moral to this story is this, if you have been in extreme turbulence or a hard landing you may want to consider changing these pins. They are very inexpensive and easy to change. This ounce of prevention may save your axx one day. I definitely like a working auto pilot when in the clouds. Thanks, Allan
__________________
Allan Nimmo
AntiSplatAero.com
Innovative Aircraft Safety
Products, Tools & Services
Info@AntiSplatAero.com
Southern California (KREI)
RV-9A / Edge-540
(909) 824-1020
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-21-2013, 04:50 PM
sirlegin's Avatar
sirlegin sirlegin is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 309
Default

We traveled the last 200 miles or so VFR on top with no ground sightings or holes to be had. We were between layers and things were getting worse rapidly

Isn't that IFR?
__________________
Nigel
RV9A-N113SQ
52F
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-21-2013, 05:11 PM
John Clark's Avatar
John Clark John Clark is offline
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,324
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sirlegin View Post
Isn't that IFR?
"By the book" (FARs) it is VFR if you are 1000 feet above the layer below and 500 feet below the layer above and have 3 miles visibility. But let's get real. What does 500 feet below a layer look like? how do you know that there is 3 miles visibility with no reference. I don't have a problem with flying between layers, but only on an IFR flight plan in a properly equipped aircraft. Without complete understanding of the weather around you and a sure thing way out, it is a sucker move.

John Clark ATP, CFI
FAAST Team Representative
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-21-2013, 06:10 PM
Mike S's Avatar
Mike S Mike S is offline
Senior Curmudgeon
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PerfTech View Post
found it had sheared off the shear pin in the servo arm. Not a difficult fix, but in retrospect I think I know what caused it to quit. I have on two occasions put considerable stress on the airplane, once in severe turbulence and one high G drop on landing.
Thought that was the problem, glad you found it.
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909

Rv-10, N210LM.

Flying as of 12/4/2010

Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011

Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.

"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-21-2013, 06:58 PM
ChiefPilot's Avatar
ChiefPilot ChiefPilot is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1,565
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PerfTech View Post
This is where I really needed it and the first and only time it has failed to function perfectly in 600 hrs.
I've always thought of the autopilot as a luxury - not something I ever really *needed* in the true sense of the word. Do you have an instrument rating? I have found mine to be far more useful than an autopilot on numerous occasions.
__________________
Brad Benson, Maplewood MN.
RV-6A N164BL, Flying since Nov 2012!
If you're not making mistakes, you're probably not making anything
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-21-2013, 07:12 PM
Randle Randle is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Atascosa, TX
Posts: 106
Default

It just so happens I read an article today in "Midwest Flyer" about how much today we rely on our autopilots and what would happen if it went poof at the absolute worst time. This article was from 2009 before the flight director and synthetic vision flooded the market but had many good points. Anything you can pass on to the lower time pilots (like me) that made it not such a big deal for the rest of the flight?
__________________
If you are 90% efficient, and your buddy who checks the 10% you missed is also 90% efficient, together you're 99% efficient.

RV-7A - empennage done minus glass
wings nearing completion

Last edited by Randle : 08-21-2013 at 07:14 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-21-2013, 07:33 PM
Chris Thomas Chris Thomas is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Posts: 27
Default

As a generalization; it is appears that many in the RV community DEPEND on the use the autopilot in lieu of skill/proficiency. It really should be a work load reduction tool & not a crutch.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-21-2013, 07:35 PM
Low Pass's Avatar
Low Pass Low Pass is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,012
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sirlegin View Post
We traveled the last 200 miles or so VFR on top with no ground sightings or holes to be had. We were between layers and things were getting worse rapidly

Isn't that IFR?
I am guessing he meant VFR over the top.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-21-2013, 08:05 PM
Don Patterson's Avatar
Don Patterson Don Patterson is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: South East Wisconsin
Posts: 104
Default

Allen,
Thanks for sharing your story. I have the same servos in our plane. Did you have to get the new pins from Tru-Trak or did you find another source.

Don
__________________
Don Patterson
RV-7A Slow Build, IO-360, Hartzell constant speed blended airfoil. CFII
First Flight Oct 6, 2010
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-21-2013, 08:17 PM
moll780 moll780 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 347
Default

thanks Allan for the heads up.
I have this autopilot as well and will replace these pins on my next condition inspection.


Quote:
Originally Posted by PerfTech View Post
.... I am posting this as it may help someone else from the same experience I had last weekend en-route to the Vans Homecoming. We traveled the last 200 miles or so VFR on top with no ground sightings or holes to be had. We were between layers and things were getting worse rapidly when all of a sudden my airplane began a turn to the left for no apparent reason. This is when I became aware that my auto pilot, True-Trac ADI Pilot II, was not functioning. This is where I really needed it and the first and only time it has failed to function perfectly in 600 hrs. The altitude hold was working, all indicator lights were on, but no roll servo action at all. After returning home I went to work locating the problem and found it had sheared off the shear pin in the servo arm. Not a difficult fix, but in retrospect I think I know what caused it to quit. I have on two occasions put considerable stress on the airplane, once in severe turbulence and one high G drop on landing. I am sure this is what stressed the pin and it finely just let go at a very inopportune time. The moral to this story is this, if you have been in extreme turbulence or a hard landing you may want to consider changing these pins. They are very inexpensive and easy to change. This ounce of prevention may save your axx one day. I definitely like a working auto pilot when in the clouds. Thanks, Allan
__________________
***********************************
--2008 RV-9A
Austin TX
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:46 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.